Mehrin Mubdi Chowdhury chats with Farzana Shakil as the diva discusses Ramadan
Ramadan is a busy month for parlours and at Farzana Shakil’s it’s sheer hysteria. To manage time between clients and Iftar, we wonder how she deals with this madness. “First ten days are fairly easy but the stress builds up in the last ten days when the rush increases given that most of our employees are fasting.”
Farzana also adds, “To escape the intense build up of pressure, everyone works together even if it doesn’t fall under their working hours. Teamwork and camaraderie is very important to us all.” she gleams. “All this support from everyone helps us attend our prayers in time and also have Iftar without any hassle.”
Farzana’s fans are in awe of her evergreen beauty. Upon asking about the special preparation she takes in terms of food for the month of Ramadan, she shares, “During this month or any other month I try not to overdo on spices, I also avoid oily food and indulge more on juices, fruits, etc.”
She also adds, “Fasting is really good for health, so in addition to getting closer to the Almighty we can also look forward to detoxifying and ridding our bodies from unfriendly contaminants.”
During the month, Farzana sorts out her finances to make things easier. “Like most people, I give my zakaat during Ramadan. However, I plan for this donation beforehand. I select who I want to give it to and then I deal with the financial issues and calculations many days before the actual contribution,” she reveals.
“As for shopping, I enjoy it during the month of Ramadan and not before, since I love the prevalent festive atmosphere. My ideology is not to spend too much on anything but rather spend sensibly on unique items; small gifts that will convey love and generosity.”
She also reiterated, “I prefer cotton clothes as gifts for my family, friends and relatives. I am not much of an impulsive buyer and try to stay within budget all the time.”
While both men and women are trying to groom themselves more for the upcoming Eid holidays, the rush increases tenfold in the parlours which create immense pressure on everyone.
“The most difficult time would be the last ten days. There will be a lot of hiccups but I handle it all with a cool head. I have a motto – no use becoming a hot head, it will only make things worse,” explains Farzana.
Apart from managing the salon, Farzana tells us about her three favourite activities during this month. “I love praying, fasting and spending time with loved ones especially during Iftar.”
With so many Iftar and Sehri parties, we asked the diva to suggest a gorgeous and easy makeup. “After doing the base, line the eyes with waterproof eyeliner and tint the lips with a light coloured lipstick. Do not put any mascara or blush-on. A gorgeous dress should go well with this minimalistic makeup.”
With delicious iftar items all over the country, Farzana too has her favourite indulgences. “It would definitely be Halim and Chotpoti! I also like piyaju, beguni and jilapis.” Inspite of having so much on her plate Farzana always carves out time for her loved ones, and enjoys this month to the fullest.