From Sa Re Ga Ma to Kohram

Amanat Ali’s debut is all about his passage through India
Instep lends an ear to the most hotly anticipated debut of 2009. We have great expectations from Amanat and can we be blamed?

By Maheen Sabeeh
Artist: Amanat Ali
Album: Kohram**1/2

You make it too hard

For a boy from Faisalabad, the story of Amanat Ali is fascinating. He first came into our consciousness in 2007 as the boy who made it to Sa Re Ga Ma Middle East Challenge. The long-running musical contest out of India has been around for more than a decade and Amanat Ali made Pakistan proud by winning the challenge. That was his first step.

His next move was an entry into Sa Re Ga Ma World Challenge, which was held in India. Amanat Ali made it to the top three and that is no easy feat. His talent crossed borders.

Amanat is just in his early twenties but his rise to stardom has been spectacular.
Bollywood director and choreographer Farah Khan, singer Jagjit Singh and Bollywood music composers Ismail Darbar and Vishal-Shekhar have come out praising Amanat Ali. You can Youtube him to watch his performances and hear what those icons said about him. You’ll even find a clip of his tete a tete with Shahrukh Khan. It’s a meteoric rise for a boy no one had really heard of on either side of the border. This is why, even before Kohram released, Amanat Ali got picked up by Telenor. It is the same Telecom giant that signed on Ali Zafar and Sonya Jehan, both of whom were already established. Amanat joined those haloed ranks without an original song to his credit. Exposure in India works wonders.

With those Telenor advertisements, billboards with his face plastered right next to pop princess Annie, Amanat Ali’s face became familiar. And so we waited for his album.

Amanat Ali’s Kohram is not what one hoped for from the young singer. The expectations from Amanat are sky high because of his vocals. That voice is incredibly powerful. He can be playful and he can be gloomy; he carries emotions very well. He can pitch the high notes with an innate style that is so effortless that he never sounds contrived. We’ve heard him sing Indian tunes on shows and even sing in Bollywood. This is the boy who sang ‘Khabar Nahin’ for the bestselling Dostana soundtrack.

But on his debut album, Amanat does not deliver. Amanat needed a musical album that would make his star shine further. With Kohram, that just doesn’t happen.

Like many other locally produced albums, Kohram is filled with songs that take cues from classical, techno, pop, rock and everything else in between. Unfortunately, that is never a good thing. With one foot in every genre, the album is neither here nor there. Sure, it has some moments but that isn’t enough for it to qualify as a solid debut.

The lead single, ‘Kohram’ is a telling sign. Meaty drums in full force, electric riffs and Amanat Ali singing, “Teri Ankhon Ka Kohram/Teray Hoton Ka Ye Jam/Ab Jo Bhi Ho Anjaam/” – it just doesn’t work. The song falls short.

Remember Ali Zafar’s ‘Channo’? That was a debut to remember. ‘Channo’ wasn’t trying too hard but it worked because the melody was sharp, the song was suitably flippant and so it still remains a pop delight. ‘Channo’ was a fun song and sure, it had a filmi sound to it but the Arabic ethos employed made it stand out.

‘Kohram’ tries desperately to hit hard and is likely targeted towards the dance-friendly masses. Its video, with Amanat Ali dancing and singing like a cross between a Bollywood superstar and a Pakistani pop prince proves this point. But the video draws on heavy influences from India. At live shows, this might be Amanat Ali’s killer track but on its own, this song is forgettable.

And that is inherently the problem with this album. The songs are forgettable. After a few days of listening, if the songs don’t grow on you, the album falls into oblivion. For music aficionados, that will be the case.

The overlapping of genres is not a science and neither is it very uncommon. But it all boils down to the right execution and the creation of a sound that is lasting. But in Kohram, the overlapping genres give it a cheesy feel.

Pick ‘Berung’ for example. It has an inviting opening. Emptiness, starkness and a sense of distortion swell through effectively. But that mood dies instantly when the music expands towards Spanish guitars; as opposed to giving the song an edge, the melodic guitars take it away. And then the song turns into a partial rock song. It’s too confusing to digest.

