Daily Times

Veteran actress Zeenat Aman took to Instagram recently to celebrate the 44th anniversary of the iconic film Qurbani with a heartfelt post.

The post not only commemorated the film’s legacy but also served as a tribute to the late singer Nazia Hassan, whose voice lent magic to the film’s chartbuster song ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’. In the lengthy Instagram post, Aman recounted a charming anecdote about how she played a pivotal role in bringing Nazia on board for Qurbani.

While staying at a hotel in London, she received a visit from her friend Muniza, who was accompanied by her two children, Nazia and Zoheb. Describing Muniza’s elegance, Aman reminisced about how a young Nazia, brimming with talent, expressed her desire to sing. She wrote, “The lady was elegant. Her name was Muniza. And with her were her two teenage children. A quiet girl named Nazia and a boy named Zoheb.

I hadn’t planned to entertain them for long but soon found myself drawn into deep dialogue with Muniza. They were a charming and cultured family of Pakistani origin, and to my surprise I found myself inviting them to join me in my suite. That night I learned that Nazia and Zoheb were pursuing music, and I even enjoyed a brief demo of young Nazia’s pipes.”

Recognizing the spark in Nazia, Aman decided to connect her with Feroz Khan, the film’s producer and co-star. This chance introduction ultimately led to Nazia being selected to sing ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’, a song that would go on to define a generation.

“I subsequently introduced her to Feroz Khan, with whom I was starting work on an ambitious project. You can picture the rest… Feroz was blown away by Nazia’s voice, and under the guidance of music composer Biddu, 15-year-old Nazia Hassan went on to record the mega-hit ‘Aap Jaisa Koi,'” she added.

She continued, “Yesterday marked 44 years of Qurbani. A film that captivated the South Asian audience, and whose music still plays on dance floors. Qurbani had a star-studded cast – Vinod, Feroz, Amjad, Amrish, myself – but to me there is only one breakthrough performance in the film.

And that’s Nazia’s. It may be my face and figure that come to mind when the familiar tune of ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ begins to play, but the song belongs entirely to that young Pakistani girl who revolutionised how we South Asians disco.”