A favourite among Pakistanis, not to mention the Brits, Yasir Akhtar is back, this time with his brand new song “Araam Naal Kar (take it easy)” based on Bulley Shah’s poetry featuring Martay Mckenzy.
This latest massive production was released at the close of last month to capture the hearts of millions round the globe. The track is a brilliant fusion of hip-hop with a Punjabi folk tune.
This multi-talented artiste never fails to impress as has been proved by the roaring success of his previous single ‘Sansani – The Sensation” which bagged nearly six million views.
As usual, you have launched another blockbuster! Tell us about it.
It’s a different sound because I have tried to mix Punjabi music with hip-hop incorporating live instruments like sarangi, harmonium, tumbi with electronic instruments. It’s a blend of east and west with a folk melody and English rap. The concept of the video covers almost all major cultures and styles found in the United Kingdom. It has a multi-cultural look and sound. It was quite a difficult task to find a good female rapper; I went through so many portfolios and auditions. Finally, I found Martay McKenzy from London who fitted like a glove into this project. She has a wealth of experience in singing and rapping with power house vocals, undeniable screen presence and an intrinsic ability to rock. What’s more, I have written the lyrics for the chorus and the English rap although the main poetry is by Bulleh Shah. I have written and composed the rap, and fused the poetry of the great Punjabi philosopher which philosophises that ‘within a dot, a whole mystery is solved. So we, the created, are not different from the Creator. We the lovers, are not separate from the Beloved. It is this unity of being and existence that is one and can be reduced to one little dot that has all the answers and comforts we spend our lifetimes attaining. The point or dot is the starting point of anything or everything.
We have seen the powerful plot of the video. Enlighten us about it!
As far as video is concerned, I am playing a double role – a philosopher and an antagonist, embedded in an abstract concept with a vivid storyline. The dual characters depict two different lines of thought in our society: spiritual philosophy and materialism. The concept revolves around a modern philosopher roaming around the streets of London singing Bulleh Shah’s poetry and explaining the concept of surrender to the antagonist. The talented female artiste from London, Martay, is shown to be mocking the poetic lines of the philosopher in favour of the materialistic mafia king. A drastic turn in the storyline can be witnessed where the philosopher finally manages to convince the audience, changing everything. The music and the visuals of “Take it Easy” are an amalgamation of various styles and genres. The video is shot at some of the most beautiful locations in London, including Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Lambeth and Southall. I am deeply thankful to the team behind SK Media consisting of Shaista Iram Zahid, Zahid Hamid and Kamran Hamid for joining hands with me and making this a successful projecting every way.
What has been your most cherished experience since you started working?
I have had many extra-ordinary experiences in my career. However, “Araam Naal Kar” is extremely close to my heart. I’ve put in a lot of effort and passion into recording this. One of my favourite projects has also been “Mera Ghar Ek Whirlpool”, which was Pakistan’s first branded show. Nida Pasha was introduced in this project and Whirlpool products were shown in the series. Going back further, I had done the title track of ‘Sard Agh’ by Hum TV. “Sunri Pawan” – which is my very own creation and very dear to me.
You’ve worked as a producer, director and actor – tell us more about it.
Veteran producer Ghazanfar Ali gave me the chance to direct and produce the first pop chart show of Pakistan, “Music Channel Charts” and gave me full authority to launch new artistes. This show gave me the opportunity to launch the careers of Najam Sheraz, Shehzad Roy, Fakhr-e-Alam, Komal Rizvi and many other artistes and music bands. I also got the golden opportunity to launch the first ever telefilm series ‘Tapal Cinema’ sponsored by a major tea company of Pakistan, along with the first branded drama serial ‘Mera Ghar EkWhirpool’. ‘Jayein Kahan Armaan’ was a drama serial in which I played the character of Armaan, a rich dads’ son, travelling from one city to another, and running away from home because of issues with his step mom.