Hyderabad-based MAD Sessions produces better national anthem rendition than most

The purpose of MAD Sessions is to promote budding artists

KARACHI: Earlier this month, the Independence Day brought forth a sense of patriotism in everyone across the country, just like every year. It may only last a couple of days but it sure does wake the Pakistani in everybody and a lot of artists were keen on producing the national anthem for the big day. Coke Studio did it with a mixed response. Several other artists joined in. But it’s interesting that a new venture called MAD Sessions may have taken the cake with their 'shehnai' instrumental rendition of the anthem.



Co-founded by Ghulam Murtaza Mehdi, also known as Maddi Murtaza, and Aqeel Abbas, the production and sound designer, and owner of Studio M, the Hyderabad-based MAD Sessions introduced a little-known artist, Ustad Abdullah Khan, who played the shehnai.



Speaking with The Express Tribune, Maddi said Coke Studio’s rendition was in fact the inspiration for their project. “We looked at a lot of national anthem renditions. We looked at Coke Studio’s as well and we thought the anthem was supposed to stir up that emotion inside you and make you feel patriotic. Coke’s version didn’t. Many other renditions didn’t.”

But the question remains why cover the anthem when everyone was already doing it. “We felt everyone says they can do better. We just went out and tried to do that."

As to whether the onslaught of national anthems meant the shehnai rendition got lost in the shuffle, Maddi believes otherwise. “We got a really positive response. The immediate reaction was good. I think our rendition stood out. But of course, there were no brands onboard with us and it meant we didn’t really reach out to the bigger audiences.”

Maddi revealed the video by Usman Dadi was shot over two years. “He had shot the stock footage across the country and it ended up composing the visuals for this track. The audio was recorded just a few days before release and we shot scenes of Ustad Abdullah playing it around Kotri. So, the audio and visuals all came from different places and ended up in this project.”



But Maddi shared the anthem wasn’t supposed to be part of the MAD Sessions. “We are a new venture, and it’s an idea we were developing for quite some time. The anthem wasn’t supposed to be a part of the sessions but we wanted to put the best foot forward with our first project,” he said. “As far as the visuals are concerned, we hadn’t locked down the format for our sessions yet, but the opportunity and the idea came and we decided the anthem required an outdoors feel and we wanted to show the beauty of Pakistan so, we went with it.”



The co-founder said the purpose of MAD Sessions is “to promote the best little-known artists.” Asked where he plans to take it from here, he said they wanted to introduce great artists that are not working in the mainstream currently. “MAD has many meanings for us, one of them is Make Art Differently. And then, not a lot of big ventures come out of Hyderabad, except Saif Samejo’s Lahooti Melo. And we pride ourselves that we’re based in Hyderabad. For now, it’s a self-funded project but the aim is there.”

Watch the video here:


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