The sea of faces present at the Aman ki Asha Concert — a joint initiative of The Times Of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan were in a mood to celebrate the voices of peace, harmony and most importantly a feeling of togetherness.

There was eagerness in the air as people were waiting to have a slice of the magical performance by best bands from India and Pakistan — Indian Ocean and Strings.

The evening started with Indian Ocean singing “Kya Maloom” and winning many hearts instantly. Rahul Ram, the bass guitarist and vocalist of the band said, “We always enjoy performing in Ahmedabad. Aur aaj humein bahut khushi ho rahi hai Ahmedabad mein aa kar as we’re performing for a beautiful initiative called Aman Ki Asha. And we are really happy to perform with Strings from Pakistan.” And they left the audience spellbound when they sang songs like “Bandeh” from the film “Black Friday” (which got maximum applause and one could hear cries of ‘once more’), “Hille Le”, “Maa Rewa” and last but not the least “Kandeesa”. A jugalbandi by Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam, the drummer of band was soul-stirring.

And when it was time for Strings to come on the stage, there was applause and more applause. As they sang “Yahaan Koi Aanewaala Hai”, you could feel that the magic has just begun. The connection was instant. Overwhelmed by the audiences’ response, vocalist Faisal Kapadia of Strings said, “We are very happy to be here. We’re here for one reason —Aman Ki Asha. Aur hum logon ko hi isey aagey le jaana hai. We should forget the past and it’s time to look forward.”

Then lights went out on the singers’ request and everybody in the audience held up their mobile phones in the dark, showing white lights of cell-phones to symbolise hope and peace. Time stood still at that beautiful moment. Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia added more warmth to the evening by making the audience sing to the tilting lyrics of “Mein Tera Tu Meri Jaane Saara Hindustan” making it ‘Pakistan’ and “Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Chodenge”. Followed by their famous numbers like “Zinda Hoon”, Sar Kiye Ye Pahar”, “Titliyaan”, “Duur” and “Anjaane”, there was a song dedicated to World Cup, 2011 considering cricket is a religion in both India and Pakistan. And finally, Strings asked Indian Ocean to join them on stage and then it was time for “Mast Kalandar” and “Des Mera Rangrez Yeh Babu”. As they sang together, a sense of joy, happiness and love ruled the air. And didn’t they say right that music knows no boundary.

Read more: Indian Ocean, Strings perform in Ahmedabad – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/music/music-events/Indian-Ocean-Strings-perform-in-Ahmedabad/articleshow/7540621.cms#ixzz1EgH6zA6f

“We’ve been ambassadors of Pakistan, we’re among those who represent Pakistani music in India, and through our concerts we meet the youth, the common man on the streets in India… We’ve had a consistent interaction with the people of this country,” he says.

Strings is performing with Indian Ocean in Ahmedabad on February 20, and Faisal also points out that the connection through music that Aman Ki Asha, a joint initiative by the Times of India and the Jang group of Pakistan, attempts to establish between the people of the two countries should be extended to other fields as well. “There is a lack of connection in everything else — trade, entertainment, student exchange,” he says. “And that’s unfortunate, considering that the people of India and Pakistan have so much in common— their culture, their language.”

As a pop singer, though, Faisal has the satisfaction of connecting to the youth of both the countries. “The older generations carried with them the baggage of a turbulent past. But the youth— those born in the 90s or after that – aren’t familiar with that past, they do not relate to the divisive ideology. And I think as musicians, we have an important role to play in bringing them together and communicating the message of peace,” he asserts. “When we are on the stage, music takes over. You don’t realise then where you are performing – in India or Pakistan. The love of the audience, the way it responds to you, is what matters then. And if you ask an Indian singer who goes to Pakistan to perform, he’ll have the same thing to say,” adds Faisal, who rues that post 26/11, things between India and Pakistan went off track and a lot of plans that Strings had for Bollywood couldn’t reach their proper conclusion.

