Creating memorable and innovative versions of classic songs has always been the forte of Coke Studio. Keeping up with the tradition, the series has now came up with a new rendition of the iconic protest song Hum Dekhenge, with lyrics by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
The Coke Studio version tries a more inclusive approach, with the line-up of singers including the transgender duo Lucky and Naghma, who sing the line “Joh mein bhi hoon, woh tum bhi ho.” It also combines different styles by bringing in singers from different genres, while maintaining a unified sound.
The song has been used many times as a statement of political and social resistance on the subcontinent. The ghazal singer Iqbal Bano performed it in a concert in 1985 to protest against the rule of General Zia ul-Haq in Pakistan. According to the BBC, she defied a ban imposed on Faiz’s works in the process.
Indian singer Subha Mudgal has also stirred audiences with the song on several occasions, most notably at the World Social Forum in New Delhi in 2004.
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