The official anthem of HBL PSL 9 was finally released yesterday, and I have a lot to talk about.
First things first, Ali Zafar, also known as “Apka Bhai,” has returned to the PSL franchise after 2018, and people are delighted beyond explanation. AZ has been associated with PSL since the beginning, as he created the anthem for the first three seasons of the game but didn’t return for the fourth one (for whatever reasons). Also, change is better.
However, in PSL’s case, the change was not really better. Whichever anthem came after the third season, people always compared it to Ali Zafar’s initial ‘Ab Khel Ke Dikha’ and ‘Ab Khel Jamay Ga.’ Over the years, every new anthem was welcomed with comments saying it would’ve been better if Ali Zafar was a part of it and he must be brought back as if he is a saviour of some sort, and this notion kind of polluted the popularity of the good anthems too.
Now, after 5 years, people have gotten what they wanted. ALI ZAFAR IS BACK!
So, to begin my review of the song, I would like to say that, yes, maybe Ali Zafar was the magic missing from the previous anthems because his voice has that grip over the listener, which takes you into a trance. The song started out great with Ali Zafar dressed as a circus grandmaster in his element, dancing, singing, and having fun. Zafar’s produced music checks the right boxes; the lyrics align with the song’s overall vibe. The set looks great, the dancers are all in sync, and the colour and light scheme is bang on, but tragedy strikes!
Suddenly, my enjoyment turned into rage when I saw Aima Baig’s lips appearing in the frame while her face was covered in a hoodie and her golden hair. In my defence, I didn’t notice that she was a part of the song before indulging myself intently in it. At the expense of sounding rude and mean, I want to ask, can we stop making her a part of every PSL song? Don’t we have other better female singers in the country? I can name 5 at the top of my head, but we still somehow get her accented voice.
I have nothing against her, but for me and thousands of other people, she is a mediocre singer at best; I know I will get bashed for my opinion, but I can’t help but think of the word “parchi.” Thank God her part was only 40 seconds long! This brings me to the conclusion that she is being used for her face value (for being a woman) because why was she only brought in for 40 seconds? It wouldn’t have made any difference if she were not in the song. I may be wrong.
Final verdict – The anthem didn’t need Aima Baig!
