Ruling the Indian roost
Okay, so our artistes may never sell as many CDs as Bollywood soundtracks manage to. However, when push comes to shove, they are bigger brand names than the Sonu Nigams and Abhijeet Sawants of India. After Strings and Fuzon struck gold in 2004, a host of other Pakistani artists are getting set to go platinum in 2005. Instep takes a look at their game plan...
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar is touted as the best import for India from Pakistan's pop industry. Huqa Paani has been released in India and is currently topping the charts. Ali has cashed in on it. He has appeared on many Indian channels and his videos are on a heavy rotation. This week, 'Channo' and 'Rangeen' have made it to the top five ratings on the Universal Music site along with other Universal artistes like U2, Mehsopuria (of 'Ranjha Jogi' fame), Gwen Stefani and Black Eyed Peas. Ali Zafar played it smart by signing up with an Indian record company to release his album instead of giving in to Bollywood producers. As a result, his music is ruling the charts. In turn, the Bollywoodians have ripped off 'Rangeen' and transformed it into 'Dillagi Mein Jo Beet Jaaye Zindagi' for the film Aashiq Banaya Aapne. But unlike Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar's own tunes are burning the dancefloors in Indian clubs and as far as we know, he hasn't had to "sell his composition" to an Indian producer for that to happen.
Atif Aslam and Jal
Atif Aslam got big in India, thanks to Mahesh Bhatt. All of India was grooving to the song but there was a problem. Mahesh Bhatt made more money than Atif did. He got an instant hit for his movie, Zeher, an otherwise dead horse. However, Atif did tour and was extremely successful in all his performances. The Indian audience seems to crave good pop. And they lapped up Atif Aslam till Jal came to India and the Goher Mumtaz-Atif Aslam saga was rerun across the border. Jal made a mark too. So what if their popularity owes to the buzz Atif Aslam had already created? Jal took their Xulfi-directed video of 'Woh Lamhey' to India and proved that the video was made before Atif sang for Mahesh. Now the video is on air on all the channels in India, like Atif's 'Woh Lamhey' remix. What a fiasco it was, but all well that ends well. As they say, in showbiz, the only bad publicity is no publicity.
Faakhir
Faakhir's Mantra is doing good business in both countries. He also went across the border and made a video for 'Jiya Na Jaye', but it is the Mahi Ve video that is being played more often. Faakhir's 'Mar Javan' has also been transformed into 'Mar Javan Mit Javan' by the same movie which has plagiarised Ali Zafar's 'Rangeen' with Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant and Sunidhi Chohan on vocals. With his little boy looks and upbeat melodies that are more retro than progressive, Faakhir has carved the niche for himself in India. That his songs could easily slip into an Indian film also adds to Faakhir's cross border appeal.
Ali Azmat
Ali Azmat is enjoying good fame over here due to the popularity of his debut solo album Social Circus. In India, though, things don't seem so good. His videos have not been making it to the top ten, not even 'Na Re Na' that is all the rage in Pakistan. Ali did not make an India specific album, and India has not taken very kindly to it. The video is no seen as often as it should, perhaps because Saqib Malik's edgy imagery does nothing for the Indian mind that is fed on a steady diet of bubble gum romance amidst tall trees and flying dupattas. But even so, Ali Azmat's foray into India is a taste of things to come. That T-Series, by far the most commercially conventional label in India released Social Circus is testimony to the clout Pakistani pop musicians enjoy across the border.
link :
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/sep2005-w...005/instep.htm
Linear Mode
