‘Ve kurta laaiyan main ludhianu, Main suneya si kahaaniyan, Ve mar janiyan’
It’s unlikely be on Instagram today and miss this catchy line in atleast one reel. The song, Blockbuster was created by our neighbours in Pakistan, and released in May this year. However, what no one saw coming was that it would go on to become more popular in Indi!
It currently has almost 25 million views on YouTube, and close to half a million reels on Instagram. FIFA used the track with Punjabi lyrics for a video showcasing Mbappe’s on-field highlights. The team of the song meanwhile is completely taken by surprise.
Umair Butt, who has been a part of composing, writing and the vocals of the song, tells us, “Considering the level of effort and time it took during the conceptualization and execution, we were all hopeful it would resonate with our audience. However, it was a month after the release of the song, coinciding with Eid, that I realized the song was gaining traction.”
It has been sung by Faris Shafi, Umair and the all-female Gharwi Group- Abida, Rooha Rawal, Sajida Bibi, and the young girl, Saba Hassan, who has been an internet sensation. Abida says, “Yeh logon ki meherbaani hai, humne bauhaut mushkil se yeh gaaya,” while Rooha Rawal pitches in, “Blockbuster poori duniya mein chha gaya hai!”
Xulfi, who has pretty much worked on everything on the song, right from music arrangements to the mix, says, “I woke up like any other work day after the release, and saw somebody as young as a three-year-old to a 70-year-old vibing to it on Instagram.”
Singer Faris Shafi adds, “Our art is a tribute and a testament to the roots we all share, a beautiful display of all the things that unite us, like heritage, language, culture, music and so much more. The collective love that we are witnessing is undeniable proof of this.”
What’s astonishing is that the entire music video has been shot in one take, with 400 extras and 200 crew members on set. Zeeshan Parwez, who directed it, tells us, “As a director, you make certain decisions with respect to the dynamic high points of every song. From the moment I heard Blockbuster’s demo, I knew that I would like the story to be told without any cuts where we emphasize on celebration of a community in “real-time”. Butt adds that the shoot roughly consisted of 10 takes, and took a full day.
THAT LITTLE GIRL IN THE MUSIC VIDEO
12-year-old Saba was originally not a part of the video, and was only accompanying the Gharwi group in the studio. However, as the creators heard her humming, they asked her to sing it on mic, and liked it so much that they featured her in the video for the line ‘O cutie tenu main samja riya’. She exclaims, “Hamara gaana aapko achha laga, Inshallah hamare deshon ki dooriyaan bhi khatam ho jaayengi. Humne Instagram par dekha, toh zyaadatar India wale hi like kar rahe hain!”
THE QUICKSTYLE CHOREOGRAPHED IT
The Norwegian dance group, who have a fan following in India, shares how they choreographed a one take video, “It was both a thrilling and daunting task. From the very beginning, we wanted to create something that felt raw and authentic – a performance that captured the energy and passion of the dancers in a single, unbroken flow. The concept of a one-take shot was perfect for this vision, but it also meant that every move, every beat, and every expression had to be precisely timed and executed. We spent countless hours rehearsing, tweaking, and perfecting the choreography to ensure everything aligned seamlessly.”
