Faced no difficulty in Indian music industry: Zahid

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Pakistani singer Mustafa Zahid, who has sung three tracks in Mahesh Bhatt's forthcoming production venture "Blood Money", praises the Indian film industry saying it welcomes fresh talent with open arms and he too had no problems in working here.

"I had no difficulty working in the Indian music industry. I had my own room for creativity and all the people were very cooperative during recording of my songs," Zahid told IANS.

Zahid is said to be one of the finest vocalists from Pakistan who brought freshness into Bollywood by singing songs in his soothing voice in the 2007 release "Awaarapan". He lent his voice to chartbusters like "Toh fir aao", "Tera mera rishta", "Khuda kay liye".

On "Blood Money" and Bollywood, Zahid said: "All the three songs (in 'Blood Money')are very soulful and the music is equally good. Bollywood music is based on a story line and music and songs have to be according to the situation and mood of the movie. Whereas in Pakistan, we don't have to match the songs to the storyline or background of the film."

He says he enjoys the pressure built on him by fans' expectations as it it makes him give his best.

"Positive response from the audiences is a great motivation in itself but at the same time high expectations builds a lot of pressure. But this works for me as I perform better under pressure," the 27-year-old singer told IANS in an interview.

So how did you get into the music world?

"I was a debater in school days and used to host competitions at school and college levels. Once I was hosting a music competition and I sang there just to connect to the event and the audiences. Everybody liked and appreciated my singing. It was a turning point in my life. From then on I took music seriously and decided to pursue it professionally," he said.

In 2004, he had started his own rock band called Roxen and their debut number was "Yaadein". Two years later they released their first album "Rozen-E-Deewar" and carved a niche for themselves.

In early 2009, Roxen came out with "Bujh Hai Gaya", a teaser from their upcoming album, which was a huge hit in Pakistan. But only after venturing into Bollywood with movies like "Awaarapan" and "Runway" has the band got international recognition.

Recollecting memories of his early life, the musician said, "I have grown up listening to different types of music including rock, jazz, pop and techno... I also love listening to ghazals and I am a very big fan of late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan." Click the Movie button below for more info:
Blood Money