 Even
though their album Koi Aanay Wala Hai released in early 2008, Strings
have managed to keep themselves in the spotlight since then. Koi
Aanay Wala Hai has become one of the best selling records in recent
time. Strings produced a number of exceptional videos for it; including
roping in John Abraham for the 'Koi Aanay Wala Hai' video and shooting
the 'Humsafar' video in Moscow. They put in a brilliant cameo appearance
for the second season of Coke Studio and sparked an intense amount
of buzz with plans of a duet with Atif Aslam. They've produced collaborative
songs, worked for the UN, toured the US and just recently, performed
at the Veet show in Karachi and at the T20 series between New Zealand
and Pakistan in the UAE. And given the amount of turmoil in the
country, they've worked diligently and stayed in the spotlight.
But what makes them Instep's hotsteppers of the week is the video
for 'Titliyan' that hit the airwaves this month. The black and white
video - directed by Soheb Akhtar - recalls the icons that Pakistan
has lost over the decades. It is a moving and poignant tribute to
those that contributed immensely to the country's cultural landscape,
from artists like Sadequain to Gulgee, actors like Mehboob Alam,
Saleem Nasir, Khalida Riyasat and Yasmeen Ismail and musical legends
including Mallika Pukhraj, Iqbal Bano and Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, and writers and poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ashfaq Ahmed and
Parveen Shakir. The video alone is enough to move one to tears,
but the song itself is a gem that speaks volumes about loss and
loneliness. For paying tribute to those that are rarely remembered
- and for reminding one to cherish the icons we do have - Strings
are Instep's hotsteppers of the week. |
