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Pakistan's Coke Studio is way ahead of ours, says Rekha Bhardwaj
Culture

Pakistan's Coke Studio is way ahead of ours, says Rekha Bhardwaj

She names Atif Aslam and Ghulam Ali sahib as some of the greats of the Pakistani music industry
Images Staff
04 Jun, 2016

She came and was conquered!

Rekha Bhardwaj, singer of hits like 'Namak Ishq Ka' and 'Sasural Genda Phool', lent her vocals to the Bin Roye track, 'Chan Chariya' last year, and it turns out her interaction with the Pakistani film industry left her with a very favourable impression of its music too.

In an interview with The Hindu, she referred to her experience as "an exchange programme."

"They have immensely talented artists like Atif Aslam and Ghulam Ali sahib. There is not a lot of difference between our and their industry apart from the type of music that is being composed," Rekha said.

But she did notice that Pakistani music has one edge over India's:

"Their Coke Studio is way ahead of ours. They don’t kill their verses by sound and keep the essence of their songs alive. They bring their folk music and ghazals together and embellish it beautifully."

That's high praise from one of Bollywood's shining stars - Pakistani musicians must be feeling chuffed!

Comments

indian dude Jun 04, 2016 03:43pm
Indian coke studio should come out of its bollywood star system and work with indie bands.We have so many world class bands specially from North East ,Kolkata,Bengalore.
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KARACHI WAALA Jun 04, 2016 03:59pm
Because Pakistanis are mostly original.
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Ashutosh Mishra Jun 04, 2016 04:20pm
What is new that she has broken. We Indians are well aware that Pakistan's Coke Studio is head and shoulder's ahead of India's Coke Studio. Majority of it's artists are too better than ours. Ours get paid more, and don't do enough riyaaz; Pakistani one's are feted here in India more than most of our local ones for the same reason!!!
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Ajay Vikram Singh Jun 04, 2016 04:25pm
I agree with her. There are many reasons behind this. One is , Music for too long has been only mainstream creative expression left in Pakistan. Then lets say - they value our classical Ragas more than our bollywood. In any case, its all "our" common heritage. I am very proud of the music that comes from Pakistan. Keep it up.
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Vivek (Indore) Jun 04, 2016 04:58pm
True that, nobody watches Coke Studio in India. They spoil the spirit of songs.
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Arka Jun 04, 2016 05:05pm
@Misra Pakistani coke studio is way ahead of indian one but indian music industry is way ahead of pakistani music.I mean,Indie and classical music.Dont think bollywood is all about indian music,its just small part.How many of you heared of Bombay Jayashri?
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charu Jun 04, 2016 05:08pm
100% agree...
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Ghazanfar Jun 04, 2016 05:12pm
@Ajay Vikram Singh unfortunately the praise they don't get it from Pakistan what they have gotten it from India.
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Ram Charan Jun 04, 2016 05:18pm
But Bollywood songs are far more popular in Pakistan than Coke Songs in India. There you go.
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vikas Jun 04, 2016 06:09pm
I'm caught unaware here..What exactly is this coke studio concept?
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Satyameva Jayate Jun 04, 2016 06:29pm
Very True. Has been like that since Day ONE. Who can forget Arif Lohar and Meesha Shafi and JUGNI?
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Priti Jun 04, 2016 06:30pm
Because India has its own film industry with hit music that win Oscar and Grammy . All regional states too have their own film industry with hit music. So no A lister music maker or singer wants to work in small television show called coke studio, under MTv for paltry sum of money. Because indian stars earn all fame , name , money in big screen, films. Pakistan doesn't have film industry. Coke studio is only place where they can express their music . So the diff. till the A lister or even B lister of Indian Stars go in indian coke studio, comparision of both would be naive.
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Sr Jun 04, 2016 06:35pm
Coke studio in India is not popular or effective as there are various channels through which music is exhibited. Does Pakistan have the richness of cultural music as India has? Coke studio is not a benchmark
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Sr Jun 04, 2016 06:43pm
@KARACHI WAALA is it ;)
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Taimoor Khan Jun 04, 2016 06:50pm
"That's high praise from one of Bollywood's shining stars - Pakistani musicians must be feeling chuffed!" Mm why? Pakistani singers/groups are sitting on top of food chain already. There is nothing to lookup, only down.
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Barkat Jun 04, 2016 07:06pm
Hey everything said and done
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S. A. M. Jun 04, 2016 07:24pm
I like Pakistan's Coke Studio. it's nice and classy music with good presentation. it's not only good for the ears but also good for the eyes. but it doesn't mean I am comparing it with Indian or western music. they all have their place. I love watching English movies as well as Persian dramas / movies. salman khan movies are a true source of entertainment. love listening to Googoosh. all these forms of music / entertainment are really fantastic.
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Hidayat Jun 04, 2016 09:37pm