In a completely different direction, on ‘Rab Janay’ Amanat Ali goes into techno with full blast. It’s definitely catchy because the melody is pretty strong and the soundboard is not too ambitious. There is no musical chaos but the lack of ambition and one singular beat make the song monotonous.
The same can be said for ‘Wari Wari Jawan’ which sounds like a rundown effort of imitating acts like Josh, Raghav and Jay Sean. It’s frenzied and corny.
And then ‘Roya Teri Yaad Mein’ really sounds like a song out of a Bollywood film and not a good one. It actually comes across as one of those tragic love songs, with a mélange of instruments, which come full swing in an Emraan Hashmi film. The song meanders on endlessly.

Meanwhile, a chipmunk seems to sing English verses on ‘Anymore’ and dholaks, beats and electronic wizardry soon take over the song. It is, without a doubt, a shaadi-friendly song. But this is no ‘Mauja Hi Mauja’ or ‘Maar Charapa’. It doesn’t have that timelessness to it.

There are some good moments, though. ‘Raha Jaye Na’ is easily one of the nicest tunes on this otherwise mixed record. With a mournful air, bluesy flute and a mélange of musical arrangements well spread out and Amanat Ali’s melancholy vocals at their finest, it works rather nicely as a ballad. This song has a very moody feel and that works to its advantage.

However, the point is that while Amaanat Ali’s singing cannot be faulted, he is a brilliant singer, Kohram does not manage to carve out an identity for him. It seems to be a showcase for his versatility. But the question remains, as a singer, where is Amanat Ali going to position himself? Kohram does not answer that question; it just makes the question mark bigger.

The Bollywood factor
The good news is that Amanat Ali can carry notes like a pro. His voice remains his biggest asset and his youthfulness will make him an icon for the young and the restless. Barring Atif Aslam and Ali Zafar, the field is wide open and Amanat Ali can easily capture it, provided he steps out of the Bollywood zone. Kohram’s biggest problem is that it has Bollywood written all over it. It doesn’t experiment. Indeed, risks on the first album can be dangerous but no experiments can make it even worse.

One calls this album incoherent because it attempts too much and as a consequence, it comes across as a desperate record, which is trying to please every kind of listener. Amanat Ali is a youngster who can become the next Ali Zafar but he has to choose if he wants to be Ali Zafar or Abrar ul Haq. He can’t be both. The first album is so much more than an album. It is about identity. And at this point, it is clear that Amanat Ali is identifying more with Bollywood than anything else.

Move towards the lyrics and that’s another problem. There are clichés spread throughout.

On ‘Wari Wari Jawan’, the wordplay goes, “Teray Pyar Mein/Main Wari Wari Jawan/Hai Raat Mastani/Thori Se Deewani/Ab Dil Pey Koi Zor Chalta Nahin”. Even more disappointing is the fact that such wordplay is consistent throughout the record.

It may be because there are too many lyricists on this record. Asim Raza, Mubashar Hassan, Amanat Ali, Saaji Ali, Shahbaz Khan and Faisal Sheikh – that’s six writers so the mood is swinging from one side to another without any real direction. There is no poetry here, just cliches thrown together.

Kohram’s lyrics are staple Bollywood. And to imitate Bollywood is a wrong move. They can do film music and when they do it right, it results in records like the Dostana OST, Slumdog Millionaire and Dil Chahta Hai. That is their strength.

Pakistani musicians also have their strength. It’s the antithesis to Bollywood. If one looks at successful border crossing of Pakistani artists, Junoon, Atif Aslam, Shiraz Uppal and Strings, all charmed their way into Indian films because they were different. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s first single was ‘Mann Ki Lagan’ and it was a purely Pakistani production. It was minimalist in sound, beautifully written and sharply produced. Add all that to Rahat’s hypnotic voice and it was bound to be a success. But can the same be said for every Bollywood tune Rahat has ever done? No and that’s because he was simply lending vocals to other compositions.

Our artists made it in India because their sound was distinct and away from the run of the mill songs that Indian films can churn out at rapid speed. It was the freshness of Pakistani music that captured the Indian imagination.

On Kohram, Amanat Ali just doesn’t grasp this fact. But then he began his career from the Indian side in a way. In India, music composers hold creative control while singers come out and sing and that is the end of it. The ideology behind the songs, the themes and the mood, all of it lies with the music composer.
As Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan once said, “You have to make it big in Pakistan to be able to work in India on your own terms.”