But Bollywood, avers Faisal, has also played a vital role in bridging gaps. “When a Bollywood movie releases on Friday, there’s as much anticipation for it in Pakistan as there is in India: people queue up outside theatres or rush to grab a DVD. And through films and Indian TV channels, there’s a great deal of exposure that people in my country get to India,” he says. However, there’s no such medium for Indians to get to know of their Pakistani counterparts. As Faisal puts it, “As of now, the only Pakistani import to Indian entertainment is music, and though it may not be as wide a canvas as films or television, we hope it changes the perception people here have of those across the border. When someone goes back from our concert, we hope he thinks of Pakistan in a different way.”

Read more: Strings-Indian Ocean to perform together – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/music/news-and-interviews/Strings-Indian-Ocean-to-perform-together/articleshow/7515823.cms#ixzz1EgEwtQaz

This time round the opening venue was the Asian School of Business with a crowd of over 5,000 fans cheering for the band as Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood belted out Zinda, Najane Kyun, Anjaane, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar, Koi Aanay Wala Hai, Aakhri Alvida, Chaaye Chaaye, Dhaani and Mera Bicchra Yaar.

The second show was for a bank. The young corporate Indian crowd grew up listening to Strings as students, and they are now spreading a positive word about Pakistan throughout the country.

Strings then took to stage on the rooftop of the Jolly Rogers Rock Club in New Delhi. The last time the band performed in the city was at the Saarc Festival in January 2010 in which Strings represented Pakistan. After 26/11, there had been a halt in the cultural exchanges between Pakistan and India and many a music deal and gigs were called off.

Faisal recalls, “After the release of Dhaani, we used to perform in India at least twice a month. But, after 26/11, things were political ly very changed. Every month, we used to turn down two to three concert offers because the visa process takes so much time that it’s actually impractical to perform that often.” So how different was it this time round? “After performing, we realised that things are moving in the right direction and the reaction of the audience and the Indian people towards Pakistan has changed quite a lot. And here, I am talking of a common Indian citizen, because people who come to our concerts are our fans and always want peace. But, one gets to know the real reaction from a common man who doesn’t follow our music. And, I must say, it has been a very positive change,” said Bilal.

How does music bridge the gap between the two countries? “Music is so powerful that when it is played nobody cares which country the artiste belongs to. People are mesmerised by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali, Abida Parveen and Ghulam Ali in India. Similarly, Rahat Fateh Ali’s and Atif Aslam’s songs in Indian films prove that Pakistani musicians are playing a very important role in winning the hearts of the Indian audience. Also, Ali Zafar featured in an Indian film just recently. Music is all about positivity,” said Faisal.

Strings’ songs have been a part of Sanjay Gupta’s film’s soundtracks such as Zinda (Yeh Meri Kahani) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (Aakhri Alvida). “Our fans will surely be listening to some Bollywood projects by us this year,” disclosed the band. And on why doesn’t Strings feature more often in film music? Bilal said, “It’s because we don’t do playback singing. We only do it when the theme of the movie goes with our music.” FInally, Strings also visited Mumbai and hung out with friends John Abraham, Javed Akhtar and Diya Mirza. — Shahzeb Shaikh ¦for Dawn Images.

Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi

Newsweek termed Pakistan as the bravest nation recently. And why not?  Even the natural calamity of the devastating floods has failed to destroy the patriotic spirit this nation possesses. Amidst a fragile economic situation and questioned credibility of rescue organizations, there is no dissimilarity between the enthusiasm of people which one witnessed at the time of 2005 earthquake. If the magnitude of the calamity this time around is tenfold, so are the efforts of the rescuers. Musicians all across the country are showing their jingoistic spirits with involvement in a myriad of flood relief activities. One such act is renowned band Strings, comprising of Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood. The duo has always been vigilant whenever the need has arisen in critical times. In the same spirit, the band has planned a series of charity concerts for the fund-raising campaign for flood victims.

“We are massively involved in the initiation of a concert series for flood relief victims. It will be a three-concert series which will start in November in various cities of Pakistan in which many artistes will join hands,” said Faisal Kapadia while speaking to Instep Today.

