Indian remix of Aap Jaisa Koi draws ire

For the past few years, Indian film industry has made a habit of churning out remixes and modern renditions of popular hits from the past. This has meant that the Indian film industry has reworked not only iconic Indian songs but also several Pakistani classics. The latest victim of this ongoing trend is none other than the evergreen Nazia Hassan track Aap Jaisa Koi. A song that for many evokes the nostalgia of the early 1980s, Aap Jaisa Koi is one of the many songs by Hassan which continues to hold a special place in the hearts of music fans not just in Pakistan but around the world. Therefore, it is easy to understand why the latest rendition of this song has drawn such visceral public backlash and criticism. The song has been remixed for the forthcoming Ayushmann Khurrana film ‘An Action Hero,’ which is slated to hit theatres on December 2, 2022. Recently unveiled on a YouTube channel T-Series’, the remix features vocals by Zahra S Khan and Altamash Faridi, with the video for the track showing Khurrana dancing alongside Malaika Arora against a burlesque-style  backdrop. Social media users were quick to call this auto-tuned version of Aap Jaisa Koi a pale imitation of the original, suggesting that Indian film industry should focus on producing new songs instead of “butchering” classics. Earlier this year, netizens were up in arms when it was revealed that the film ‘JuggJugg Jeeyo’ featured a remix version of Abrar-ul Haq’s Nach Punjabun. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a song by Nazia Hassan has been remixed poorly. The Karan Johar film ‘Student of the Year’ featured a lacklustre rendition of Hassan’s Disco Deewane, and it looks like Indian music producers are hell-bent on remixing all of Nazia Hassan’s disco hits.

Arijit Singh puts his own spin on Pasoori

While this year’s season of Coke Studio felt like a breath of fresh air due to the many original songs it showcased, there’s no denying that the breakout track from the show was Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s Pasoori. The song has now amassed millions of views on Spotify and YouTube, making it not only one of the most well-received songs to come out Coke Studio but also one of the most-beloved Pakistani tracks in recent times. Since the track gained global praise, it was only natural that it would be loved in India too. Now the track has been covered by none other than Arijit Singh, one of India’s most high profile singers and musicians. A video of Singh singing Pasoori at a concert in Mumbai as the audience belted out the Punjabi lyrics along with him recently went viral. While many felt that Singh did the song justice, others felt that his version of Pasoori was to too tame and lacked the upbeat energy which made the original track such a sensation. Known for his soulful voice, it isn’t surprising that Singh’s cover of Pasoori was more mellow that Sethi and Gill’s funkier version of the Coke Studio track.

Quick Style arrives in Pakistan

Norwegian dance group Quick Style touched down in Pakistan this week after gaining a rapid social media following due to their impressive dance skills. The group became a viral sensation, particularly in Pakistan, after a video of them dancing at a friend’s wedding garnered thousands of views online. As a result of their new found fame, Quick Style collaborated with Coke Studio to partake in the first Coke Studio Live held in Dubai earlier this year. They performed alongside Kana Yari singer Wahab Ali Bugti at the event, using their hip-hop dance sensibilities to entrance audiences. Their current visit to Pakistan is a continuation of their collaboration with Coke Studio, which includes a nationwide tour. Founded by Pakistani-Norwegian twin brothers Suleman Malik and Bilal Malik, and their Thai-Norwegian friend Nasir Sirikhan, the members of the troupe can be seen in videos on their social media accounts grooving to popular tracks alongside various celebrities. Coke Studio announced that Quick Style were in Karachi by unveiling a picture of the four members standing in front of Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum declaring “The boys are here”. So far, the group has already met actress Syra Yousuf and can also be seen busting a move with Mahira Khan to the hit tune More Saiyyan from the film Parey Hut Love. Fans of the dance group are eager to see what else they have planned for their Pakistan trip.