Amanat Ali can cater to India and Pakistan both. But he has to realize that the sound and sensibility is different. Indian music is film-oriented. They have films with moods and the songs are inserted into those moods. On an album, there has to be a cohesive theme. It can be bouncy fun like Ali Zafar’s Huqa Pani or introspective melancholia like Ali Azmat’s Social Circus. But it can’t be Bollywood and Huqa Pani tied together. That is what Kohram sounds like. And in the end, that is the one major downer for this record.

And finally, there is the character. Vocals, lyrics, and music give every album a character.

We fell in love with Ali Azmat all over again (after Junoon’s abysmal Deewar) with Social Circus because he came out with an album that had a clear cut sound and had a distinct character. Abrar ul Haq has a bouncy, playful, loud character to his records while Zeb and Haniya have jazz and blues. Strings have a sonorous character and they upped their game with Koi Aanay Wala Hai. Kohram has little character because it has tries too hard… to be a bit of everything.

In the end, Kohram makes two things clear. Amanat Ali has an incredible voice and that fact will keep him going for now. But for consistency in the long run, he needs to operate differently. An album can be all about love but it has to have an edge, a soul and a sense of originality. If Amanat understands this, he will be unstoppable.

Here’s wishing a very talented singer all the best… at carving a niche that is all his own. He is talented enough for people to listen to what he has to say. With that voice, he doesn’t need to play to the varied gallery. His voice is powerful enough to make people sit up and notice. Amanat Ali should carve out an identity that should blow everyone’s socks off… on both sides of the border.

*Burn the CD NOW!
**One time listen
***Worth your while
****Musically sound
*****Get it right NOW!

Back to the forefront of the cutting edge: With his instrument at the ready and some mean riffs at hand, iconic guitarist Assad Ahmed is set to shine at Coke Studio

By Maheen Sabeeh

Take it as it comes

Minutes into Arieb Azhar’s rehearsal at Coke Studio, Assad Ahmed is already in groove, jumping between electric and acoustic guitars – the instruments that are Assad’s pride and passion. He is sitting next to Omran “Momo” Shafique – the other guitarist at Coke Studio – on one side and Kamran “Manu” Zafar (bass) on the other end.

As the song (which cannot be revealed just yet, they’re keeping the play list secret) blasts from the speakers, Assad grins, first at Gumby, who is drumming up a sensation, before shifting his smile to Momo and Mannu, both of whom understand the musical vibe. Clearly satisfied with what he’s hearing in his in-ear plugs, Assad plays on until we cut for a break.

Drum sensation John Louis Pinto aka Gumby calls Assad Ahmed Topcat.

“Come on, doesn’t Assad really look like Topcat?” Gumby asks me with a straight face and soon breaks into a hysterical laugh. Assad laughs along without a care in the world.

Right here, in the heart of Coke Studio, Assad Ahmed is making his comeback. The man who is considered one of the pioneers of rock music in Pakistan has surfaced and what a way to arrive!

With his long hair, jeans and a Gene Simmons (of Kiss fame) tee, Assad cuts a more self-assured figure than ever before He may be among the new additions of musicians to the Coke Studio house band but Assad already understands the ethos of the show that has revitalized the spirit within the music industry and has built bridges between musicians and star singers.

It’s rush hour but Assad is a complete sport. In between the change in the artist line-up, Assad finally gets a breather and I convince him to talk. He laughs politely and says, “Sure.”

The return of Assad Ahmed, one of Pakistan’s most seasoned musicians, has come as a surprise. It’s been six years since Karavan – Assad Ahmed’s current band – released their last record, the mighty and underrated Gardish.

Not that Assad is thinking about Karavan right now. He is thinking about the next set.

“We used to dream of this time. Rohail (Hyatt), Shahi (Hasan) and I. This day. We could count the number of acts in the music industry in our days on fingertips. Junoon, Vital Signs and Awaz,” recalls Assad. “We wondered and hoped that one day there would be more artists and that day has arrived. And I’m so proud of all of them. Zeb and Haniya, Noori, Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam and so many other artists. They have come out and they are fantastic. Coke Studio is bringing it all together and that is what’s important.”

This year Coke Studio line-up of artists includes pop and rock acts like Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Noori, Zeb and Haniya, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Strings, Arieb Azhar and Josh. Hailing from the eastern classical sides are Javed Bashir (of Mekaal Hasan Band fame), Ustaad Riaz Ali Khan and Saieen Zahoor.

