Mired by Context: Re-Introducing Kamran Jawaid

My Internet identity has a mangled conformity to it. Whenever I search my name, I stumble upon a web page or blog which discusses my existence with the factual accuracy of a chupacabra sighting.

While my urban legend has some semblance of fidelity to them – credited mostly to my bygone blog entries and (almost dead) online community listings – I feel a cringed sensation whenever I happen upon any of them.

Although misinformation is something of an Internet trait, there should be a decent source to authenticate this creeping madness, so I’m listing a bare bones re-introduction for anyone to leech from (this can also be read as a FAQ):

...So Who is Kamran Jawaid?

I am: Kamran Jawaid (also known as Mohammad Kamran Jawaid, or MKJ for short). I was born Saturday April 29 1982. Jerry Seinfeld, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Daniel Day-Lewis and I share a birth date.

I do: Film criticism and motion picture consultation.

I also: Develop and Produce films. I also love to teach films.

What I have done: I have consulted on quite a few projects, which are dead somewhere in the pits of development hell.

What am I currently doing: Scrapping anything and everything I’m involved in.

Why am I doing this: Because...a) Obviously, I can’t do everything. b) Everything was getting crowded (read: getting mangled beyond recognition). c) Resetting projects seems like a good idea. d) 2008 was a bad year.

So, what am I really doing: In 2009 in I will be maintaining my profile as a film critic, as well as complete development on The Axon Theory and Echo. I will also be doing a few short movies. There are also two documentaries in progress. One about Anime, and another which I don't want to get into right now.

What is The Axon Theory: The Axon Theory is a psychological thriller written by Peter Wojtowicz. The project is in early stages of development. We see it as a late 2010 or 2011 release.

What is Echo: Echo is a supernatural thriller which is fast tracking through development for a 2011 release.

What is Animadversion: Animadversion is a film review column I do for iMAGES Magazine. As far as I know, Animadversion is Pakistan’s first review column with a Second Opinion by another film critic. The Second Op is written by my sister Farheen Jawaid, who also happens to be a swell critic.

And iMAGES is…: Probably the widest read entertainment supplement in Pakistan. iMAGES is published every Sunday with DAWN. DAWN is Pakistan’s oldest, widest circulated (and lest I forget the most prestigious) daily English language newspaper, founded by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who is incidentally also the founder of Pakistan. DAWN is published by Pakistan Herald Group and they also have an English language news channel on air.

What about Oscar Predictions: Yes, we (as in my sister and I) do those too. We’ve been covering the Oscars and Globes for Images for the past three or four years. We also do exclusive Oscar Predictions for the paper. Been doing those for three years now. There weren’t any Oscar Predictions in any Pakistani trades before us too (as far as I know, anyway).

Why is my writing style gonzo: Um…I didn’t know my prose was gonzo. Wikipedia might’ve had their sources mixed up.