Strings opened up their fund-raising ventures in the form of a livewire performance in The City School, Lahore. It was a hit event where throngs of youth gathered and sang in unison which portrayed the harmony and love amongst the nation. Perhaps, their performance at the launch of the British Pakistan Foundation in London could be considered one of their most acclaimed efforts for the fund-raising campaign. The band was especially invited to perform in a glittery event. It was a black tie affair, attended by a glitzy assembly of the who’s who of Britain’s Pakistani community and their friends. Founded and led by the British Pakistani entrepreneur, television personality (from BBC’s hit series Dragon’s Den) and philanthropist James Caan and Community and Friends of Pakistan at a critical moment in Pakistan’s history, the British Pakistan Foundation (BPF) is dedicated to improving the socio-economic condition of the people of Pakistan. Its unique approach aims to encourage and support philanthropy amongst the British Pakistani diaspora and to collectively use its intellectual and financial capital to improve and change Pakistan. According to its founder, the foundation was motivated by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi – along the lines of the American Pakistan Foundation that he had earlier encouraged in 2009. The event was a high profile one with the presence of Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, Pakistani ambassador, MPs of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and many others. The event raised over 200,000 pounds for flood relief.

The floor literally jolted as the crowd welcomed the duo on stage amid massive applause. Their mood was subtle as they belted out their hits like ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’, ‘Duur’, ‘Dhaani’, ‘Sohniye’, ‘Najane Kyun’ (dedicated to flood victims), ‘Kahani Mohabbat Ki’, ‘Mera Bicchra Yar’ etc. To add patriotic flavor to the proceedings, Strings also performed ‘Sohni Dharti’ and folk artist’s Allan Fakir’s cover ‘Itne Bare Jeevan Sagar’. It reaffirmed the fact that we are the most jingoistic nation in the world. Strings also enthralled the audience with a medley tribute to Pakistani pop legends with songs like ‘Disco Deewanay’ by Nazia Hasan, ‘Dheere Dheere’ by Zohaib Hassan, ‘Tum Duur Thay’ by Vital Signs, ‘Kehdena’ by Alamgir, ‘Bolo Bolo’ by Sajjad Ali, ‘Purani Jeans’ by Ali Haider and ‘Dosti’ by Junoon. Strings performed for over an hour and left the audience hypnotized.

Talking to Instep Today from London, Bilal Maqsood merrily shared the experience of performing in a charity event, “We have been performing on stage for the past 20 years. But what I feel is that whenever one performs for others, one feels extra special. This country has given so much to us and its time we paid back.”

Upon their return, Strings visited various flood-hit areas of Sindh in Thatta district. A medical camp was set up by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE. Since, Strings are the brand ambassadors for the state-run airline; they were invited to distribute presents and items amongst the children and affectees. I asked the band about how big the calamity was? “It is massive. Millions of people have been affected and it will take a long time in the rehabilitation process. Unlike the 2005 earthquake, this calamity has been spread far and wide. The problematic point is that people still haven’t realized the magnitude of the disaster. In the earthquake, only a limited area was affected and the rehabilitation process began right after the tragedy.

The biggest challenge at this point is to bring the affected people back to their homes and resume their businesses. This is a very difficult task and will require a lot of time,” replied Faisal, in a thought-provoking tone. About the performance of UAE government, Bilal said, “It is a big step taken by the UAE government. When foreigners can be so dedicated, each one of us must also come forward to help our brothers.”

Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi

Have you ever wondered why Pakistan is considered an impoverished, almost failed state worldwide? Foreigners are challenging our sovereignty, violating our boundaries, calling us names, terming us as terrorists and what not. Are we, as a nation, this fragile? The answer is a blunt no! And here is why: Pakistan is the 27th largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power, and the 45th largest in absolute dollar terms, is the first Islamic nuclear power and has the fifth largest army with half a million strength, is the fourth largest producer of cotton and the list goes on. However, due to a myriad of factors, the nation is facing a critical time at present with challenges from home as well as abroad. The reasons for this tough scenario are aplenty and well known to people and for that reason it is futile discuss them here.

And this is why when Strings collaborated with Atif Aslam on the song ‘Ab Khud Kuch Karna Parega’, the song caught on like wildfire. This is the time when the Pakistani public is responding well to the songs that  speak about problems that hit us in the face everyday.  And as a result, various bodies are being formed to take promote awareness.