Genres are intertwined, new experiments are taking place and for Assad this is how the industry will evolve.

Taking a long drag on a cigarette and stretching his endless legs, Assad sits up straight and says with a conviction that penetrates the air, “This is important for the growth of the industry. We need such platforms. Last year I couldn’t do Coke Studio because I didn’t have the time and Rohail knew it. I loved the last season of Coke Studio. This year I could get involved and so here I am,” says Assad.

The addition of Assad is certainly not a shock. He can adapt as a player, whether it is riveting riffs or intricate acoustic chords. He hasn’t lost that touch. With the change in the sound of Coke Studio, the inclusion of Assad Ahmed makes pure sense.

And the fact that Assad’s relationship with Pa Hyatt (Rohail Hyatt’s nickname at Coke Studio) goes back a long way makes it all the more exciting.

“I have played with Vital Signs. I played on two of their albums – Aitebar and Hum Tum. Rohail and I have always kept in touch irrespective of what we’ve been pursuing on professional fronts. And it’s a delight being here,” he says and adds, “Look at Coke Studio! Every single person here is doing their best. A lot of hardwork and planning has gone into this show. We’ve been at it for months.”

Be yourself

Assad Ahmed has been around for over two decades and he has seen the music industry develop. His views are headstrong. Unlike many other acts, Assad isn’t about India and Bollywood at all. And he’s very happy that the focus of Pakistani musicians has shifted from dreams of border crossing.

“Now with India not on the horizon for some time, it will shift the focus back on Pakistan, on our music and what we should be making,” he observes. “India doesn’t want our music. Do they have rock acts? No. They are a film-music oriented industry, so they will never promote Pakistani pop and rock just for its own sound. Eventually the sound will be molded to fit Bollywood standards,” he says firmly.

Refuting the claim that India is a massive platform, Assad says, “India is a platform but it isn’t the only platform. Other territories should be explored. UAE, UK and USA are also places where one can play and earn revenue. When Junoon came into the scene, their following in the United Kingdom as well as other places where the Asian diaspora exists was massive. Because UK only had a bhangra and hip hop scene happening, there were no rock acts until Junoon came. With Junoon out of the game, that void still exists. And bands like Karavan, Noori, EP, Aaroh and others have that market.”

In the six years since Karavan’s last album, Assad has been busy. Other than working on the upcoming Karavan album, he has worked on Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Charkha, Haroon’s albums – Lagaan and Haroon Ka Nasha. He also worked on Rahat Fateh Ali’s ‘Mann Ki Lagan’ off the Paap soundtrack and Sajjad Ali’s haunting ballad, ‘Teri Yaad’. And then there was the unplugged Karavan album that was released only on the Internet in 2005.

“Karavan has done number of shows. You get your hardcore fans out and play your heart out. That is the way to do it. You have to realize that me and Rohail, Shahi, Junaid – we all came at a time when the only media was state television. It’s not that difficult to put up a show now. But do it right. If you give something 50 per cent, it will be felt by the fans. I’d rather do something which is 100 per cent honest than something that is below par.”

For Assad, the attraction of stardom ha

“I never really left. But I have done the whole pop star thing, touring the world and playing to packed houses. It isn’t about stardom for me,” he says reminiscing about the days of Awaz, which ruled the roost alongside Vital Signs as ‘the’ pop acts.

s faded away.

As the conversation continues, there’s a tap on the door. The next set is taking off and Assad is needed. It is close to midnight. He surely is tired. It is grueling for all the players who’ve been spending every waking hour at the studio. But Assad has no complaints. He puts the cigarette out and we walk back inside.

For fans though, there is more good news. Other than Coke Studio, Assad is also wrapping up Karavan’s upcoming record, Saara Jahaan. Assad Ahmed is the backbone of Karavan. He is the crowd puller for loyal fans who have been following his career graph for years. And that graph, is still on the rise and we expect it to go up further when Coke Studio goes on air.

