Noori breaks open the ‘Pinjra’

Band’s latest video to introduce titular character of comeback album ‘Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh’

KARACHI:

Classical poet Mirza Ghalib might state that, Goshay mein qafas ke mujhe araam bohat hai [in a corner of the cage, I have much ease/comfort], Pakistani rock band Noori wouldn’t want to abide by the master wordsmith’s statement.

Fresh from the release of its third studio album, Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh, Noori seems to have wasted no time in getting on with the next project – a music video for the single Pinjra.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, band front-man and vocalist Ali Noor revealed how the video will be nothing like Noori’s previous releases. “Pinjra is going to be a concept-oriented music video, but will also incorporate our performance of the song,” said Noor. He said the performance aspect will remain central to the video.





With the latest record being a “concept album”, he said the video will help establish the narrative that will be carried forward by the remainder of the releases from the album in an episode-wise structure. “Pinjra will have us introduce our audiences to the character of Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh for the first time in the album,” remarked the singer.

Noor’s wife Mandana Zaidi, who has directed majority of the band’s music videos, is helming the project. She revealed that the character of Sarfarosh is likely to become a recurring feature in the rest of the band’s music videos from the album.

According to the director, the music video is about the cages that human beings tend to form around themselves and are subsequently trapped in. “In the music video you will see both [Noor and Ali Hamza] locked in a cage with their faces painted while Sarfarosh roams outside. Despite being out of the cage, she feels lost and fears going back inside once again,” she disclosed.





Although no specific timeframe has been earmarked for the video’s release, Noor quipped, “We’re hoping to get done with the music video very soon and release it in November but [we] being Noori, you never know.”

Unbeknownst to many people, Zaidi has appeared on the album cover as the titular character. She will continue with the role in Pinjra as well.

Noor had earlier explained the genesis of the track during a live performance in Karachi, describing it as an “anti-Sufi song”. This song is a question about whether it’s right or wrong to be driven by our fear of dogma, and if we should live in this perpetual fear, he had stated.

With almost 90% of the filming already completed, Zaidi has plans to make videos for at least five to six more songs from the album that marked Noori’s return from a prolonged hiatus.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2015.

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