Pop star duo hits the ‘Highway’

Published January 23, 2014
Zeb and Haniya. – Dawn Photo
Zeb and Haniya. – Dawn Photo

LAHORE: The popular pop duo of Zeb and Haniya has achieved another milestone by teaming up with music icon A.R. Rehman for an upcoming Bollywood flick, ‘Highway’.

Zeb has become the first female singer from Pakistan to have signed up a project with A.R. Rehman. She has sung a song in Haryanvi (the language being spoken in Haryana) and Haniya played the music.

‘Highway’ is a 2014 Bollywood romance-drama film, directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. It stars Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. The film will be released worldwide on Feb 21.

“It’s a dream come true that I have worked with A.R. Rehman,” Zeb told a press conference at her Sarwar Road residence on Wednesday.

She said the duo during a visit to India had a meeting with film director Imtiaz Ali who offered us a song for ‘Highway’. They also had a chance meeting with A.R. Rehman in the studio.

Asked what could be done to boost the music industry in Pakistan, Zeb suggested a “multi-pronged approach including the abolition of 65 per cent entertainment tax and solution to copyright issues.

”Zeb (Zebunnisa Humayun Bangash) and Haniya (Haniya Aslam) made their Bollywood debut with the film ‘Madras Café’. Their upcoming projects include two Bollywood movies ‘Ghoom Kay Tu’ and ‘Running Shadi.com’.

The duo evolved from two college kids experimenting with music as a hobby to artistes who have created one of the most anticipated albums of 2007. Zeb has been singing since age eight.

She told this reporter that she was also learning classical music from Ustad Muabrik Ali Khan.

Her fellow musician and first cousin, Haniya is a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. They started singing from their college days in the United States, where Zeb studied Economics and History of Art and Haniya studied Computer Science and Anthropology.

Opinion

Editorial

Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...
Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.