– Pictures by Rizwan-Ul-Haq

Shifting sands

Instep takes a brief look at Raeth — the youngest music sensation making waves in Pakistan and across the border By Maheen Sabeeh

Rewind to the past A few months ago, a song aired on television by the name ‘Bhula Do’ by a then unknown band calling themselves Raeth. The video was nothing to write home about. It was another performance-based video that showed a band performing and chilling with friends. The song however, was a different story altogether. It was another pop/rock number coming out of the scene but it worked because of its simplicity. It’s also a melodic number, not groundbreaking by any means but one of those annoyingly addictive tracks that stuck to your head. This was the beginning of Raeth – a boy band that struck gold with just one video.
A little while after ‘Bhula Do’ aired in Pakistan, it was picked up by Indian music channels and was fighting hard against names like Euphoria, Kailash Kher and other Indi pop artists in the countdown. It was an unprecedented hit. And it was all a stroke of luck…
Who are they? Raeth is the brainchild of Wajhi Farouqui, (Vocals), Farabi Hasan, (Lead Guitars) and Mustafa Asad (Bass). This is perhaps one of the youngest bands in Pakistan with Wajhi being 21, Mustafa, 20 and Farabi only 18-years old. All three guys have been interested in music since childhood. If Wajhi was winning singing competitions, Farabi was winning inter-school guitar competitions. Both Wajhi and Farabi were jamming and doing cover songs roughly two years back but it hit them that covers weren’t their style. “We wanted to do original stuff,” says Farabi. Then, they came across Mustafa and decided to form a band. With the help of their session drummer, Alfred D’Mello, Raeth met Kashan Admani (Mizmaar fame). Kashan Admani is the CEO of Dream Station Productions – a production house that produces music and is working towards promoting new talent. Interestingly, not only did Kashan produce their self-titled debut album but he also landed them a record deal in India. “I have tied up with Universal Music. The idea is to promote music all over the world and Universal can help us achieve that. Once these guys came in, I sent three of their songs to India to Universal. They were very impressed and decided to release their album.” Kashan changed a few things around in their songs and provided this young band with the expertise that one requires in producing an album. The rest as they say is history. Raeth’s album has been released in Pakistan and simultaneously saw a release in India, USA and the Middle East through Universal. The next step In order to survive in the music industry, the ability of performing live is a must. Fortunately, Raeth has that quality. At their album launch, these guys performed to a packed house and even though they were playing unplugged, they managed to captivate the audience to such an extent that ‘Bhula Do’ was performed twice. Even as Raeth is doing very well for itself, there is skepticism in people’s minds. Rungg’s debut single, ‘Hum Na’ was an absolute hit but once the hype died down and the album released, it didn’t hit the market hard. The only question remains: with so many new bands doing the same kind of music, will this album work? “We’ve done the best we can and so far, our album is on top in Pakistan and India,” says Farabi. Whether their album has what it takes to be as big as Call or Jal remains to be seen but just for now, Raeth it seems has arrived and what an arrival it has been!

The Josh rush

Instep looks into the band that is Josh. They are out with a funky new video and a new album that is already making way for itself in Pakistan and India…By Maheen Sabeeh

