Indian musicians and Pakistani singers have found a place to work together — the Internet
After Mumbai went up in flames on 26/11, the rage spilled out against everything Pakistani — their ghazals were suddenly paused, their shows were cancelled, their CDs in Mumbai stores were trampled on by right-wing groups and even Indian singers and musicians wondered aloud if this track that had stretched across the boundary was, after all, worth it. Five months hence, harangue has given way to harmony. Indian music directors and Pakistani singers have found a way to work together, courtesy of the services of the www. Artistes are working online to make sure that work does not stop and productions are not delayed.
Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali, who has sung in movies such as Dor, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Delhi-6, says, “Since we are not getting visas to travel to India and record there, online collaboration works. It is a sad situation but the show must go on. Also, this can be a small attempt to defuse tension between the two countries.” Ali is working on two songs for Mukesh Bhatt’s next film Tum Mile, and he and music director Pritam are constantly e-mailing. Ali has also come out with an album called Tabeer (Music Today). For that, web files were sent to him from India and he sang and arranged the tracks and sent them back to the company. He is ready to start work on his next venture in the same manner. Says Manu Kohli of Music Today: “The absence of artistes hampers promotional activities, but creating songs over the Internet helps as we don’t have to wait for the artistes to come to India. We can continue our work.” Music director Pritam dubbed and e-mailed three songs to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in Lahore last month. He says, “I have been doing this for over five months now. First I dub the track in my own voice, then I mail the track without the voice to which Rahat Sahab sings and sends back to me. Just because Pakistani artistes cannot be in India, I am not substituting their voices. The uniqueness of some voices is a good enough reason for that.” Pritam is flying to Dubai next week to record some songs of Atif Aslam. “With Atif it is difficult to work online because he travels a lot,” sighs Pritam. Rahat is happy with this first e-whiff of musical exchange but believes that the quality of music enhances only when the music director is present to guide through a song. “A music director’s presence is a must during the recording of a composition. That is ethically and aesthetically right since a composition is his baby. But since there is no other option, I am fine with working online. People love me in India and I am ready to work extra to produce the songs,” says Rahat, who is also lending his voice through the Web for Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal, starring Saif Ali Khan. The online interaction is not without its share of problems. “My repertoire is very intricate with the involvement of classical gayaki ang. So I have to sing three-four options for the director to choose from,” says Rahat. “The work has doubled, but it is worth it if music can provide the balm effect.”
As he says, “Ek muddat ho gayi hai gaye hue, ab doosre ghar aakar gungunane ka bahut man karta hai (It’s been a while since my last visit. I feel like humming a song in my second home).” We are listening.
After Mumbai went up in flames on 26/11, the rage spilled out against everything Pakistani — their ghazals were suddenly paused, their shows were cancelled, their CDs in Mumbai stores were trampled on by right-wing groups and even Indian singers and musicians wondered aloud if this track that had stretched across the boundary was, after all, worth it. Five months hence, harangue has given way to harmony. Indian music directors and Pakistani singers have found a way to work together, courtesy of the services of the www. Artistes are working online to make sure that work does not stop and productions are not delayed.
Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali, who has sung in movies such as Dor, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Delhi-6, says, “Since we are not getting visas to travel to India and record there, online collaboration works. It is a sad situation but the show must go on. Also, this can be a small attempt to defuse tension between the two countries.” Ali is working on two songs for Mukesh Bhatt’s next film Tum Mile, and he and music director Pritam are constantly e-mailing. Ali has also come out with an album called Tabeer (Music Today). For that, web files were sent to him from India and he sang and arranged the tracks and sent them back to the company. He is ready to start work on his next venture in the same manner. Says Manu Kohli of Music Today: “The absence of artistes hampers promotional activities, but creating songs over the Internet helps as we don’t have to wait for the artistes to come to India. We can continue our work.” Music director Pritam dubbed and e-mailed three songs to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in Lahore last month. He says, “I have been doing this for over five months now. First I dub the track in my own voice, then I mail the track without the voice to which Rahat Sahab sings and sends back to me. Just because Pakistani artistes cannot be in India, I am not substituting their voices. The uniqueness of some voices is a good enough reason for that.” Pritam is flying to Dubai next week to record some songs of Atif Aslam. “With Atif it is difficult to work online because he travels a lot,” sighs Pritam. Rahat is happy with this first e-whiff of musical exchange but believes that the quality of music enhances only when the music director is present to guide through a song. “A music director’s presence is a must during the recording of a composition. That is ethically and aesthetically right since a composition is his baby. But since there is no other option, I am fine with working online. People love me in India and I am ready to work extra to produce the songs,” says Rahat, who is also lending his voice through the Web for Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal, starring Saif Ali Khan. The online interaction is not without its share of problems. “My repertoire is very intricate with the involvement of classical gayaki ang. So I have to sing three-four options for the director to choose from,” says Rahat. “The work has doubled, but it is worth it if music can provide the balm effect.”
As he says, “Ek muddat ho gayi hai gaye hue, ab doosre ghar aakar gungunane ka bahut man karta hai (It’s been a while since my last visit. I feel like humming a song in my second home).” We are listening.
