Harry Potter and the magical tunes of Pakistani pop!

Harry Potter and the magical tunes of Pakistani pop!
With the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the story of the ‘boy who lived’ is still ongoing amidst global fanfare.
Instep spoofs Harry Potter with the local pop music industry…

By Maheen Sabeeh and Saba Imtiaz

Atif Aslam as Harry Potter

Harry Potter has uncontrollable hair and a lightening shaped scar – and is the ‘Chosen One’ – who will defeat the Dark Lord and restore order to the magical world. Atif Aslam may not have the messy hair and scar, but he’s being widely touted as the ‘Chosen One’. And since Dumbledore – sorry, we mean Rohail Hyatt – has now taken him under his wing, this may be the start of a new magical – sorry again, we mean musical – victory.

Salman Ahmed as Lucious Malfoy

Lucious Malfoy is a loyalist who on the surface – jumps from one bandwagon (Voldemort and the Death Eaters) to another (the side that wants to eradicate the use of Dark Arts) – but harbours a deep passion for all that he believes in.

Salman Ahmed has jumped onto so many bandwagons we’ve lost count: Junoon’s Led Zeppelin-inspired wave, the Sufi years, the political activism which saw him switch from a loyalist of the former President to a pro-democracy one, the Deepak Chopra bandwagon – clearly, he harbours a deep passion for all that he believes in – and also believes in sending numerous press releases about each one of his passions…

Ali Hamza as Ron Weasley

Ron always stays behind the shadow of the iconic Harry Potter, and always harbours a slight resentment for not being recognized for his contribution.

Ali Hamza – also hugely talented – has remained stuck behind the shadow of the iconic Ali Noor. But like Harry and Ron, they both work best when together…

Strings as the Weasley twins

Inseparable, loyal, hilarious and popular, the Weasley twins are reincarnated in the music industry as Strings members Bilal and Faisal. Together they not only get up to all sorts of greatness (Strings’ albums and Fred and George’s Weasleys Wizard Wheezes both bring great happiness to the Muggle and magical worlds) but are also an unstoppable duo.

Dr Akbar Yezdani as Lord Voldermort

Lord Voldermort is the anti-Dumbledore. Brilliant and conflicted, he is the genius who is all wrong. He definitely possesses greatness and his determination to conquer is unflinching and he can be quite the scary dude, which goes well with Dr Akbar Yezdani, who heads Fire Records (the largest record label Pakistan). He is a strong contender, nay, the only contender for the role because, let’s face it, Doc will go for what he wants and he will get it done. His reputation is nothing short of the dark lord even if he isn’t really all that evil! But Atif… we mean Harry will give him a run for his dark arts.

Fuzon as Harry Potter’s family, the Dursleys

Harry Potter has a strange relationship with the Dursleys, who are incredibly paranoid of wizards and magic and look at everything with suspicion. The trio – Vernon, Petunia and Dudley – have kind hearts but domineering genes, and that just reminds one of the band Fuzon…also, a trio with kind hearts and inbuilt paranoia…

Nazia Hassan as Lily Potter

With a generous, courageous heart, Lily Potter protects a young Harry from the dark lord, even at the price of her own life. She symbolizes the strength that defines the (late) Nazia Hassan and the mark she left on the world, with her voice, charm, struggle, hope and her spirit.

Haniya Aslam as Hermione Granger

Hermione is intelligent, sharp and knows her magic. She is the one who gets Harry and Ron out of trouble through her magical knowledge and spells at times when they can’t get it right. And if anyone can be Hermione, it is Haniya. She can strum the guitar, she knows her music and she is confident just like Hermione. Plus, they both personify strong will.

Zebunissa Bangash as Luna Lovegood

Luna isn’t about rules or facts. It’s her soul that attracts us and the fact that she is in her own head makes her more adorable. Luna’s strength comes into play time and again and she shows the will to take on the Dark Lord with Dumbledore’s Army despite defeating surroundings.

Zebunissa Bangash mirrors the same innocence
and soul.

Rohail Hyatt as Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore casts a fatherly figure over the magical world, with his long beard, magical knowledge and an office filled with hidden memories, contraptions, books and a phoenix. In his younger days, Dumbledore came close to dabbling with the Dark Arts, willing to use his power to achieve all his wishes, but transfigures into one of the most renowned magicians to have ever lived.

Rohail Hyatt casts a fatherly figure over the music industry, with his long beard, musical knowledge and a studio that boasts a tremendous collection of music, memories of the most iconic pop band Pakistan has ever seen, and a number of guitars. In his younger days, Rohail got caught in the entrapments of bubble gum pop music, but has transfigured to using his magic to bring out the best in people, especially with Coke Studio.

