Amna Ilyas’s views on “Item Song”
The “item number” is different from what you see today. They should not exhibit Sheila, Bili, or any other seductive female trait surrounded by drooling men staring at them.
It expressed the same sexual urges as Ab Tou Aaja, but in a way more suited to the living room. And when times changed and sexual themes became more acceptable, songs like Jumma Chumma De De and Choli Ke Peeche dropped, provocative tracks projected and forever changed the way we were perceived.
Gulzar’s subtle but evocative her Kajra Re and Beedi were followed by flamboyant and lewd performances of provocative tunes like Sheila Ki Jawaani and Munni Badnaam Hui.
Prior made audiences watch films like Tismar Khan and feel “cheated” towards the end. So Pakistani filmmakers who were trying to “revive” the local cinema of the time adopted this method and never looked back.
Pakistani audiences did not admire Aisha Omar and Mehwish Hayat for Tutti Fruity and Biri the way Malaika Arora and Katrina Kaif did for Sheila and Munni, but they did for the item.
The appeal of the song delighted Karachi Se Lahore and Na Maloum Ahrad. Even recently released films like Chaudhry-The Martyr see Aatish as a “performance song,” as her lead girlfriend Amna Ilyas likes to describe it.
This model believes that the way the label “Item Song” is currently interpreted does not justify its style. “I think society has created a certain perception for the term ‘object song’ that automatically gives the final product a demeaning, demeaning amount of attention,” Amna told the Express Tribune.
Songs are meant to add flavor to the film, they are supposed to serenade the audience with a catchy tune and introduce it to dancers who can execute the perfect moves.
Amna elaborated on her decision to carry on the number despite fears of backlash. There was a time when audiences would see artists like Lesham Gee burst into song and dance in a different setting with the same panache, but without any of the perceived backlash angles for what it was. “Music and dance have always been the central elements that make Pakistani and Indian cinema its signature success.”
Aatish failed to make a box office success for his Chaudhry Aslam Khan biopic, but on YouTube he received over a million views. The song was sung by India’s Sunidhi Chauhan and Ali Kuri Mirza, choreographed by Wahab Shah and styled by Hani Haroun. It features a fiery avatar Amna channeling her inner femme fatale. and “Regardless of gender, when artists put their blood, sweat and tears into something, I believe the public should celebrate it rather than look for reasons to shame them.”
“His Mehwish Hayat dance on Billi was impeccable and I still applaud him,” she continued Amna. “Similarly, I applaud Katrina Kaif of Sheela Ki Jawani and Aisha Omar of Tutti Frutti. I really encourage my audience to save some of that praise.It’s not easy to do what we do and we make a lot of sacrifices to make them happy. Something to remember before jumping on the hate train. ”
Amna also talked about the work that went into producing Aatish and how fun and enlightening her experience was. She said, “From pre-rehearsals to costume fittings to her two rigorous and adventurous days shooting the song, it was an exciting and educational experience. It was earned.”
The song is the first performance number in Pakistan to feature three costume changes. Amna dance also requires a lot of stamina given that you are constantly moving, jumping and even gliding through the available space. “At first, the task itself seemed a little scary, but once I got into the rhythm of the rehearsal and absorbed every beat of the song, it worked,” she recalls. “Also, along with Wahab Shah, Hani Haroun, Arshad Khan and Arli Khan, I was given complete creative freedom. We all worked together to create the look and feel we wanted. We took inspiration from Arabian cabaret dancers to see how best to complement each look,” said the model. added.
Amna Ilyas’s views on “Item Song”
Finally, Amna declared that she was proud of “understanding the public’s perception of things”. If you understand one thing, do it wholeheartedly at any cost, and I believe women have the right to do what they choose. Whether they dance on stage or enlist in the military, their work deserves respect. ”
