What do you expect from a band called Bayghairat Brigade? Well, for starters the band has the perfect recipe for entertainment — a song called “Aalu Anday” with clever tongue-in-cheek satire in Punjabi that summarises Pakistani politics and an engaging video that gets over 25,000 hits a day.
“There are a whole lot of news anchors on different channels who tell everyone what to do and we call them the ‘Ghairat Brigade’, and since we negate everything that they say or do, we are the Bayghairat Brigade,” explains Ali Aftaab Saeed, who is the vocalist of the band.
The Lahore-based band comprises of Daniyal Malik, an economist by profession, 15-year-old Hamza Malik, who is in the ninth grade and Saeed, who works as a director at a local news channel.
“Although we have made a song that picks on the way things are happening in Pakistan, we are not revolutionaries,” states Daniyal.
When asked about the idea behind the humourous name of the track, Daniyal explains, “The name ‘Aalu Anday’ doesn’t have a thought process behind it, but listeners are coming up with their own justifications and we highly appreciate it.”
Considering music to be a passion more than a profession, the band has accepted the deteriorating state of the music industry and have kept it in mind.
“Only schools will be interested in the kind of music we make and no school will call a band like Bayghairat Brigade to perform. That is why we didn’t invest much into it and everything else that you see comes straight out of our pockets,” states Saeed.
On the contrary, 15-year-old band member Hamza has absolutely no idea what the song means and what he has gotten himself into. “We told him a number of times, that if you want, we can edit you out of the video, but it was his passion for music that made him stick to it and the teenager had has done a good job,” says Saeed.
However, one thing that saddens the band is that despite a number of puns on Ajmal Kasab, Owais Qadri and Maulana Abdul Aziz, all the threats that they have received so far are about the mention of Nobel Prize winner, Dr Abdus Salam
“It is sad and ironic that people threaten us or give suggestions like, ‘You should have used Abdul Qadeer Khan’s name instead of Dr Abdus Salam,” says Saeed, but is quick to add, “Perhaps this was the kind of debate we wanted to trigger.”
Different political parties have asked Bayghairat Brigade to join them and make music for their campaigns, but the band has refused. They, however, do not mind their music being used against any force that is anti-democratic.
Additionally, Bayghairat Brigade has a number of tracks ready for release and all of them are socially relevant. Like “Aalu Anday”, the majority of the songs have a satirical tinge or a social message, which the band is adamant about sharing with listeners. With their first single going viral via YouTube and Facebook, Bayghairat Brigade is fast developing a following of everyone from teenagers to intellectuals — this is exactly what the band wants as this will help take their message to different groups in Pakistani society.
“Pakistan is going through a bad time but we are hopeful that the future can be different. Democracy can work in the country and we would encourage all of our fans and followers to vote,” Saeed states.
Correction: An earlier version of the post misspelt the names of Owais Qadri and Ajmal Kasab. The error is regretted.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.
COMMENTS (47)
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Dr.Abdus salam was a great man, great scientist that pakistan lost to the outside world... Can you imagine that when he came to punjab university after graduating from oxford, he wanted to teach math and physics, but he was made football coach. He even did that because he thought i will be able to get in and help the young generation but little did he know that pakistani heros are not nobel prize winners, pakistani heros are killers like qadri and kassab.
We love you, why aren't you on radio, tv and everywhere
Qadri, in the song, is actual Mumtaz Qadri
Great song and an even greater motivator to change Pakistan for the better. Come to India and perform in our cities and try to satire as many politicians available from the Indian Parliament.
God bless the BB band.
Brilliant.Double thumbs up for mentioning Khaki Mard-e-Momins
Loved it g8 humor . Hey no mention of India looks like there is still hope for peace as it seems the Pakistani youth does not think India is responsible for all its woes . Liked it on youtube wish you Saeed and your group a long happy life.
yukhhhh video,,,,,msg s hmmm good...bt pls make some reasonable videos....video is total copy ov our firangi brigade:P
Cha gyae yeh log! Love it
mumtaz qadri you guys. correct your correction.
Dr. Abdus Salam played an integral role in Pakistan's development on peaceful use of nuclear energy, and directed the research on development of weapons in 1972.
