‘We have to keep the flame burning’: Kashmiri musician Alif on his song ‘Fitna Fitoor’
Alif
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Speaking to singer-songwriter Mohammad Muneem (popularly known by his stage name, Alif), you quickly realise he does not merely reply to questions; he offers reflections. Sample:-
“What makes you put pen on paper or compose a tune?”
“I think great things happen when you step out of yourself and face your own insecurities. It’s not easy as we often worry about what society will say. We tend to doubt ourselves and halt our progress, sabotaging our potential and ignoring our instincts. But those who have achieved greatness did so because they found a way to break free from these self-imposed limitations. They learned to push themselves beyond their comfort zone and kept moving forward, even if it was just one step at a time.”
The Kashmiri musician’s latest single, ‘Fitna Fitoor’, from his upcoming album Siyah, conveys a similar thought. “Everybody has this madness, a desire to win amidst the chaos. How much to pursue and how much to let go? Even during difficult moments, you must find a way to keep your flame burning,” says Alif about the song.
He conceived and composed it 10 years ago. Asked why the release took so long, he, once again, gets contemplative. “I think everything has its time. Earlier, we had thought of releasing it with another album in 2017. But it didn’t happen. After that, we wanted to do something special with it. When we got in touch with the Supari Studios team in Mumbai (who produced the music video), things started to feel right, like this was the perfect opportunity for the song to come to life.”
Alif has been featured in Coke Studio Bharat, won the IIMA Award for his song ‘Ride Home’, and the IRAA Award for his single ‘Like a Sufi’. He also wrote dialogues for the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Torbaaz (2020) and recently ventured into acting with the second season of Made In Heaven. Since 2014, he has also been teaching song-writing and poetry at Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, Pune.
But he seems to be more of an artist than an entertainer. For, self-expression is the primary purpose of his art.
“Every piece of art you create, whether as a writer or in any other form, must come from honest thoughts. When you share these genuine thoughts with people, these creations become a personal part of their lives. For instance, take any great movie like The Godfather or any iconic band like the Beatles — when they made their art, it was a personal story, a personal expression. They found a beautiful vehicle and context to share with the world. It’s the same for poets with poetry, filmmakers with cinema, and musicians with music. It’s a way of sharing your true self, and any positive response it receives from others is a bonus.”
“Sharing true self” is why and how he got into art. “I would write diaries like every kid does. Then I discovered poetry and realised it could be a tool to express my feelings. I could convey all my emotions and thoughts without embarrassment, without worrying whether people would understand it. But sometimes, people resonate with it. And that’s beautiful and humbling.”
From poetry, he progressed to music. He credits Celia Lobo, a renowned opera singer in the Bombay of the 1970s, for his singing. “Her guidance has been instrumental in shaping my abilities and unlocking the full potential of my voice. At first, I started singing, just to express the emotions behind my writing and compositions. But it took me to where I am today.”
He started his band, also called Alif, in 2010, when independent musicians in India seldom found exposure. But with the growth of the Internet, social media, and streaming platforms, the indie scene has changed. “Anything good will find a way to reach people, just like water finds a way to flow through cracks. However, what matters is how much time it takes to create something that resonates with people. Sometimes that’ll happen during your lifetime, sometimes that’ll happen after you’re gone. Van Gogh’s paintings were appreciated only long after he was gone,” he says.