I have been wondering about the earliest translations of Western Sci-Fi into Urdu and as luck would have it Rashid Ashraf is familiar with some of the title. Here are a few that he shared with me. Many thanks to Rashid Ashraf for providing the covers.
(Image Source: Financial Times) The award winning British-Pakistani novelist, Mohsin Hamid, published a short story on an Alien Invasion in Financial Times which was quite well received. Here is an excerpt from the story: A hot wind rattles the roof of our shanty. Corrugated metal bucks up and down, scrabbling againstContinue Reading
‘ What is better than Mr. Spock on the Enterprise? It is of course Mr. Spock doing Bhangra and dancing to the beat of Punjabi songs in Pakistan – Balay! Balay! Balay! The text reads – Balay Balay Star Trek. This is part of the series that we posted lastContinue Reading
Marianne Edwards Fire Boy is the first book of a duology by Sami Shah. Shah is a comedian, broadcaster, writer, speaker, and newshound. He has the breadth of perspective you’d expect from someone with so many strings to his bow. The story shows how a baby of extraordinary origins becomesContinue Reading
Omar Gilani is an Pakistani artist who mixes sci-fi with Pakistani everyday life. He has a masters in Robotics and is now working was a full time Mechanical Engineer when he decided to quit his job and is now pursuing his real passion art on a full time basis. HeContinue Reading
There is a wonderful effort started in Pakistan by Usman T. Malik and Tehseen Bajwa from Pakistan to recognize the pursuit of Science Fiction and imaginative fiction in Pakistan. Here is the release from the creators of the Salam Awards, please share widely. Named after Pakistan’s only Nobel Prize winner–theContinue Reading
When Superman was launch more than 80 years ago it was not just the first comic with a superhero but it was also supposed to be an indirect commentary on the times with the economic depression and fascism rising in Europe and superman being a champion of liberty and justice.Continue Reading
Usman T. Malik is a personal friend who is also an award-winning speculative fiction author. He is also from Lahore, Pakistan. He is the first Muslim and Pakistani to win the Bram Stoker Award for Short Fiction and was the finalist for the Nebula Award twice in a row. HisContinue Reading
Maula Jatt is a cult classic Punjabi movie from Pakistan which has gained legendary status in Pakistan since its release in 1979. The movie also has the distinction of being the only movie in Pakistani cinema’s history to be shown continuously for more than 6 years. The movie also cementedContinue Reading
While Imran series is not focused on science fiction and is mainly a spy series, it does have many elements which can be considered as science fiction. Although it is never mentioned where the store is set, other than the author says that it is in a South Asian countryContinue Reading