The musician who is not a ‘Naanwala’

Naseer Afridi wishes he had gotten as popular for his music, as he did for picture that went viral

KARACHI: After Arshad Khan, better known as ‘chaiwala’, literally became an overnight sensation and landed a modeling contract, many aspiring models and actors across Pakistan wished they had opted to work at a dhaba.

However, one person who had no such plans became the target of this new trend of discovering ‘beauty’. After the ‘chaiwala’, the internet followed it up with the ‘naanwala’. Little did they know that the person in question was Naseer Afridi, one-half of Naseer & Shahab, the rock band from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Afridi, who serves as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the two-man band, was surprised to see his photograph go viral. “I just shared a throwback picture of myself eating out with family on Eid. A few hours later, someone tagged me and I was totally surprised. It was funny but really embarrassing,” he told The Express Tribune.

Although the response to the photo gave Afridi spells of fame, he wants to be known for his music,  not his looks. “I have been making music for eight years. I have been trying to push boundaries and break the stereotypes but then it is strange that I become known for my looks, rather than our music. Sure, I got some popularity out of it but this is not what I have worked so hard for.”



Afridi is both happy and taken aback by Arshad Khan’s strange journey to stardom. “I hope something good comes out of it. I hope the industry doesn’t ruin him and he is able to feed and support his family better now. But at the same time, it’s very strange.”

The vocalist thinks that the whole scenario exposes our society’s notion of beauty. “We think beauty is just for the upper class. But when we see a handsome person from the lower classes, we find it exotic. It shouldn’t be like that. Beauty is God-given. Anyone can be beautiful.”

It is interesting to note that on one hand, we marginalise Pashtuns by stereotyping their roles in films and advertisements and on the other hand, we find ourselves drooling over their defined features. Naseer & Shahab’s debut song Za Pakhtun Yam was all about changing the way our society typecasts Pashtuns, but little did Afridi know that one day he will himself fall prey to a similar phenomenon.

He was offered a number of ‘typical’ roles because of his Pashtun features. However, he rejected them for the fear of reinforcing the very stereotypes he is trying to shed through his music. “We have always been typecast. I’ve been offered the roles of truck drivers and terrorists earlier. It just limits you and doesn’t let you out of the stereotypes.”

And the best way to change that, in Afridi’s opinion, is to continue doing what he loves to do: make music.  “With our music, we show that Pashtuns are not just truck drivers or terrorists. We show a sensible and educated side of Pashtuns, who are very much capable of indulging in other industries, such as advertising and media.”

The Coke Studio season seven duo is currently working on their first album. “It’s in progress but it is very difficult to work on it these days. Shahab is based in Australia and we make our music through online coordination. He’s doing his PhD and I’m here doing my Masters and a job. We don’t have a specific date for the release yet but we’re working on it.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.

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