After her foray into the Indian film industry, British actor and model Amy Jackson is now making waves in Pakistan. She stars in Pakistani singer Atif Aslam’s upcoming music video, Moonrise. This cross-border collaboration has set Twitter and Instagram on fire, with fans excited about Aslam’s return to music after a brief hiatus.
Aslam released the poster for his music video Sunday and has received a resounding welcome from fans in Pakistan and beyond. “The King is back!” said one Twitter user while another follower gleefully celebrated Aslam’s position on his ‘trending’ page.
Written by Raj Ranjodh, the music video will be directed by Adnan Qazi and produced by Tarun Chaudhary and Omer Ahmed, says The Express Tribune. The release date is yet to be announced.
Qazi took to Instagram to thank his team for their support for the project, flooding his profile with satellite pictures of the moon.
Aslam’s latest announcement is another reminder of the new, fresh trail that Pakistani music has embarked upon. Making big waves on global platforms, intercultural and cross-border collaborations are just the beginning of all that’s in store for the country’s booming music industry.
"Chasing love by the moonrise," wrote Aslam while sharing the official poster on Instagram.
More on Images – https://t.co/qnFQ8T8511#AtifAslam #AmyJackson #Moonrise pic.twitter.com/A0x3QUqytF
— Images (@dawn_images) October 17, 2022
Also read:‘Popular Pakistani cover artiste quits singing. Fans ask if music is un-Islamic
Amy Jackson: Aslam’s newest cross-border partner
Amy Jackson, who made her debut in Tamil cinema with director Vijay’s Madrasapattinam, is recognised as a top actor in Kollywood. The British actor has played the female lead with big names in the industry, such as in Thanga Magan (2015) with Dhanush, Their (2016) with Vijay, Thaandavam (2012) with Vikram and 2.0 (2018) with Rajinikanth. Jackson made her Bollywood debut with Prateik Babbar in Ek Deewana Tha (2012) and went on to star in moderately successful projects like Freaky Ali (2016) and Devi (2016).
Jackson made her Hollywood debut in 2017 with DC’s Supergirl. The star is also known to be a good Samaritan and recently took to Instagram to raise funds for children suffering from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A rich history of creative collaboration
Last seen in season 14 of Coke Studio Pakistan, a closer look at the Tajdar-e-Haram crooner’s discography reveals his diverse intercultural collaborations. This includes his ventures with Bollywood, ranging from Race (2008), Kismat Konnection (2008), Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani (2009) to Qarib Qarib Single (2017) and Satyamev Jayate (2018). Aslam has even made a mark in the world of sports. Agay Dekh, the official anthem of the 2022 Pakistan Super League released by TikTok, has been sung by him and produced and composed by Abdullah Siddiqui.
India and Pakistan’s creative partnerships have gained steam over decades and across generations. This includes Hariharan’s collaboration with Strings for Bol Bol, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Shafqat Amanat Ali’s for Mitwa and Raahat Fateh Ali Khan’s tracks for top Bollywood films like Aaja Nachle (2007) and Om Shanti Om (2007). In July 2022, Pakistani singer Schumaila Rehmat Hussain released her latest album, Gul Mohar se. The artiste—while elaborating on the eight songs of her new album—revealed that it was Indian writer and storyteller, Jai Singh, who collaborated with her to tell the tale of freedom fighter Udham Singh through music.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)