Udan Khatola’s single to feature on ‘Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay’ soundtrack

Two-member band’s ‘Ali Ali’ will be featured in Anjum Shahzad’s upcoming film ‘Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay’

KARACHI: With film music being an exception, Pakistani artists are opting for releasing singles online, as compared to putting out albums. For them, the mantra is to try their hands at music, struggle their way up and either get rejected and stop making music, or go viral and become the next big thing. However, stopping wasn’t an option for Udan Khatola vocalist, Farhan Shah.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the singer divulged details about their song, Ali Ali (Manqabat), being picked by Anjum Shahzad for his upcoming film, Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay.

The track has received widespread acclaim from the local industry as well as from people abroad. “We have even received praise from Iran as the lyrics are in Persian. The song is quite different from what we have been producing in Pakistan. We are grateful for all the appreciation we’ve received,” Shah said.

As to how the band came on board for the film’s soundtrack, Shah shared it was through a mutual friend that the producers heard their music.  “We had sent in a phone recording of the performance. Interestingly, we had also submitted this track for Coke Studio last year,” he said. “But before we could hear from them, we came to know producer Rafiq Chaudhary liked it, and soon we began recording.”



The band, which comprises Shah and guitarist Shahid Rehman, was happy to be in the driving seat while making music for the film. “Shahzad was really great to work with. For the music, he completely trusted us, even when we doubted ourselves. We were given the creative freedom to create what we thought best for the film. He liked it and was happy with the song.”

Previously, Shah has worked on multiple projects, including a couple of songs with Shahzad Roy. He wrote and composed Roy’s Sitaaron Se Jahan Aage and Dil Me Lagi Hai Aag. However, it was during the Cricket World Cup 2015 that Udan Khatola really took flight. While India came up with the viral Mauqa Mauqa campaign, Udan Khatola released a comeback Ponka Ponka. “It was perhaps the only hard-hitting response to that campaign,” quipped Shah.

While the band composed music for TV serials and commercials, only recently, it put together the Pakistani mission’s theme song for Jubilee Games Dubai 2016. Shah was also part of the band, Just In Case. His former band released a song Talaash in 2003, which became a hit. However, his first project with Udan Khatola was the soundtrack for the drama, Café Buk Buk.

The band’s discography includes a variety of styles, making one wonder how to define their music. “I believe we consider our music to be a sort of self-exploration for us. We just try to stretch limits and not be defined by a certain label,” noted Shah. Currently, Udan Khatola is working on Adnan Siddiqui’s upcoming production, Seeta Bagri, starring actors Sarwat Gillani and Bushra Ansari in lead roles.

Despite having his hands full with other projects, Shah is specifically excited for the band’s next solo song, Saavan. “We are working on a raag-based track called Saavan. The title is Saavan because it’s based on its namesake raag. We have roped in Ustad Islamuddin for vocals and the violin and Aashiq Ali Meer for tabla and dholak,” he stated. “We hope to release the song and the video within a month. If this works out well, we will go for more raags.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2016.

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