Josh’s latest single ‘Mahi Ve’ has been playing all over music channels for the past few weeks and it’s a hit. The reason is simple: ‘Mahi Ve’ is melodic; it’s neither hardcore Punjabi bhangra nor your average feel-good pop track. It is lyrically almost Sufic while being extremely cosmopolitan in form. Josh is the same band that branched out to Pakistan in 2004 with their second album – Kabhi – (first in Pakistan) and immediately built a connection with listeners. These guys are not just known for their music but also their funky collaborations that range from UK-based Rishi Rich to Sukhbir to Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado. And now they’re back with a brand new album, Mausam…
Josh is… Q and Rup – short for Qurram Hussain and Rupinder Magon – two chilled out musicians, hailing from Canada who call themselves a “desi” band. At 9 in the morning, they are perfectly dressed and ready to take on the media. In a blue tee and denims and silver chains dangling down his neck, Q is a musician to the max. He walks, talks and lives the life. Born in Muscat, Q moved to Karachi and did his entire high schooling here and later moved to Canada. On the other hand is Rup, the man who initiated Josh in the 2000s. Sikh Indian by birth, Rup was born and bred in Canada. He is the mature side of Josh. If Q is playful and funny, Rup is a little more grounded
but his sense of humour can easily match Q as both of them throw in witty punches in between questions. As these two musicians chat about the differences between music scenes all across the globe, one thing that comes out is their level of optimism about the music scene in Pakistan.
If one were to differentiate between the two, it would be a daunting task. They think alike, say the same things and just have a lot in common with, even though they both hail from very distinct backgrounds. “You’re not a morning person,” says Rup laughingly (to me) when asked how he managed to look so charged up at so early in the morning. Perhaps the only difference really is how they’ve managed to amalgamate two sensibilities of music and have created a style to call their own. When talking, Q is the one who makes most of the movement, he looks around, and speaks animatedly. Rup doesn’t move around too much, he lets his eyes do all the talking. He looks straight at you and speaks directly and openly.The beginning Josh began when Rup and his brother Rik decided to form a band. “We did covers of all kinds of songs back then,” remembers Rup. In Canada, if you’re good, word gets around. Soon, Q was brought in on percussions and as a back-up singer. In 2001, Josh officially came into being as they launched their debut album, Main Hoon Tanha in India. “We were young and we thought that releasing it in India would mean world wide distribution,” reminisces Q to which Rup adds, “We actually had no body here and we had no idea how to go about this.” Even though, Main Hoon Tanha was never formally released in Pakistan, it found an opening here through the internet. 2001 was the year when there was no Atif or Jal or Ali Zafar. There was no new band making a wave. Not enough local stuff was being out on the internet unlike today. Consequently, Josh developed a following of its own. This helped the band realize the market in Pakistan and how it could be tapped into.
Then came 2004 – the year of Josh. They launched their second album, Kabhi and this time managed to release it outside of India too. Josh teamed up with Sukhbir for ‘Ban Farkey’ which became a favourite at local parties as well shaadis. Talk about diversifying…Of course, it was the collaboration with Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado that made even goras take notice of this mutli-cultured band of desis. “Nelly Furtado is also based in Canada. We approached them but back then, her album was already finished. They gave us a shot and asked us to remix ‘Powerless’. We’re not Djs, we don’t
know how to remix,” exclaims Rup and continues, “We changed the melody, added words and made it a whole new track,” he says mischievously. The risk Josh took with ‘Powerless’ paid off. Nelly liked what they did and now the song is not just on her album but has been made into a video too. This team-up led to another remix as Josh have mixed ‘Promiscuous Girl’ for Nelly Furtado’s new album, Loose.Local scene In our part of the world, musicians tend to take less risks because the market is not receptive to new sounds. But as music is going global, local artists have started experimenting a little bit more. Some do it in form of music structure that is fusion; others do it out and about like Rushk (Sawal), some mix things around EP (Urdu meets rap) and these are just few examples. Josh realizes this better than any band. This realization comes from working under an environment that is on an international level. Working in Canada and making it as a band in their live circuit is just not easy and if you’re singing in a language that is not English, it is more difficult. “Being in a desi band, you create an identity if you’re good. Josh had already developed a reputation when I came in, even though they were doing covers,” insists Q.
To Josh, it is not about globalisation at all. “With Pakistan opening up to new media, different sound is now being accepted. But at the end of the day, we released ‘Kabhi’ as our first official track in Pakistan. It was not a dance number. It’s good that upbeat tracks have also found a market but in the end, it is about melody and knowing how to create your own style. We took our time and it worked,” says Rup thoughtfully. The kind of energy that Josh puts in their songs, Pakistan would love to see them live. Last time around, these guys couldn’t perform much but this time, they have plans to perform in Karachi. “We would love to perform here but if were to do a full-fledged show, we would need to bring 14-15 people! Even at a minimum, we would want 5-6 people. Promoters and organizers usually are not willing to fly out so many people. It’s not Karachi to Lahore but Canada to America or Canada
to Pakistan,” opines Rup. Realising the importance of live music, Josh has planned out a scheme. The solution to this is as Q puts it, “What we’re doing now is trying to setup different musicians within different territories. So when we need to go and do a show anywhere, we will have a local setup. We don’t want to play the record out the same way. But we pick the most versatile instruments out and use them in our shows. With musicians set up everywhere, it’ll be easier to perform more.”