As Strings and Atif sang, the bottom line is that we will have to do something on our own to get ourselves out of this turmoil. That’s where initiatives like Azme Alishan come into play. Azme Alishan is a national awareness drive to celebrate the true values of Pakistan in her 70th anniversary year. The Azme Alishan pledge is simple: it’s to affirm amongst ourselves and send a message to the world that we will define our own future as a people and a nation. The drive has been noticed and joined by throngs of young enthusiasts as well as people of other ages. Some of Azme Alishan’s achievement to-date include the largest ever street cleaning initiative in Lahore named Sanwaro Pakistan engaging more than 30,000 people cleaning up their communities, planting trees in local schools, a National Song Competition television show where 30 songs were selected from a long-list of initial entries received from young and talented singers, a new digital library for Pakistan – Manzare Pakistan which invites Pakistanis at home and abroad to send their images, audio and video clips and stories of Pakistan to the website to celebrate the best of Pakistan and most important of all, a Flood Relief drive in the affected areas.

Azme Alishan received a major boost recently when top guns of Pakistani pop-rock domain, Strings and Atif Aslam donated their highly acclaimed inspirational track ‘Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Parega’ in a jam-packed press conference in the city of lights. The track will be treated as Azme Alishan’s anthem and promoted through a special 45-second television video where the artists endorse the movement and call on fellow Pakistanis to join in.

Indeed, a true show of patriotism on the part of Strings and Atif Aslam. On a critical basis, one witnesses the similarity of the theme between the song and the drive’s initiative. The song’s title ‘Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Parega (Now We Will Have to Do Something on Our Own)’ is synonymous with a part of drive’s motto. The magnetism which the personalities of the three musicians possess will be very beneficial in propagating the message of the patriotic drive.

In his speech, Faisal Kapadia of Strings thought-provokingly said, “The country needs a positive approach at this crucial time. The song speaks out the heart of the common man that we will have to something on our own.” About the campaign, Faisal said, “since the campaign launched in  March, we’ve seen it make a real difference by giving a voice to the silent majority and by taking action to genuinely make life better for people in our nation.” Bilal chipped in with the following words, “no one will come to improve our conditions. We will have to something on our own to make things better.” And added, “Azme Alishan is all about bringing people together and encouraging them to commit to building a better future for Pakistan.” Atif Aslam looking smart in a trendy hat also showcased his views in the following lines, “as a proud Pakistani, I would like to see more positive things bringing all Pakistanis together as one nation – to make Pakistan better. I agree with the Newsweek that we are bravest nation in the world!”

The trio answered various questions thrown by the media persons. One journalist inquired if there were plans of the trio of getting into politics and lead the nation. Bilal intelligently replied, “We are musicians and our job is making music. If we can inspire people by music, then I think it’s the best we can do.” When asked if the song is political in nature, Faisal calmly answered, “We haven’t spoken of politics. We have conveyed a message that it’s high time that we quit relying on others and did everyone thing on our own. And for that, we will have to improve even our small actions.” Another question was about the imminent collaborations with other artistes on a similar project or if the trio would team up with bands/artistes if the latter so desired. Bilal was quick to respond, “If any artiste wants to collaborate with us for a similar project, he/she is most welcome. In fact, every artiste must come out with such inspirational numbers. “

However, the most striking point of the event was the live acoustic rendition of the track by the trio. To my surprise, the song sounded heavenly and more polished than the studio version.

Atif’s improvisation was terrific as he went from low to high notes commandingly. Faisal as always was captivating on vocals while Bilal showcased his flair with mellow guitar waves.

Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi

Pakistani artistes are true patriots. Many, if not all, make it a point to voice the worries of the nation via their art. They make great efforts to compose musical numbers, which not only deliver positive messages to the people but lift their morale. There have been myriad tracks composed on different occasions and situations by different artistes. However, one such band which undoubtedly tops the list in this domain is the duo of Strings, which are Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia.

Be it terrorism (‘Yeh Hum Nahin’) or brutal massacre of Muslims (‘Beirut’), be it the matter of Indo-Pak friendship (‘Jeet Lo Dil’ with Euphoria) or the World Cup fever (‘Hai Koi Hum Jaisa’), Strings have always been around at each crucial hour.

The latest issue which has caught the band’s attention is the ongoing socio-political turmoil that plagues the country. Pakistan has been hit by a heap of critical issues such as inflation, corruption, water and power crisis, sugar crisis, terrorism etc.

