“This was the first Indian tour since the 26/11 attacks. It was a good ice-breaker.” – Faisal Kapadia

Strings front man talks to Instep about touring India, the local concert circuit and the high of performing at the recently concluded Twenty20 match between Pakistan and New Zealand…

Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

Before Jal‘s tour of India, Strings were touring across the border and have returned home this week. “This was our first Indian tour since the 26/11 attacks. We performed in Delhi twice, once in Jaipur and once at Bangalore,” Faisal Kapadia told Instep in a telephonic conversation.

The long-term consequences, as Faisal Kapadia (Strings front man) had pointed out earlier, stand true. It took eight years for cultural exchange to develop between the two countries. It was because the door to India was finally opening up, enough for a Lollywood diva to debut in Bollywood with Mahesh Bhatt’s Nazar. Atif Aslam‘s career took off and he is flying high since. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and so many others became bigger entities at home and across the border as a result. Since 26/11 attacks, things have been at a standstill but it seems the fog is clearing. Slowly, things may be changing once again.

Jal’s front man denies any anti-Pakistan sentiment. Strings also felt the same.

They represented Pakistan at the South Asian Bands Festival at Purana Qila, New Delhi.

“We performed at the same festival two years ago. We were representing Pakistan. We performed in the same festival two years back but after 26/11 attacks, the situation was tense and so we couldn’t perform last year. It was good to return. It was a good ice-breaker.

Faisal elaborated further, “There were performers from countries like Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. And they really made an effort to bring it all together.”

From South Asian Bands Festival, Strings also landed at a college in Delhi. And college-goers make for an excellent crowd.

“It was high energy and it was incredible.”

And then the guys went off to Jaipur and Bangalore, where they performed at the Hubba Festival. Hubba?

“Hubba Festival,” explained Faisal, “features everything from classical music to pop.”

And Strings are happy with the response they garnered even after a one-year sabbatical from regular Indian tours, due to obvious reasons.

Describing the experience, Faisal said, “We performed on the Pop Night and we were the only act performing. Getting so many people as an audience was a high. It’s different than when one is performing with a bevy of artists because such shows can pull in bigger crowds. But to be able to perform alone and generate such a good response was elevating.”

Before the Indian tour, Strings recently performed in Karachi as well at a small but super successful gig. Talking about the Karachi gig, Faisal said, “Karachi was a blast.”

They also performed in Lahore recently and more prominently at the recently concluded T20 cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand in the U.A.E.

“We’ve performed in stadiums before. We performed once when Pakistan was playing against South Africa and later at a World Cup,” reminisces Faisal, “But we had one song slot in those series. This was different. We had a proper stage with mics and a huge audience. It was great.”

It’s unfortunate that an act like Strings who made a comeback in the spotlight (not that they ever truly left…) in early 2008 – with Koi Aanay Wala Hai‘s release – cannot show off their live skills too often in Pakistan anymore. Live concerts still take place, but not often and the scale of designing a ‘concert’ hasn’t truly come in. This is a time when venues are undisclosed until d-day.

“It’s a tragedy,” says Faisal. “Consistent performances have become rare under our current climate. Do people want to come out of the house?” he asks rhetorically and continues, “But after Muharram, we are hoping to plan a tour of Pakistan.”

Try as you might (be my guest), Strings are hard to ignore, whether you love ’em or hate ’em. Their last video, ‘Titliyan‘ is perhaps one of the most honest and inspiring tribute videos ever done in Pakistan.

“We’ve had a tremendous response to the video. In such times, we often don’t feel inspired or in the spirit of entertaining others amidst such chaos. But ‘Titliyan’ is different. It’s different from anything we’ve ever done,” says Faisal.

Not surprisingly, the video has not only given director Soheb Akhtar some weight but has also generated a positive response from viewers across the board.

“It’s not just the youth appreciating the video, but people from all walks of life,” says Faisal.

And why not? ‘Titliyan’ is so nostalgic and commands attention, not just for the soft melody (signature Strings stuff) but for those images – that range from Waheed Murad to legends like Iqbal Bano and Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – that remind us of the talent and the power of those who paved the path for future generations in their respective fields.

“Every time you sit down and watch those images (in the video of ‘Titliyan’), you get the shivers,” divulges Faisal.

The impact of ‘Titliyan’ didn’t go unnoticed in India where the crowds, as Faisal reveals, chanted “Titliyan'”.

The video hasn’t launched in India but people have already seen it, thanks to the age of Internet and YouTube. And Faisal believes in the power of the Internet. “Internet will become so strong and ultimately it is the future, with new mediums on the rise.”

The globe-trotting pop superstars are now planning to take a break.

“For now, we are taking a break but we are looking at a full-fledged Pakistan tour in the coming weeks.”

In the case of Strings, never say never.

Source: INSTEP today