The composer Shani Arshad’s latest jingle Bhit Ja Bhittai is quite appealing. It was a 40-second track for an advert of a mobile service provider Telenor, the tune expanded into an online phenomenon and just few weeks after being aired, the jingle became an instant hit. Its huge success prompted the music producer known as Shani. He is preparing for the release of a full-length version.
Yes, you heard it right. Shani is currently working and will soon release a full-length version of jingle “Bhit Ja Bhittai.”
“A couple of days on after the TVC was first screened, I was bombarded with countless messages and posts on my Facebook, with people requesting me to release a full-length version of the song,” said Shani.
The Na Maloom Afraad (NMA) composer revealed that he is currently in the process of completing his execution of the popular Sindhi kalam. Although a preview version has already been made available on multiple platforms and channels, Shani clarified that his track will be released independently of the brand.
“I’m mainly doing this to cater to popular demand. I’ve missed out on so many similar opportunities in the past just because I didn’t have the time to do so,” he mourned.
He shared his own experience of working on the track. He worked as both composer and playback singer on the song, he explained that things were going according to plan, he wouldn’t have been required to step into the vocal booth in the first place.
“I was actually waiting for the singer to arrive from Sindh but he was unable to, due to unforeseen circumstances. Ultimately, I was forced to do the singing.”
Audiences were quick in drawing similarities to Coke Studio, where a folk song is presented in a new attire with modern musical arrangements. Shani, however, pointed out that it was not the case.
“Let me clarify this is not a remix or a cover. Even to-date, people sing Ghalib’s poetry in songs but that doesn’t mean they aren’t original. Plus Bhit Ja Bhittai is not a folk song but a kalam. Therefore, I had to work on everything from the ground up. I even had to come up with my own original musical composition,” he stated.
“What excited me most about this project was that I got to work on a Sindhi track, something which hasn’t been done a lot in Pakistan’s mainstream music,” he noted.
One of the best compliments that Shani has received was from none other than Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap, during the time when the jingle was still under production.
“I had initially sent in a rough version to be used in the TVC directed by Anurag. But he liked the work-in-progress so much, he requested that no more changes be made to it,” he shared.
Bhit Ja Bhittai has done well because it was released as part of a TVC. Unfortunately Pakistani songs aren’t given such coverage,” he added.
Apart from this shani is also currently involved in composing four songs for the upcoming comedy Actor In Law.
Here is the complete TVC of Telenor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4hf_GG77Hk
