Soch has eyes set on Pakistani film music

Lahore-based band is no longer interested in Bollywood projects, wants to make a name in Pakistani film music instead

LAHORE: After garnering mainstream acclaim for the song Awari that featured in the 2014 Bollywood hit Ek Villain, Soch the band seems to be running on high energy. The duo of Adnan Dhool and Rabi Ahmed has, most recently, filled in as music directors for the Sajal Ali and Feroze Khan-starrer Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay (ZKHH).

The soundtrack marks Soch’s return to the world of films for the first time since last year’s Dekh Magar Pyaar Se (DPMS).

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dhool shared that they have worked on four songs for the film, including the lyrics and composition for Kitni Bar sung by Indian singer Sukhwinder Singh and Chulbul, sung by Bilal Saeed. Tootya Taara and the title song have been sung by Dhool himself, with Momina Mustehsan joining him on the latter.

“We are making an identity as music producers so it becomes necessary to sit with the director and producer and give our songs to those who will do justice to them,” explained Dhool. “This is how we can avoid monotony in music.”



Last year, when Soch was working on DMPS, the musician had stated, “We hope to create an exclusive Pakistani essence that Bollywood producers seek when they invite our artists over.” In retrospect, Dhool now said, “The director of DMPS [Asad Ul Haq] had wanted a purely Pakistani sound so as music directors, our work depended on making the music that he had in mind.”

However, when the duo sat down with Singh for ZKHH, they had to give it a Bollywood spin. “Even if the director asks for item numbers, we have to give it to them because the truth is, our audiences like item numbers even though they criticise them. The good news is that as our films are improving and that gives us the chance to improve ourselves as music producers too,” said the Bandeya singer.

Soch has now begun working on the soundtrack of another Pakistani production, Chupan Chupai, starring Ahsan Khan. “We’ve done five songs for it already, which include Dhola, a song that is bringing forward the story we started with Awari.”

Awari spoke out for girls who are pushed into prostitution and little known to most is the fact that Soch had a character in mind when penning the lyrics for it. “With Awari, we avoided explicitly talking about the character but with Dhola, we’re revealing details about the character’s life after prostitution, what her sadness entails and where it leads her,” shared Dhool.

“For the first time in the Pakistani music industry, we are featuring a transgender person in our music video.” Soch plans to release the video prior to Chupan Chupai’s release but the song will remain a part of the film.

On the Bollywood front, Dhool confessed that they wanted to venture in to the Indian film industry but no longer felt the need to do so. “A year ago, I had 50 songs and all I wanted was an entry into Bollywood but all of them have been sold in Pakistan,” he said. “All musicians really want is to earn and have their songs recognised. Since our film industry is propelling our music industry forward, that’s happening for us here in Pakistan too.”

The Soch duo, who earned recognition through Nescafe Basement, also shared their views on the ongoing season of Coke Studio. “With Nescafe Basement, we had the freedom to make the kind of music we wanted. Xulfi is a great mentor but he would not enforce his views on the musicians and that’s where Coke Studio is headed,” Dhool stated. “I have boycotted the show since Rohail Hyatt left, until the original sound comes back. Plus, we’re doing well on our own and we don’t need Coke Studio.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2016.

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