Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; April 11, 2014)

Ustad Hamid Ali Khan has sung a song for Vijay Raaz’s directorial debut, Kya Dilli Kya Lahore. This is the first time that he has recorded a track for a Bollywood film. Belonging to the Patiala gharana, Ustad Hamid Ali Khan is the son of Ustad Akhtar Hussein Khan and the youngest brother of singers, Bade Fateh Ali Khan and Amanat Ali Khan.

Dealing with the subject of Indo-Pak partition, Kya Dilli Kya Lahore is an upcoming film set in 1948; it is being presented by Gulzar and stars Vijay Raaz, Manu Rishi, Raj Zutshi and Vishwajeet Pradhan in lead roles.

Sandesh Shandilya, the film’s music composer, says, “We recently met Ustad Hamid Ali Khan at an event that was held in Amritsar. When we requested him to record a song for our film, he readily agreed upon hearing that Gulzarsahab is associated with the project. It turns out that both of them share a very good equation. Soon after, he came down to Mumbai for two days and recorded the song, Kaleje mein lag jaati toh kya hota. It’s an emotional song that advocates putting humanity above border scuffles.”

Shandilya adds that since the film revolves around Indo-Pak relationship, they have roped in singers from both countries for the film’s soundtrack. “There are four songs in all; while Sukhwinder Singh and Papon have recorded one song each, the other two have been sung by Pakistan’s Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and Ustad Hamid Ali Khan respectively,” he says.