Chai Chahiye!

Remember Chai Chahiye? The iconic melody that was part of every Pakistani’s childhood and may have raised a generation of us with an inkling every time someone offers tea. Well, they just revamped their original anthem with a bang under Bilal Maqsood’s purview and that has sent all of us spiraling into a whirlpool of nostalgia.

With Alycia Dias on vocals and Bilal Maqsood on production, this new project brings back all the nostalgic memories in an effortlessly modern way. The song remains consistent with some of the old lyrics and brings incredible new twists to the formula, making it “popish, contemporary and relevant,” as aimed by the brand.

“It was a huge task to compose, write, and produce this iconic jingle and give it a new twist”, says Bilal Maqsood on his social media.

He certainly had his hands full to not only capture the essence of the timeless tune, but also make it palatable for present-day listeners who are accustomed to an entirely different landscape of the music industry. Furthermore, the music video accompanying the song features several celebrities including Javed Sheikh, Junaid Khan and Madiha Imam all coming together in an energetic and colorful commemoration of chai itself.

Needless to say, the reviews have been mixed, while most remaining positive and welcoming the creative work that went behind this, whereas others not accepting the many changes this version brings to the otherwise perfect classic. But it does what every good new rendition of a classic is supposed to do; it holds on to some of the original elements whilst adding a fresh approach, making it nostalgic and new at the same time. These two versions are not competing with each other; they exist in their own creative lanes, elevating each other.

All in all, it has brought back wonderful memories and left us with another compulsion to hum this ageless jingle as we satisfy our innate need for chai. And we are all for it.