Bilal Maqsood has always maintained that music videos can be interpreted in many different ways but the story of ‘Raat Shabnami’ is quite something. Without making a hue and cry, the band has sent two messages: one) they’re here to stay - and I don’t see why that’s a problem - and two) they understand what is happening in the country politically but have chosen the Strings ways of doing things.
So, while a girl inadvertently stumbles into a museum where 100 years of Strings is digitally archived and she discovers them, the rest is what you make of it. The year, for instance in 2088 and thus we see Chinese lettering in Karachi – now that’s a socio-political comment if there is one – while the big bold letters spell ‘Raat Shabnami’ in Chinese. So you have to ask yourself why Chinese? Why not another language and the answer slowly forms in your head. It’s very smart, and yet the song is crisper, so cool that one can honestly say Strings do have a lot more music in them and after 30 (Tees) and the positive response to it so far, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they’ve moved on to making more music.
