It’s been exactly 2 years since Farhan Saeed came up with the beautiful rendition of Halk Halka Suroor. It was the success of this cover and the phenomenal response from the fans that virtually put an end to his long time association with the band Jal.
Fast forward to 2013, Farhan has once again come up with the same track, but this time full in length and with an extended chorus at the end. The cover that got released earlier was just an un-plugged version but as of now Farhan has got a full package which contains an exotic video and an extra two-minute track towards the end which really adds to the beauty of this track with a bit of qawwali touch.
Farhan Saeed - Halka Halka SuroorHalka Halka Suroor is one of the biggest hits sung by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. And to cover any of the song by this legend is a huge task in itself. Farhan’s unplugged version earned him a lot of praise for the way he revamped the song. At the same time, some feared that his video might not come up to the expectations placed by his fans but one would observe that he safely manages to produce a pretty relatable video. Here the director of the video Humza Yousaf is also to be given credit as he portrays the message quite gracefully.
The video that features Amna Ilyas in the lead has been shot at 3 different locations. It starts off in a courtyard of some Haveli, and then moves to the riverside where the two are shot on a float. Also in the video are the scenes of some broken remains of an ancient fort. The wardrobes of Amna and Farhan are also pretty striking that go really well with the ‘Shahi’ theme of the song. The Sindhi ajrak-style waistcoat
of Farhan is surely something to look forward to. The video also showcases Farhan doing some half-attempted dance moves and shows him all over and in all control, perhaps the reason why he left his band. Amna Ilyas, the model-turned-actress who has recently starred in Zinda Bhaag, very much justifies her role as the love interest of the singer. With her dance moves, expressive eyes and sultry looks, she seems to be the perfect choice for the video.
Farhan Saeed - Halka Halka SuroorAs far as the song itself is concerned, I have always been of the view that Farhan has got a limited vocal range but he has improved over the period of time. Here, he very intelligently remains in his comfort zone to churn out a memorable tune in the form of this cover. This slow and mellow genre best suits him but perhaps this lack of versatility might one day even become his downfall. Apart from Pi Jaun, his last two songs didn’t get any overwhelming response from the listeners. Now he hits back with the successful cover of Halka Halka Suroor. Let’s see what more he has to offer from his own side. But as of now, credit must be given to him for pulling off a pretty neat cover.