Coke Studio Paid Tribute To One Of The Best Ghazals Ever With Ali Sethi And Just, Haye

By Sarah Babar | 14 Aug, 2017

Once a year, Coke Studio comes around, brings together the biggest artists from the country (and sometimes even outside of the country) and binds them in a relationship with music. Not all songs are hits, but there is always that one song that kills you on the inside, in the best way possible.

Coke Studio Season 10 took flight and gave us a song that validated our entire existence. After songs by legendary singers like Ahmed Jehanzeb and Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, to faces we’ve seen all over the place like Amanat Ali and Hina Nasrullah, and newcomers like Momina Mustehsan (well, fairly new) and Daniyal Zafar, we get what we’ve been waiting for a really long time: Ali Sethi.

 

Now, it’s no secret that Ali Sethi loves his classic music and he pays tribute to legendary singers through his music

From Muhabbat Kerne Wale to Aaj Bazaar Mein Pabajolan Chalo, Chan Kithan and Kithe Nain Na JoriN, Ali Sethi has always had the knack of giving his contribution towards the betterment of the music scene of our society. It’s not very easy to get a mainly electronic generation to sit down and listen to ghazals. But Ali can and has done that.

Source: Coke Studio

 

And ever since the new season of Coke Studio began, he’s reinforced our faith in him as the saviour of music

The biggest takeaway from the opening episode of this season (completely in my opinion), was Ali Sethi paying tribute to the voice of Mehdi Hassan and the words of Ahmed Faraz with Ranjish Hi Sahi. It was this ghazal that got it’s maker to the peak of his success, earning him National Awards like the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Pakistan. 

Ali chose that one misra that’s least chosen by singers who remake the song, which is coincidentally also one of the most beautiful misras of the entire ghazal. The misra was added into the ghazal by the Shahensha of ghazal, Mehdi Hassan, himself, taking from the writings of Talib Bhagpati.

Source: Coke Studio

 

Maana ke muhabbat ka chupaana hai muhabbat

Chupke se kisi roz jitaane ke liye aao

(Granted that the essence of love is in the concealing of that love,

But, come to me someday, secretly, to proclaim your love)

Source: Coke Studio

 

The rest of this ghazal, is possibly one of the most heartbreaking pieces of writing you’ll ever read; and after industry legends, Ali Sethi has managed to set this poetry in motion

The ghazal speaks of love lost, that remains lost. It speaks of desperation for that one last glance of your mehboob, it speaks of yearning to be back with the one you loved the most, the one who loved you back, once. Faraz says,

Kis kis ko batayein ge judai ka sabab hum,

Tu mujh se khafa’a hai tau zamaaney ke liye aa

(Who all will I explain the reason for our separation to,

In spite of your displeasure with me, come back for the sake of the world)

 

Pehle se maraasim na sahi, phir bhi..kabhi tau..

Rasm-o-reh dunya hi nibhaaney ke liye aa

(If not for the past we have shared, together,

But still..even if seldom…come to fulfil the rituals and traditions of this world, at least)

 

The thing is…the ghazal isn’t just about love that’s lost…it’s about trying to get that love back at the cost of your own sanity and the risk of self-destruction

And that’s what the most beautiful thing about this is. Thank you Ali, for bringing it back.

Source: Coke Studio

 

People are loving the performance

Actual tears though, actual tears

10/10 would wait another year if we had to

Too beautiful friend, too beautiful

Nailed it is an understatement

In other words, Ali Sethi – we love you

With the rest of the season ahead of us, we really hope Coke Studio manages to maintain the standard they’ve set for themselves within the first episode, alone. What did you think of Ali Sethi’s rendition of this ghazal? 

 

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