@Arka we are talking about music not industry, you understand?
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Ding Dong Jun 04, 2016 09:50pm
Seriously? You just figured that out?
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Iamnotjoking Jun 05, 2016 01:44am
We already knew this.
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rohan Jun 05, 2016 03:21am
coke studio???
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Wasim Jun 05, 2016 03:30am
It is very simple to explain. India has many other channels for musicians to express themselves, bollywood being #1 choice. Pak has very few and hence Coke Studio attracts their best. Most of their coke studio artists would love to sing in a bollywood movie. How much of the reverse happens.
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Rev. Eldrick Lal Jun 05, 2016 03:43am
So glad to know about the praise of our musicians. By the way, the word "Chuffed" is chielfy British informal. May the esteemed editors and journalists of this reputable newspaper may take kind notice of this and should have used some formal word .
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Raj Jun 05, 2016 03:47am
Rekha Bhardwaj is such an overrated singer that she gets to sing because of her husband Vishal Bhardwaj . There are much better singers in India who remain obscure and lead the life of anonymity . You do need a mai baap in Hindi film industry to survive the cut throat competition . The kind of variety Indian coke studio offers , Pak coke studio does not have it . You can not survive on just sufi or fusion sufi music only . What else can you offer ? Rekha shares the same genre as the rest of Pak singers . It is too regional style , very good yet only local .
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Gp65 Jun 05, 2016 04:42am
@KARACHI WAALA No. Because Pakistni musicians haave very few outlets for their creativity and reserve their best work for the coke studio.
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Anil Jun 05, 2016 05:58am
This has been my complaint with Indian Coke Studio. We ruin the songs by doing too much with it whereas Pakistani Coke Studio makes fine tweaks like adding one, or two instruments, while focusing on the sound quality and authenticity which makes for sublime performances. Less is more guys.
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ahmed Jun 06, 2016 04:01pm
@Arka I think one must compare music in its categories e.g Classical, melody song, ghazal, pop etc. If you take Pop music, everyone will agree that Pakistani pop music is way ahead than Indian pop music. In fact I have never head any big name in Indian pop, similar to Nazia Hassan, Strings, Vital signs, Alamgir etc. In melody songs, Indian singers are way ahead. Rafi, Kishore, Lata ji etc are true legends.
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Hassan Jun 06, 2016 04:45pm
Talent is talent, let it be bollywood songs or coke studio, performance on too many channels should introduce more talent but i guess its not the case, btw we too have 100+ channels in Pakistan, there is no excuse for not producing good music, ur singers gets more chances to exhibit their talent which means they can create awesome music while working too much. the excuse of all the musicians are busy in Bollywood is not acceptable, in fact the kind of exposure Indian Musicians r getting they should produce excellent Music at every level let it be bollywood or coke studio. our artists are working globally in bollywood as well, yet they r producing excellent music. we like bollywood music but they r mostly situation based 2 in 20 songs becomes hit else, songs r just flowing and flowing.....
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bilal Jun 06, 2016 07:32pm
who watches coke studio, whether it is of Pakistan or India.
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Jai Kishan Jun 07, 2016 11:20am
I agree. Coke studio - Pakistan is certainly has an edge over Indian version. If at all if Pakistan is ahead of anything (that includes the number of Muslims), that is Coke Studio. But the other side INDIA has not given any focus on Coke Studio, because it already have many platforms (Includes the mega Bollywood) - unlike Pakistan, which depends solely on platforms like Coke Studio. Nevertheless - Pak singers & musicians are doing a fabulous job. All the best.
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Haider Jun 07, 2016 01:04pm
@Ram Charan Not really when season of Coke Studio comes the madness is huge and that time no one listens to Bollywood
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Shakil Ahmed Jun 07, 2016 02:13pm
@Priti you need to educate yourself about Pakistan film and music. Music in Pakistan flourish because they do it only for Music not for films. There is Film industry though its not bigger as bollywood, most new Pakistani movies dont have playback songs and lipsin as bollywood, they do have song tracks as background music though. Coke Studio is not the only place where they compose music.
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Lakhkar Khan Jun 07, 2016 07:04pm
@ahmed Really? If you are going back all the way, why don't mention Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hasan, Mala and Rushdi?
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Lakhkar Khan Jun 07, 2016 07:06pm
@bilal, I do and many people I know do.
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Dervaish Khan Jun 07, 2016 09:05pm
Arts and music have no boundaries. He who listens and twist to it, owns it. Music, composed for Coke Studio, Bollywood or else has no particular address. And I don't divide it between India and Pakistan; it is our common asset.
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