Where: At the Shaan-e-Pakistan introductory press conference in Karachi
The highlight of the evening was the baritone presence of Amjad Sabri and when he sang a few lines from “Bhar De Jholi†he brought the house down. Amjad Sabri was, in fact, the strongest element in the Shaan e Pakistan introductory press conference that took place at the Pearl Continental this evening. The fact that Sabri will inaugurate the Shaan e Pakistan gala on September 10 in Delhi with an evening titled ‘Ek Shaam Pakistan Ke Naam’ is very promising. What better way to introduce Pakistan to India (not that the two need an introduction) than through powerful qawalis.
“Pakistan and India unite over two thing: nuclear technology and music,” Sabri said when invited on stage. “And India loves our music, so much that it often takes it without asking,” he added with a smile in his voice.
I caught up with the icon after the press conference was over and while he didn’t want to give a soundbite on the issue of Salman Khan and Adnan Sami taking ‘Bhar Do Jholi‘ for Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Amjad Sabri did share that he was very offended that his father’s qawalli had been taken without permission and more so, that they had changed its lyrics. “But we are in talks for a settlement,” he said. “I have been assured that I will get a public apology.”
We hope so too.
(For a clip of Amjad Sabri deliver a few lines from the qawalli, find Something Haute on Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/somethinghaute)