Flying high

He is the pop prince of the decade and he’s back with a bigger bang. Ali Zafar talks to Instep about flying, his new album Masty, growing up and silencing his critics… By Maheen Sabeeh
It’s cool “I always wanted to fly as a kid,” says Ali Zafar with a trademark impish grin. At the age of 26, Ali has realized that he can make his dreams come true. In his new video, he’s suspended in mid air, above 200 screaming girls. It may not be the same as flying, but it is definitely the next best option.After winning hearts with Huqa Pani, Ali is back with a bigger bang and this time, he plans to re-affirm the faith of his fans and the skeptics that come with the territory.It is rush hour for Ali Zafar. He has a promotional plan to go over, shows to record and interviews to give. Sitting in a meeting with the reps of Fire Records, Ali waves a hand and comes out of a conference room to greet me. He is calm personified as cameras flash around him.
On one side are his record label people, etching out a promotional plan, everyone has a thing to say to Ali, then are the photographers who are clicking away, capturing Ali’s every mood. It is a little odd when you’re talking to someone and you’re asked to pose in the middle of the conversation. But Ali handles it like a pro. He understands the concept of marketing himself. He is a person, an artist and a star, but he also realizes that his music is a commodity that has to be pushed out into the market with a mighty shove and a big bang. The big bang is the ‘Masty’ video that paints Ali in all the aura of a star and superhero.As music has become the slogan of youth, every musician has to constantly reinvent himself and give the media something new to spin to make his mark. Ali Zafar, the pop wonder of the decade, realizes this better than any of his contemporaries.But just right now in real life with a media circus all around, Ali throws me an apologetic look and stands against a white board, curls his lips into that mischievous grin and stares deep into the lens before sitting down for the interview.
All grown upAli is out with a new album but it’s not just the album that is new. Ali himself looks different. The boyish charm is still there, but it’s hiding behind the man he has become. He seems somewhat stressed out – it must be scary to come up with a new album that has so many expectations behind it. Handling stress like a pro, Ali smiles constantly, has some wisecracks up his sleeves and is ready to talk away. In the past three years, Ali has progressed tremendously. As a man, he is charming and down to earth. He is friendly enough to shake hands with all those who pass us by, be it the camera crew or the peon. Ali doesn’t throw his star weight around, which a musician of his caliber can easily get away with. He is not one of those brooding musicians. His age gives him an understanding of what the youth wants, while his Kishore Kumar style vocals and melodies make him a hit with the older .
generation. Ali knows this fact and plays with it to the max
The monumental success he gained from ‘Channo’ was unprecedented. Even as Ali enjoys his share of the limelight, he knows that it is extremely difficult to stay on top. But what separates him from the one-hit wonders of the music industry is the hunger to prove himself to the world at large. That crucial driving force makes him an increasingly savvy musician.If ‘Channo’ saw Ali Zafar dancing and jumping, ‘Masty’, his latest video shows him hovering above a crowd, bodily lifted above them. He picks a girl out from the crowd and dances with her. This video is the epitome of what Ali Zafar concerts are like, just pumped to a hyper real extreme. It is almost as if he is consciously building the Ali Zafar brand.It’s a fantastic video (except for the guitar playing – ‘Masty’ is not a rock song) that gels well with the track. Not surprisingly, Ali came up with the video concept himself, edited it and was involved every step of the way. The only thing one wonders is why he opted for an Indian director (Shiraz Bhattacharya) when Jami, Saqib Malik or Asim Reza could’ve pulled off the concept easily.“I went to an Indian guy for various reasons. Our directors are fairly busy – you need 2-3 months at a minimum. Technically, India is superior to us. They have facilities that we lack. Most importantly for a concept like this, we needed girls. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to get 200 girls for a shoot in Pakistan? Even if we did find them, only 60 would arrive on time out of which, 40 would back out at the last minute because ‘meri mummy ney mana kar diya’ and I’d be left with 20. It was simpler to go there and get it done,” Ali defends his move of opting for Shiraz.For ‘Masty’, Ali did the styling himself but Nabila provided him with all the guidance that she possibly could. This was the second time Nabila and Ali teamed up, the first time for the video of the intense ‘Ek Pal’. Considering Tariq Amin’s involvement in Ali Zafar’s first few videos, it is a tad surprising. Ali’s theory is simple and logical: “I believe in working with everyone.” It is an intelligent way of existing in this industry and Ali has learned how to play his cards right.“Masty as an album will be a lot more mature.” He has come of age and he knows it.
