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Cause and play
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Popular Pakistani band Strings rocked New Delhi this weekend
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We cater to a niche audience, which includes mostly the youth, which is pretty much the same wherever we play Faisal Kapadia
SPREADING AWARENESS Faisal Kapadia (right ) and Bilal Maqsood PHOTO: T.A. HAFEEZ
Riding on the success of "Yeh Meri Kahani" from Zinda, the trendy youth's desired band from across the border, Strings, performed in the Capital this past weekend. The dazzling duo of Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood performed live to initiate a campaign for spreading awareness about AIDS.
The partners in this cause were the Indian Institute of Planning and Management and the Rotary Club Faisal and Bilal have been the ambassadors for the UN programme for HIV/AIDS in Pakistan.
Great enthusiasm
The two, who are coming up with their new album early next year, find it great working in India, as the music market here is well established and there is great enthusiasm for the music they produce.
They derive pride and motivation in performing before an appreciative Indian crowd, saying the love and admiration they get in India is immense.
Talking about the audiences of India and Pakistan, Faisal, the vocalist, says, "We cater to a niche audience, which includes the youth mostly, which is pretty much the same wherever we play."
No wonder, they have played at almost all the major educational institutes throughout the country.
Bilal, the lead guitarist and vocalist, expresses great anguish over the fact that AIDS is spreading rapidly in India as well as in Pakistan.
He points out that the public in India and Pakistan is conservative.
"Talking openly about the issue is not considered good. However, music shows like this help to raise funds which could then be utilised for spreading awareness about the deadly disease. We hope that our society would understand soon the need to eradicate the HIV/AIDS from the face of the world."
He expresses happiness that now people from both the countries are getting together to fight this problem.
Zinda was not the first time they composed a song for a film. Earlier their song "Na Jaane Kyun" from their all-time-hit album Dhaani was used to promote the Hindi version of Spiderman 2 in the subcontinent.
Choosy about films
However, Bilal maintains that they are very choosy about their film assignments, as they don't want to dilute the band. "Already there is too much film music happening here. This makes the task of creating space and promoting non-film music very difficult," says Faisal.
As for the difference in the Indian and Pakistan music scene, Faisal holds that original music is still happening across the border.
"And most Pakistani bands are both writing and composing their songs. From the writing stage, we have a fair idea what the final product would be like. That's also the reason we take considerable time in coming out with an album."
Speaking on the occasion, Arindam Chaudhuri, Dean, IIPM, who is also a filmmaker himself, said AIDS is an issue that needs immediate attention. He even urged the Government of India to treat it as a `warlike situation' and try its best to create awareness among the people.
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