Pakistani singer Atif Aslam compared the music produced by Coke Studio in India and Pakistan, saying that he felt the Pakistani version had an edge. According to Atif, the “raw and original” quality of Pakistani music gives it a special charm, while Indian music is more influenced by commercial considerations.
In an interview with Dubai radio station Mirchi UAE, the singer spoke about Coke Studio’s work in the two countries and explained why he believes Pakistani music retains a stronger sense of originality.
Atif Aslam was born on March 12, 1983 in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
“Commercialization dominates Indian music”
Talking about the two versions of Coke Studio, Atif said that the music and compositions created in both countries are excellent. However, he believes that there is a certain roughness in Pakistani music that is less pronounced in Indian music.
According to Atif, Coke Studio India is more focused on commercialization and often tailors its music to suit the market. On the contrary, he said that Coke Studio Pakistan gives more importance to original compositions and gives musicians more freedom to express themselves.
He added that this creative freedom allows Pakistani musicians to assert their individuality. According to him, the platform creates a do-or-die situation for artists, encouraging them to experiment, showcase their individuality and make an impression with their music.
Coke Studio Pakistan opened in 2008. Coke Studio Pakistan was founded in 2008. Its founder and producer was Rohail Hyatt. This show gave fusion music a new status by combining traditional Sufi, qawwali, ghazal and folk music with modern Western instruments.
The most popular song of Coke Studio Pakistan is Pasoori.
YouTube Subscribers: The official YouTube channel of Coke Studio Pakistan has over 17.7 million subscribers.
Most popular songs: “Pasuri” (Ali Sethi and Shae Gill) from Coke Studio Pakistan Season 14 has become the biggest hit worldwide with over 990 million views. “Afreen Afreen” by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Momina (over 670 million views) and “Tajdar-e-Haram” by Atif Aslam (over 650 million views) are among the top blockbuster songs on this platform.
Coke Studio Bharat: Founded in 2011. Coke Studio India opened in 2011 as MTV Coke Studio India. In the first seasons, musicians such as A.R. Rahman, Amit Trivedi and Clinton Cerejo created many excellent original tracks, but in subsequent years the platform began to become more influenced by the Indian film industry and Bollywood composers.
Coke Studio Bharat’s Gujarati song ‘Khalasi’ has received over 180 million views on YouTube.
Coke Studio Bharat: Rebranding in 2023
Coke Studio India was relaunched as Coke Studio Bharat in 2023. The YouTube channel currently has around 7.2 million subscribers.
Popular songs
One of Coke Studio Bharat’s biggest hits in recent times is Anuv Jain’s ‘Arz Kiya Hai’, which has crossed 230 million views on YouTube.
Diljit Dosanjh and Gurdas Maan’s Ki Banu Duniya Da has also crossed 230 million views. Meanwhile, the Gujarati track ‘Khalasi’ has garnered over 180 million views.
Other well known tracks include “Chaudhary” by Mame Khan and Amit Trivedi and “Madari” by Vishal Dadlani and Sonu Kakkar.
“People listen to my songs via VPN”
Earlier, Atif Aslam spoke about banning Pakistani artists in India. He said that Indian fans still listen to his music via VPN and that he misses them.
Speaking on radio host Chris Fade’s YouTube channel, Atif said it has been about 10 years since he was banned from entering India following the government’s decision to ban Pakistani artistes from working in the country.
He added that he did not release a single song in India during this period. According to Atif, some fans continue to access his music via VPN and even burn CDs to share with others.
Atif tells Indian fans: ‘Don’t be sad’
Addressing his Indian fans, Atif said he wants them to know that he misses them even though he doesn’t miss working in India.
He said, “I miss you guys,” adding that his experience as a singer has taught him a lot.
Atif also said that the ban may have indirectly helped him create his own music. He added that if he had continued to work in India, he might not have had this opportunity and thanked his fans for their continued support.
Why was the ban imposed on Pakistani artists?
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Uri attack in September 2016. During this period, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) instructed its producer members not to hire Pakistani artists and technicians until the normalization of India-Pakistan relations.
However, even after 2016, Atif Aslam’s songs have appeared in several Bollywood films. The year 2017 saw the release of Dil Diyan Gallan from Tiger Zinda Hai, Darasal from Raabta, Main Agar from Dark Light and Jaane De from Qarib Qarib Single.
Meanwhile, 2018 saw the release of “O Saathi” from “Baaghi 2”, “Paaniyon Sa” from “Satyameva Jayate”, “Tera Hua” from “Loveyatri” and “Dil Meri Na Sune” from “Genius”. Since March 2019, his songs have not been released in Bollywood films.
Notably, a few days after the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, the All India Cinematographers Association (AICWA) also announced a complete ban on Pakistani actors and artistes in the Indian film industry. As a result of this attack, 40 Communist Party soldiers were killed.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the 2025 Pahalgam attack. Following this, the Indian government banned Pakistani films, web series, songs and podcasts.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, under the IT Rules 2021, has ordered the removal of Pakistani content from platforms such as OTT and YouTube.
Additionally, the social media accounts of several Pakistani artists were temporarily blocked in India. Among them were artists like Mahira Khan and Haniya Aamir.
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