INSTEP Magzine


instep overview Pakistani artistes head out for Awarapan in India Roxen, Annie and Rafaqat Ali Khan all feature on the OST of Mukesh Bhatt's Awarapan. And they are set to reap all the benefits of Bollywood exposure. By Amira Zaidi

Talent-hunting in Pakistan, director Mohit Suri first fetched the best of musicians for its film Zeher, then Kalyug, followed by Woh Lamhe and now, Awarapan that produces a music album comprising only Pakistani singers recreated by composer Pritam. Mohit Suri says, the two chosen songs from Roxen, are the two most soulful songs he's ever heard. Rubbing shoulders with serial-kisser Emran Hashmi, who was previously lip-syncing to biggies like Himesh Reshammiya, Kunal Ganjawala and a few of Atif Aslam's too, the new vocalist and composer in the limelight is Mustafa Zahid, along with his 4-member rock-pop band from Lahore – Roxen.

Roxen lent the Bhatt's two of its ballads 'Toh Phir Aao' and 'Tera Mera Rishta', which was originally titled Lams in their album, the only wordings of which were, ana jana, na kar deewana. The new 'Tera Mera', heard at the climax of the film's ending, has two versions, the original and the remix. 'Toh Phir Aao' however, seemingly the new 'Aadat' of this year, has three versions. Though it's originally a ballad full of depth and accompanied with simple yet unusual lyrics, the one making waves on MTV these days, is just one of the three versions. There's the original, the lounge version and the remix version – a total of five tracks by Roxen for the film.

The video of 'Toh Phir Aao (Remix)' that you see now, has a very Roxen-touch to it; dark, rocky and concert-like. Contrary to the fact that it's a sad number, the band members are all smiles. Particularly Mustafa in the lead with a brand new, and this literally means brand new haircut by b:blunt, which is Farhan Akhtar's wife's salon, he's dressed in his Roxen-like manner with light thrown on his face, minus the deep-set eyes that make them look deeper. But the lighting is very strobe-like and the simplistic set encompasses the players within three walls – the walls that are horizontal barnyard (ok that's too degrading) or one could say, giving the effect of blinds, with light streaming through. Aerial shots of the studio show wires lay on the floor making eight-like figures. There's a smoke-machine and the works! The players, if you please, apart from the four band members are DJ Suketu, who's known to be the best in the country, at the back. Then the hero of the film Emran Hashmi in a tight, black vest nonchalantly walks in and shakes hands with the vocalist and takes over the second mic. The clips then shuffle back and forth between the set and the film.

This video gained number-one position on several charts of India (source: Planet Bollywood) within its first week of release. To start off with, Mahesh Bhatt claims that this big-budget film of his was always left incomplete for some reason or the other, until he heard 'Toh Phir Aoo'. Once 'Toh Phir Aoo' was taken on, Mahesh Bhatt decided to listen to the remaining album. When he heard 'Lams', he stood up and hugged Mustafa saying, "This is what you call a song direct from the heart." He took it on and made it into 'Tera Mera Rishta'. The song seems more about the vocals than anything, with the voice very smooth and passionate. The lyrics of course have been elaborated by Sayeed Qadri.

Second to this is also a number sung by Pakistani vocalist Rafaqat Ali Khan called 'Maula Maula'. Lyrically a traditional Sufi song by Baba Farid from the 12th century, scoring a second position. It starts with 'menda ishq bhi tu, menda yaar bhi tu, menda din bhi tu, imaan bhi tu'. The song carries a vast array of instruments from the harmonium to the heavy guitar riffs it's all there, except the vocalist himself who is touring abroad at the moment and unavailable to provide the finer details. Last but not least, our very own princess is featured in the remix of her own melody of 'Mahiya' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shreya. The video receiving repeated airing on music shows Annie in one half of the split screen that splits both horizontally and vertically. The other split has
the actors dancing with their extras through a tunnel – a tunnel with strangely Che Guevara painted on the wall. And when she says the word "star" the graphics actually make one! Annie's looking pretty, simplistic and quite herself with the bouncing curls, swerving hips and accessories to the full, dancing or leaning against a heavy bike, wearing boots. The remix of the song however, is not as enjoyable as the instrumental, original one that took the country by storm. Too much remix does not always promise a lasting effect. The original version that should've been sung by Annie, was given a try by the only Indian vocalist on this album, Suzanne D'Mello.

However, running parallel to Himesh Reshammiya who's featured in Aap Ka Surroor, also launching around the time of Awarapan, Mustafa Zahid is so far topping the charts. To the extent that IFM titled an article saying "From Atif Aslam to Mustafa Zahid". Competition is fierce as Pakistan's musicians strike gold in India.