12th Lux Style Awards: Awaiting the ‘luxies’

LAHORE: With the Lux Style Awards (LSAs) taking place Thursday night, anticipation is running high as to what to expect from this year’s show.

The LSAs have always been one of the most anticipated events of the year, giving us something to look forward to in an otherwise scorching summer.

The fact that the show is being held in Lahore for the first time in its 12-year run makes it all the more exciting. Knowing Lahore’s penchant for pomp and show, one can expect a show full of razzmatazz, some OTT theatricals and lots of Lahori zeal.

The LSAs or ‘luxies’, as they have been referred to lately, have seen the highs and lows of their own.

The show went from a larger-than-life extravaganza in Malaysia in 2007 to just a skimmed down dinner and photo op in 2009 and 2010, owing to security and financial situations. But the year 2011 marked the return of festivities, performances and a full-fledged award show that the LSAs platform has identified itself with.

Bigger and better

This year’s show is touted to be bigger, better and much more glamorous than 2012. Ahmed Ali Butt will be resuming the responsibility as host and based on the great job he did last year, it amplifies the expectations audiences have from him.

Actor Ali Zafar was the star of the show at last year’s LSAs as he put up a splendid performance by singing hits from his album Jhoom, and also dancing to his Bollywood stint Mere Brother ki Dulhan’s songs.

Music sensation Atif Aslam will be doing the same for this year’s show as he returns to the LSAs platform after five years. Atif’s association with the LSAs go way back –whether it was landing on the stage on a flying carpet at the 2007 show in Kuala Lumpur where he performed alongside model Aaminah Haq, or the soulful tribute to yesteryear’s singer Reshma at the very next year’s show in Karachi.

Given the fact that some of the most memorable LSA performances were the ones that featured Atif in them, this time around, it will be interesting to see what Atif has in store for his fans.

Girl power

On the performance front, the line-up includes the new Lux ambassadors Aamina Sheikh and Humaima Malick.

Both girls are familiar with the LSA platform. Humaima performed alongside Zafar at last year’s show and their chemistry was sizzling, while Aamina Sheikh performed with her husband Mohib Mirza at  2011 show.

Aamina and Humaima are the current ‘it’ girls of the industry – both have successfully transitioned from modelling and TV to film and bigger prospects.

While Humaima is trying her luck in Bollywood to follow up to her debut film Bol, Aamina has recently starred in a crop of new films including Lamha (Seedlings) and Josh, that mark a new genre of cinema.

The timing of being brand ambassadors couldn’t be any better for these girls. It remains to be seen whether they can transform their beauty and talent into energy that is needed for a good on-stage performance.

Controversy’s favourite children Meera and Mathira are slated to perform as well. On paper, it sounds like they have something exciting prepared for the audiences for the 12th LSAs, but whether Lahore can outshine all the previous years’ events is yet to be seen.

Usama Hamayun is a fashion and entertainment writer. He blogs at stylesupplement.wordpress.com and tweets at @Usama_Hamayun

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