Not surprisingly, these problems lead to serious havoc in the daily lives of many. For this very reason, Strings have taken it upon themselves to boost the morale of the nation with a inspirational anthem, ‘Ab Khud Hi Kuch Kerna Parega’.

For the track, Strings have collaborated with none other than the super popular Atif Aslam. The track aspires to drive raw energy into the youth to stand up for themselves and cure the ill-wills of society.

Shot by Jami – whose previous videos with Strings have resulted in gems like ‘Duur’, ‘Dhaani’, ‘Humsafar’ – who was at the helm of this video shoot, the locations were spread throughout Karachi.

The first one was a set in the middle of a Saddar market with dark backdrop. This was to symbolize the murky and gloomy situation that surrounds us. Another was the rooftop of a 16 storey building, which according to the team was to capture the view of the entire city to complement the concept. Since the building was under-construction with no elevator, one had to either walk or ride a motor cycle to reach the rooftop.

Atif Aslam and Strings were all dressed in black outfits. The location in fact reminded me of the video of ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ in which the band performed on the rooftop of a skyscraper in Malaysia.

Speaking with Instep Today, Atif Aslam commented: “Songs sending message to the youth hardly click with the audience in Pakistan.  The only thing is that no one in the country is realizing that whatever wrong is happening here isn’t being prevented. So, the message in the content is all about that. We should do something about it instead of getting on with our own lives. This is our country and it has given us a lot. And a lot needs to be done for it.”

I asked him if it’s the dissatisfaction with the present scenario and government’s performance that has urged him to deliver this message, he replied, “Well, I don’t know about the government but I think whatever is happening around is not fine.”

About the experience of working with Strings, Atif joyfully said, “Amazing! It has always been an enjoyable process, working with Strings.”

Meanwhile director Jami, in between breaks, spoke to us and expressed his wish that the song be a wake up call. “Allah kare, the nation wakes up!” he said and added, “Even if it works one per cent, I think we will have achieved our task.” When asked whether his dissatisfaction is with the government and the current situation urged him to work on this concept, he aptly answered, “There is no point in accusing the government. The government will do what the people will ask them to. So the people should stand up for themselves!”

Jami described the experience of working with Strings as heavenly. They sync very well; Jami has directed memorable videos for ‘Duur, ‘Dhaani’ and ‘Anjaanay’

The shoot involved several re-takes and finally ended as the sun began to set.

Speaking about the concept of the video, Bilal Maqsood told us, “This is my concept. It was conceived when we returned from the US tour last year. As one returns from a successful tour, one is excited about it. However, upon returning, we witnessed critical issues such as security, terrorism, load shedding, inflation, unemployment, disturbing almost everyone. Hence, we decided to pen the lyrics which depicted the current scenario.”

Interestingly, after a long time, Strings have come out with a track which hasn’t been penned by the legendary Anwar Maqsood. Faisal threw light on it, “This song has been written with heart and soul keeping in mind the present turmoil. Since this song doesn’t have a love theme, we didn’t require poetry or any fabrication. Hence whatever Bilal felt, he penned it down. We made it a point that the song could be understood by the common man.”

When asked as to why Atif Aslam was chosen for this collaboration, Faisal stated, “First of all, the message this song carries for the youth is that they will have to do something together. So, when we talk of doing something together, it had to be us who should have done this track in collaboration. And who could be better than Atif Aslam? He has done so much for Pakistan!” said Faisal. “We also know Atif very well so when the project came up, we made him listen to the song and he expressed his willingness in doing it as a patriotic Pakistani.”

So what does the band expect to achieve with this effort? “We never have any expectations from any project. We would only want people to relate with this song. We blame others and expect others to rectify mistakes. But the time has come that we will have to do things on an individual level,” said Faisal.

Musically, the track is bouncy, full of life with rocking riffs and motivational lyrics such as “Ab khud hi kuch kerna parega hum ko/Jalna parega/Marna parega”. The most attention grabbing part, however, is Bilal’s guitar solo of the national anthem. Here is hoping that the song makes the connection the artists hope for with the people!

– Photos by Tarik Hussain