Kinna Sona by Atif Aslam: why we hate what we love?
BY ALI NAQVI – Kinna Sona by Atif Aslam is in the news, especially on social media. The song was taken down by T-Series from its YouTube Channel not long after it was uploaded. The seemingly small incident became a hot topic on both sides of the border.
Pakistani artists were banned from working in the Indian showbiz industry in 2016. Since then no singer or actor participated in any project for Bollywood. On our side of the fence, the government banned the screening of Indian movies in theaters.
Lollywood and the fledgling cinema industry were never in favor of taking Bollywood away from the cinema. The decision was not taken after evaluating the pros and cons. It had other considerations, mostly political.
If India does something wrong, we reciprocate with an equal force which is understandable when the two countries face each other in the battlefield. In the arena of art and entertainment, there cannot be boundaries or conflicts.
Kinna Sona by Atif Aslam was removed not because Indians don’t like Atif Aslam. It became a casualty of hatred instrumented by the government of both countries for political point-scoring. People on social media blinded by false emotions are arguing that Atif Aslam has been deliberately targeted. We forget that it was India that made him a star. Most of Atif songs were produced in India for Bollywood films. He has more fans in India than anywhere in the world.
Take the example of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. He was struggling as a singer in Pakistan. He went to India and got the fame he deserved. There are numerous examples of artists from Pakistan who went to India for work and reached stardom. Bollywood also welcomed those who were already stars like Fawad Khan and Ali Zafar.
If a bunch of Indians badmouths about our starts that does not mean that we too should do the same. Despite everything, Kinna Sona by Atif Aslam will be the most viewed song on YouTube in India. T-Series’ removal of the song has given it more popularity and hype.
What troubles a sensitive mind is that why India and Pakistan, the countries that share so much in common, give in to the illogical hatred and bias. We talk about humanity and places it above everything but why can’t we see that in practice we never bother what humanity teaches us. It teaches us to love others irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, and ethnicity.
Kinna Sona by Atif Aslam is a piece of music with the potential to have a universal appeal. The rhythm of this song or any song for that matter has the power to bring people together and offer them a timeless experience of ecstatic joy.
