I inwardly cringe: Lisa Ray shares her discomfort being associated with NFAK’s ‘Afreen Afreen’

She expressed a desire for people to not link her to the song

Canadian actor Lisa Ray, known for her versatile roles and impactful performances, recently shared her feelings about the popular song Afreen Afreen. In an Instagram post, she revealed that she inwardly cringes whenever the song is played but manages a polite smile.

Afreen Afreen, sung by the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, was one of the biggest pop hits of the 90s and featured Lisa Ray in its iconic 10-minute-long video alongside Himanshu Malik. In her heartfelt post, Ray expressed her discomfort in sharing or celebrating the breakthrough video and song. She explained that she was strongly associated with it and still often encounters it at events where she speaks about other aspects of her life.

“I have to confess I have felt uncomfortable sharing or celebrating the Afreen Afreen breakthrough video of the 90s and iconic song by maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan because I was so strongly identified with it,” wrote Ray in her Instagram caption. “The song still often plays on cue for events where I am invited to speak of other aspects of my life experience and I inwardly cringe while offering a polite smile.”

She further penned, “Today, as great troubadours I listened to in my youth are passing into the light, I recognise the power of a song to evoke an emotional response in the audience that is tied to who you once were - to a moment in time that is often defined by hope, wonder and the optimism of youth. So of course, hearing this song today is no longer about a personal association but represents a universal rite of passage - in the same timbre of falling in love for the first time, writing your first poem, reflexively planning your future - a pitch, a note, a video that reminds us of a world of beauty and possibility and innocence that once was.”

Despite her reservations, she acknowledged the song's ability to evoke an emotional response, particularly in the youth who may still connect with it today. Ray recognized that as she grows and evolves, the song represents a universal rite of passage, reminiscent of a time defined by hope, wonder, and the optimism of youth.

Pondering further, Ray wrote, “But truly, what would be a revelation today is others also comprehending this truth and freeing me from an association with the song, for the reasons and more above (I’m just walking around in the desert after all).”

 

 

 

 

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Ray's reflections on Afreen Afreen highlight the power of music to transport listeners back to significant moments in their lives. She emphasized that her personal association with the song has transformed into a symbol of beauty, possibility, and innocence that once was. Ray expressed a desire for others to understand this truth and free her from the association with the song, allowing her to embrace new chapters of her life.

Afreen Afreen was originally featured on the music album Sangam, a collaboration between Javed Akhtar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, released in 1996. The song's timeless appeal has led to numerous recreations over the years. Ray's candid revelation about her feelings towards the song offers a glimpse into her personal journey and the complex relationship artists can have with their past works.