The fusion of Bollywood music with compositions from Pakistan has always proved to be a hit. And one name that comes to mind (after Atif Aslam) while talking about this connection is that of Pakistani singer Mustafa Zahid. After delivering hits in Bollywood movies like Awaarapan and Runway, the singer is making a comeback with three new songs in Mahesh Bhatt’s Blood Money. And the Pak rock star is all praise for tinsel town.
“I’ve had a great experience in Bollywood. I’m learning a lot in terms of playback music. Entering Bollywood was very unusual because when we were approached by Bhatt saab (Mahesh Bhatt) to do those songs for the first few films, I felt that this was a particular genre of Bollywood which I hadn’t even explored since I had only done pop rock back home in Pakistan. So I took up the opportunity to learn,” he says.
With competition from all quarters in Bollywood, the singer has no qualms about it, and is instead enjoying the journey. “Bollywood is very competitive and that’s what I enjoy. This is why the industry gets bigger every day. I wasn’t used to singing according to the situations and storylines. Apart from music director, here I had a film director guiding me about the situation and expression which was quite exciting,” shares Mustafa.
Having said that, he also feels India is missing out on many other genres of music because of Bollywood. “India has already lost out on a lot of genres. There was a time when Silk Route, Euphoria and KK would release their albums and people would listen to them when Bollywood wasn’t that big. But now it has changed over the years, so much so, that you don’t seem to find Indi pop on television. That is why people are venturing into Bollywood,” says the singer who is known for delivering hits like Toh Fir Aao and Tera Mera Rishta Purana.
Making a point here, he says that the artistes need to focus on their original works too while trying their luck in Bollywood.
“Even if you’re not earning much or the kind of music you make doesn’t have many takers or isn’t as popular, you need to do something for the satisfaction of your soul. Artists should realise the fact that you should always do music apart from Bollywood so that people know what you are capable of,” he adds.
For someone who has long been associated with the Bhatt clan, he says, “The Bhatts have a great taste in music. So when I was approached for Blood Money I wasn’t apprehensive. Initially there was just one song which I was supposed to sing but Vishal felt that there are two more songs which I can do justice to.”