New Delhi: Renowned Pakistani musician-guitarist Salman Ahmed, who founded the famous Junoon group in his country in 1990, is acting for the first time in an Indian film.
Ahmed, who is now based in New York where he teaches music at the City University, told radioandmusic.com that he was still linked to the music group though he stayed in the United States.
He said the group, which had performed for the first time in India in 1998, was celebrating its silver jubilee this year. He said he fondly remembered his visit at that time and the positive response of audiences.
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In the film ‘Rhythm’ which is a musical love story, Ahmed plays the cupid to bring together the hero played by Adeel Chaudhry of Pakistan and Rinil Rauth who in the film play students in a university in Poland.
Director Vivek Kumar claimed that this was the first Indian film to have been shot entirely in Poland. The film is slated for release tomorrow.
Ahmed has rendered music for a song titled ‘Yaaro’ with Sunidhi Chauhan in the film. Adeel has also sung a song in the film.
Salman Ahmad who rose to the success with the song ‘Sayyoni’ said: “I never thought of acting in a film but when Vivek asked me to act besides giving music to the film I thought of giving it a shot. I will work as an angel between the couple in the movie.” He is playing a similar role in the film of a Sufi Rockstar.
Adeel has appeared in many television series besides releasing two studio albums. He took the role because he felt it was close to his real life.
The heroine Rini in the film is aspiring to become a famous singer and Ahmed plays a kind of godfather to her and ultimately plays the role of Cupid.
When Adeel was asked about his experience visiting India, he said “It’s not the first time that I have come to India. Infact I started my career from India. I do not notice any difference between India and Pakistan. Both countries have people with similar emotions.”
When asked about the film’s title, Vivek Kumar said “I believe that there is rhythm in almost everything. It’s there in the music and if there is no rhythm in a relationship then it is just the interaction and not a relationship”
Directed by Vivek Kumar under the banner of Vicky films, ‘Rhythm’ stars newbie Adeel Chaudhry and Rinil Routh in lead roles. The film released on 19 February, 2016.
Salman Ahmad is a , rock guitarist, physician, activist, and the professor at the City University of New York.
He earned nationwide popularity in 1998 for his unique style of neo-classical playing in metal. An early engineer of the ‘Vital Signs’, he formed ‘Junoon’ in 1990 with American bassist Brian O’Connell and pioneered the Sufi influenced metal-rock music in Pakistan. He started his activism in mid-1990s and has been involved in two BBC documentaries concerning the issues in Pakistan such as society, education, religion and science.
He has served as the UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS Programme towards spreading awareness about HIV in South Asia. Ahmad continues to produce documentaries and solo guitar albums and continues to perform as a solo artist under the ‘Junoon’ label and has moved to New York and released one album as a solo artist, ‘Infiniti’ in 2005.
