Adil Najam
Like so much of Michael Jackson’s life, Michael Jackson’s death has come as a shock to so many. Including many Pakistanis who grew up to the shadows of his soundtracks.
Do you have ‘Pakistani’ memories of Michael Jackson? Do share.
I must say I have been surprised by how many ATP readers have written to me saying that we should do a post on Michael Jackson’s death. I was not, at first, sure what the ‘Pakistan connection’ was. But one was made to reconsider as one heard of the MJ memorial set up in Karachi (photos below)and it was apparent how so many were so influenced by the personage of the ‘King of Pop.’
Indeed, there was a time when – irrespective of your economic and social class – the was to be ‘tich’ was to be like Michael Jackson. From Saab ji’s son to Saab Ji’s driver’s son, if you were ‘in’ you had to be MJ: the hair, the walk, the white socks, the tight pants, the persona at large. And no stage show from Peshawar to Karachi would ever be complete without the ‘performance’ of a Michael Jackson clone.
To me, the immediate memory of the Michael Jackson influence on Pakistan is embodied in the famous Fifty-Fifty skit above. Elsewhere on this blog, I have argued that this may be the funniest comedy skit ever in the best Pakistani comedy program ever. But the point I wish to make today is different. It is a point about Michael Jackson and the deep and varied impacts he has left all over the world in so many different ways!
I must confess, I was never a Michael Jackson fan, never owned a single track of his. But there is no one who has lived in the times I have lived in who could be unaware of or uninterested in the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson. I think he led a sad life, but a life that is worth celebrating becuase it gave the joy of music to so many.
May he rest in in peace.
I think much of Michael Jackson’s influence in Pakistan came via Bollywood. The choreographers in Mumbai acknowledge that the big, elaborate moves and dances were all “borrowed” from Michael Jackson videos and concerts.
Famous Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan put it well when told reporters, “I officially had no training in dance and whatever I learned was by watching Michael Jackson
Nice post. Brought back memories of 50-50 and also of Pakistan’s Michael Jackson phase. He was qite teh rage then. LOL
Like that picture of MJ and BB posters being sold side by side. Yeh hai Pakistan!
When people idolized other people and their culture and tradition, they slowly and gradually loose their tradition and culture. In the political uncertainty that our Pakistan is going through, people are remembring him that they lost Quaid-e-Azam or something. Not much a response for a person who spend his whole life for the Pakisatani Ideology- Mian Tufail. I don’t care what political party you affiliate yourself, but think Pakistan above others. And what connection are we talking about? I bet someone among us can form a connection of Pakistan with Zimbabwe’s Dictator Mughabe too. We are living in the globalized world!!!
We all have to die one day even if you are the King of Pop. What is important is that you seek the truth and guidance, like MJ. Even though we have a principle of doubt about his conversion, we can’t deny that he was interested in Islam. So stop worshipping him and mourning him, and seek the life of Islam that was chosen by MJ’s brother and MJ was greatly interested in.
Wassalam.
There were accounts that Jackson converted, however, he never confirmed publicly his conversion.