Branching outFrom songwriting to music to playing guitars, modeling and acting, Ali has tried his hand at everything. He is doing the soundtrack for Nadeem Mandviwalla’s Pyar Da Pagal Pan. He also has a Saqib Malik film in his bag, though Ali is currently not sure where the project is really headed. “I had given them dates but it never rolled on schedule. Now I’m busy with the album. I’m not sure what’s going on with it.”If one remembers correctly, Ali had also signed on for Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Ke Liye with Shaan and Iman Ali. Shaan recently criticized him in print for dropping the project very unprofessionally. Ali is honest enough to come out with the truth. “I have a successful career. I do act and enjoy it tremendously. Shoaib sahib is a wonderful director. But the film was a little controversial with its subject. My mother was worried for me and
dvised me not to be a part of it. I understood where her concern was coming from. I respected her decision and bowed myself out of it but I wish them well.”It was an important project but it came with a risk he wasn’t ready to take. He took a well calculated decision. The buzz wordThe music industry can also be vicious. There are rumours that other than the Lux Style Awards; most award shows give out awards under a rather unethical criterion. It is heard that artists are told to perform and if they agree, they will win at least one award. Of course, with no independent and proper music award shows, these anomalies are bound to exist. Is it also true in Ali’s case?”There are lobbies in every industry. Remember Million Dollar Baby’s win at Oscars?” Ali exclaims and adds, “I have never been told to perform in order to grab an award nor have I ever been through it. One time, ‘Channo’ was nominated in the Best Song category and I thought that it should’ve won. I wasn’t given the award but I had four others to my credit. So yes, these things do happen. It’s the way things operate,” says Ali.He is an essential part of these awards show. After all, Ali Zafar has mass appeal. Yet, he has been accused of using the same tricks time and again. His routine picking of girls from the audience and dancing with them is a known trait amongst his fans and critics alike. The element of surprise is important. Ali confesses to this analysis, “I agree that it’s becoming predictable. There aren’t enough decent venues here. We are not given support from the organizers. I mean, what can you do that stands apart? You have no visual elements to attach to a performance. I try to mix things up to keep the level of entertainment charged up. I have tried doing things differently. I’ve jammed with different musicians but you need a structure of sorts to get through with every performance with a new angle.” The only solution to this problem is if the collective music industry comes together and takes a stand. When Association of Music Professionals of Pakistan (AMPP) came into being, this was one of their many goals, that is, taking hold of the scene by its pulse. The only question is: is the music industry united enough to do so? Ali thinks it is. “We are united. I call up Ali Azmat and he gives me tips. Just recently I met Ali Noor and we launched into this discussion about mastering and these are just few names. Ali Azmat has met the President and a letter has been sent to him. People are still signing onto AMPP,” says Ali hopefully. A hard journeyWith fame and glory comes a level of criticism. One criticism drawn on Ali is his inspiration from R.D. Burman. From the day ‘Channo’ first aired, many feel that Ali copied, some feel that he plays on Burman’s melody. “I’m inspired from R.D. Burman,” says Ali stroking his chin and adds thoughtfully, “I don’t plagiarise. Just because the original song had ‘Dhanno’ in it and my song is ‘Channo’ does not mean that it is the same.”Ali Zafar enjoys immense popularity across the border. His visits to India have taught him how to handle himself there. “Some of our artists jump on the opportunity of going to India. I don’t because it is not necessary to do everything that comes your way. It has to be the right project,” says Ali. It is better to not have a Bolly flick to one’s credit than let an original composition being torn apart. With Fight Club ruining ‘Channo’ with “Gori Gori, Chori Chori,” Ali understands the importance of retaining one’s compositions and how not to sell yourself. “They took the song, changed it and Sohail Khan approached me and told me to sing it. After doing their trick, they asked me to come on board. When I heard it, I was shocked. They got someone else to sing it but gave me composition credit.”Another criticism that Ali, like most musicians these days, is faced with is that of his album release. The time period between Huqa Pani and Masty is three years. It is too long. Two years is enough for a musician to come out with a new album as well as do international tours. Ali admits to the criticism and says, “I know that three years is long. I don’t think I have ever worked this hard on anything in my life. I unlearned everything I ever knew to do this album. I hope that the next time I won’t take this long.” These days, Ali is charged. He has new material to perform and it’s going to be a tough battle. 2007 will mark releases from all the big guns of the music industry. Ali Azmat, Strings, Fuzon, Jal and Atif are coming out with new albums. Fans will have a lot to look forward to and Ali Zafar, being a firm believer in healthy competition, will face the heat like a warrior. It remains to be seen if Masty will surpass the success of Huqa Pani but from the word on the street, Masty is already right up there!