Umber Hyatt as Professor McGonagall

McGonagall doesn’t approve of incompetence. She is the strict deputy headmistress and her range for compassion and sheer determination is firm. She remains in the shadows and shows loyalty, talent, and is rarely emotional.

Umber Hyatt, the co-producer of Coke Studio and McGonagall definitely share similarities.

Hadiqa Kiani as the Veela, Fleur Delacour

Veelas are described as “young, beautiful human women, and their appearance and especially their dance are magically seductive to almost all males.” Hasn’t Hadiqa Kiani been casting the same sort of effect on Pakistani men for over two decades now…with the aid of her ‘dupatta malmal ka’? This magical effect continues to persist…

Ali Zafar as Cedric Diggory

Cedric has the looks, the charm and the playfulness that can be attractive, inviting and sometimes flirtatious. Outside the exterior, Cedric carries the weight to fight the boy who is already an icon and his explosive vigour till the end stays in our memory. He is a champion who finds a way back despite being torn amidst fragile egos, staggering expectations and conflicting circumstances.

Much like pop star Ali Zafar who flirted his way with Huqa Pani years ago and has now made us stand up and take notice of his skill, heart and turmoil as Coke Studio struck like lightning. Ali’s dance with pop has delighted us. His ongoing display of pure heart at Coke Studio with the breezy ‘Yaar Dhadee’ and the heartbreaking ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ are two examples of his talent. Ali and Cedric have more in common if one looks closely enough.

Ali Azmat as Firenze

Firenze is a centaur who becomes a teacher, ignoring taboos of even centaurs. He fights the fight and retreats from worldly rules, norms and affairs but commands attention at his return and rightly so. He can be attacking and he can be kind. Firenze is one facade of Ali Azmat, the first rock icon Pakistan produced and whose fiery career, with all its ups and downs, keeps
us glued…. decades later.

Gumby as Remus Lupin

Lupin is one of the original mischief makers at Hogwarts, great with magic and an even better friend. Gumby has the same mad vibe, is hugely talented and remains friends with everyone in the music industry. Thankfully, unlike Lupin, Gumby is not a werewolf. Not that we know of, anyway…

Faisal Rafi as Sirius Black

Sirius is abrasive at times, he can be angry yet he carries a soft heart. He can slip through the cracks, sometimes unnoticed but his own charming and fighting rebel brings him out.
Faisal Rafi fits well with some of Sirius Black’s attributes (and looks eerily similar.)

Xulfi as Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy is an opportunist. On the surface, he is arrogant and manipulative. But he has his demons and he is compassionate, still. It is an ingenious reflection of Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan aka Xulfi. His credits include EP – they broke up but the band is coming back without Xulfi – and Call, in which he co-sings with Junaid Khan and is the lead guitarist. Now on the comeback with a new record, Dhoom, like Draco, Xufi lives and learns.

Khalid Khan as Neville Longbottom

Neville is the adorable underdog. The spotlight evades him but his resilience makes him an inspiring force to reckon with. He can be overshadowed but he shows incredible strength in the face of fire.

The quiet bass player Khalid Khan of Aaroh, whose musicianship often goes unnoticed outside music circles and Neville Longbottom are often on a parallel level.

Ali Noor as Percy Weasley

Percy is the do-gooder older brother who always wants to remain in the limelight and ‘adores’ just about everyone, betrays his family for a job and admonishes his brothers. Ali Noor is the older brother of the Noori duo and while they both have impressive credentials, Noor would do well to – as the Weasley twins would say – lighten up a bit.

Dino as Dobby

The ultimate sacrificial lamb: Dobby follows Harry around with a strange obsession and believes very strongly in his own ‘talents’ as a house-elf turned magician’s knight in shining armour. Dino also believes very strongly in his own talent and despite being lambasted by critics, continues to make music…and even has a magical song: ‘Pari’.

Omran Shafique as Professor Filius Flitwick

Professor Filius Flitwick is the adorable and laid back teacher of charms at Hogwarts. He knows the neatest of tricks, he is playful and when it comes to making a move, he is very much a supporter of Dumbledore. If that isn’t Omran Shafique – the uber cool guitar man of Mauj, who is?

Mekaal Hasan as Severus Snape

Snape may have been hated by many, but at the end it turns out he really was one of the good guys all along, working behind the scenes to destroy evil and let good prevail. Sadly enough he never gets enough credit. Mekaal Hasan who has remained behind the scenes of some of the best albums and artistes produced in Pakistan, barely ever gets any of the credit he so deserves…

Source: INSTEP today