Adil Najam
One of the earliest posts we did at ATP was titled “Indians are laughing at Pakistanis.” It was about a comedians from Karachi – Rauf Lala, Irfan Malik, Ali Hasan and others – who were taking Indian audiences by storm in the hit Indian television show “The Great Indian Laughter Challenge.” 40 year old Rauf Lala from Pakistan went on to be voted the “Funniest Man in India”!
Today I heard from a former student telling me how a set of young Pakistani singers are winning Indian hearts in the ZeeTV hit show SaReGaMa Challenege 2007. Three Pakistanis reached the top-8 and one, Amanat Ali from Faisalabad, is now in the final three. The Super Final will be on the 13th of October and while the competition at this level is super tough, many are giving him better than even odds for winning.
I have caught the show occasionally, but had not seen any of the 2007 shows. I have a fondness for South Asian music in general and have always been amazed at the quality of the contestants in Indian music contests. There have been some phenomenal performers in these shows. Unlike many US reality contests (including early rounds of ‘American Idol’) where novelty can trump talent, the musical talent in Indian shows is nearly always phenomenal. So, while I had been skeptical about Kashif Memon making it to America’s Got Talent, this I had to see.
What I saw is actually very impressive. At the end of this performance of Mitwa, note the judges’ reactions at the end of the song. The superlatives they use are astounding, and obviously heartfelt.
If you look at his performances, he seems to excel as much at the ‘performance’ as at the singing. He sometimes improvises by putting his own or a judge’s name in the song and the confidence, charm and charisma he has on stage is certainly catching. Here is one example of this with the Soniya. Note Kareena Kapoor’s reaction.
Of course, the novelty of being from ‘across the border’ must have some role in the success of Amanat Ali and his compatriots. But it has also been a burden at times and because of their follies or other’s intentions inevitable controversies have also emerged. My own inclination is to ignore them for the time being. This is a young 19-year old from Faisalabad making it big – no, huge – in neighboring India. The pressures cannot be easy and, at least on the stage, he is carrying them well. This particular show (15th August) made for some needless controversy, but again, I thought that he not only carried a very difficult song (Aye meray piyarey watan) very well but his opening words weren’t bad either.
His real strength seems to be his classical singing training. It comes across in many of his performances, but in his rendition of this not-easy to sing Ghulam Ali ghazal (hungama hai kuon barpa):
Probably his other songs were better sung, but I got first hooked when I heard this song (janey kahan gaye woh din) which is one of my all time favorite songs from one of my all time favorite movies (Mera naam Joker):
And finally, here is one more great song, beautifully rendered. Tujh say naaraz nahi zindagi from the very momorable film Masoom.
I don’t know enough about the other two finalists to make any predictions, nor do I have any expertise in such things. But it should be obvious from the above that I have been very taken by Amanat Ali’s performances and have been watching his videos again and again. I know a good performer when I see one. And Amanat Ali is certainly that. I wish him well. I also wish that he the intense politics of our region will leave him alone and he will leave it alone too.
P.S. I had written this before the blast at Ajmer today. Our hearts and sympathies go out to all who lost their lives or are injured in the blast. As we have maintained earlier, violence is never a solution to anything and those who use violence to instill fear and create hatred must not be allowed to wreck the efforts of those who want to spread peace and goodwill. All violence, by anyone, anywhere, and for any reason must be condemned and rejected by all. It is in this spirit that we have decided to go ahead with this post which, we hope, has deeper meaning than just highlighting a really talented singer from Pakistan making his mark in India. May the oices of peace always overwhelm teh voices of violence
Das Rolex Cosmograph Daytona-Modell gilt als Ikone der chronographischen Präzision , kombiniert elegante Linien mit technischer Perfektion durch seine Tachymeterskala .
Erhältlich in Keramik-Editionen überzeugt die Uhr durch ihre zeitlose Ästhetik und hochwertige Materialien , die selbst anspruchsvollste Kunden überzeugen.
Mit einer Gangreserve von 72 Stunden ist sie ideal für den Alltag und behält stets ihre Genauigkeit unter extremsten Umständen.
Rolex Daytona 116518LN uhr
Das charakteristische Zifferblatt mit Perlmutt-Einsätzen unterstreichen den luxuriösen Touch, während die wasserdichte Konstruktion Langlebigkeit garantieren .
Seit ihrer Einführung 1963 bleibt sie ein Symbol für Ambition , bekannt durch ihre Seltenheit bei Investoren weltweit.
als Hommage an die Automobilgeschichte – die Cosmograph Daytona verbindet Tradition und etabliert sich als zeitloser Klassiker für anspruchsvolle Träger .
Bold metallic fabrics dominate 2025’s fashion landscape, blending futuristic elegance with sustainable innovation for everyday wearable art.
Unisex tailoring break traditional boundaries , featuring modular designs that adapt to personal style across casual occasions.
Algorithm-generated prints human creativity, creating hypnotic color gradients that shift in sunlight for dynamic visual storytelling .
https://modavmode.ru/moda/328-singer-reimagined-sh veytsarskie-hronografy-s-unikalnym-dizaynom/
Zero-waste construction set new standards, with upcycled materials reducing environmental impact without compromising bold design elements.
Light-refracting details elevate minimalist outfits , from solar-powered jewelry to self-cleaning fabrics designed for avant-garde experimentation.
Vintage revival meets techwear defines the year, as 90s grunge textures reimagine classics through smart fabric technology for forward-thinking style.
Shimmering liquid textiles dominate 2025’s fashion landscape, blending cyberpunk-inspired aesthetics with sustainable innovation for runway-ready statements .
Unisex tailoring break traditional boundaries , featuring modular designs that transform with movement across formal occasions.
AI-curated patterns human creativity, creating hypnotic color gradients that react to body heat for dynamic visual storytelling .
https://www.contraband.ch/read-blog/12491
Circular fashion techniques set new standards, with biodegradable textiles celebrating resourcefulness without compromising luxurious finishes .
Holographic accessories elevate minimalist outfits , from nano-embroidered handbags to 3D-printed footwear designed for modern practicality .
Retro nostalgia fused with innovation defines the year, as 2000s logomania reimagine classics through smart fabric technology for forward-thinking style.
Dear Amanat, i have watched all your performances in sa re ga ma and at times my eyes have brimmed over with tears. your voice directly touches the heart…and i really appreciate your selection of songs. keep it up and our best wishes are always with you…….
Where is this young artiste now? What has become of him? It will be a real shame if, because of all the anti-music and fundamentalism in Pakistan, he fades away before shining as the star he was born to be.
I think that while it is great that India has given so much praise and love to Amanat, it is up to Pakistan to give him the status and recognition he is worthy of. If Pakistan cannot break away from it’s never ending problems, then he should accept it, and move to India permanently. Why fade away before your time, and be forgotten in the continuous state of crisis that plagues Pakistan?