Salam knew the importance of nuclear technology in Pakistan. From the start, Salam was a central figure in Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. In 1965, Salam led the establishing of the nuclear research institute—Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology. In 1965, the plutonium reactor Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor went critical under the leadership of Salam. In 1973, Salam proposed the idea of establishing the annual college in order to promote the scientific activities in the country to the Chairman of PAEC, Munir Ahmad Khan, who wholeheartedly accepted and fully supported this idea.
its actually intersting :D
The Tehrik e Insaf = Good looking Jamat e Islami thing offended me personally but still i liked the song. PS I m not from the Ghairat Brigade.
Hope is back! Thumbs up to the Ghairatmand Beyghairats!
@Bilal: "No matter how bold you are you just cant speak aginst MQM….they mentioned every mainstream party except MQM"
They live in Lahore and in Punjab ANP and MQM simply are not factors.
It could not have been better, phenomenal job done here. And to My Dear Ghairat Brigade: release of this video and Israeli prisoner Gilad Shalit, almost on the same day.........hmmmmmmmmmm did ya get it, hahahaha
useless - utter rubbish song and video !!!! Sad day for pakistani entertainment !
the video is pathetic.. so are lyrics.. its horrible that we'd get to listen to THIS in name of music
@Bilal: There was reference to "kites" in the part of kojaks holding on to kites. I thought that was for the MQM.
No matter how bold you are you just cant speak aginst MQM....they mentioned every mainstream party except MQM
Author please check is it actually Owais Qadri or i think it must be Mumtaz Qadri.
It seems NFP wrote the lyrics for these guys.
Two things happened in this week,which have raised my hope about the future of this country,Let The Taliban Rule Karachi,by Asad Munir and the brilliant song Aalu Anday by the Bayghariat Brigade.These three youngsters have created a song ,which explains the whole situation of Pakistan,in 3 minutes.Hats off to Saeed and his Band.I can see light at the end of the tunnel.Keep it up.We need more songs from you.Thumbs Up.
we need reliigious tolerance
Dear Author, its Mumtaz Qadri they must be referring to not the Naat-singer Owais Qadri. although DJ Owais Q is a nawab in his own right
I think the pun is on Mumtaz Qadri not Owais Qadri.
Video sponsored by Zionists..ROFL
This song is sponsored by Zionist.. .They say themselves while holding board in his hand.
Abdus Salam deserves a tonne of recognition. Abdul Qadeer Khan deserves his infamy.
dz song iz epic.. im totaly in laaave wid it hatz off to dez guyz,grrreight job thumbs up
sharing what you feel inside through MUSIC, good one~ at least this BAND thinks and feels .
I dare to say that this is a brilliant video. I hope the likes of Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, CJP, and all the conspiracy theorists like Zaid Hamid, Ali Azmat and majority should see this song and then scratch themselves!!!!
Best part of the video was a member holding the placard "This video is sponsored by zionists". Absolutely hillarious.
With the boys from Lahore which is a bastion of anti-PPP sentiment, one just cant say that it was a Zardari sazish!
Well done.
Who the hell is Ovais Qadri and Ajmal Qasam? Get your spellings and facts correct please before publishing any article.
To the makers of this video, GREAT job guys! love it. In just about 10 seconds, you have taken the satire to a whole new level when talking about Qassab, Qadri, Maulana Abdul Aziz and Dr. Abdul Salam.
who is Ovais Qadri? They were talking about MUMTAZ QADRI
they really put hot chilies here in with their sweet menu lyrics.....
Well done guys,now waiting for more great things from you....
Ovais Qadri? I'm pretty sure they are talking about Mumtaz Qadri.
These people are patriotic, VERY courageous and extremely creative. They have provided satire on a very wide range of economic, political and social issues in a a very light hearted way and that too in 3 minutes flat. Good for you guys.
Humor is the best way to get serious messages across and these guys have really mastered that art with the song. Hats of talented people like these.
Bari himmat walay larkay hayn. Well done. I wonder how the ghairat brigade of the country is taking it.
I must say they are very ghairat mand people.
You guys are freaking good!! Hats off to you guys.. Love the way you depicted political situations in Pakistan.. and I am in love with the humor behind the song.. Tooooo goood guys!!!! May you get tons of success and fame ;) looking forward to more of such master pieces of yours