Indians and Arabs have a lot in common. Their mutual love for food, spices and culture brings out the best in them. But it's the music, their love for beats, prose and melody, that takes it to whole different level.
The Indian subcontinent and the Middle East are known for their original and distinct melodies. But what if the two cultures are blended?
Let's explore how much of an influence India has had on Arabic songs and vice versa. The list we compiled highlights the best of the best the two cultures have to offer!
1. Hisham Abbas goes Bollywood in this hit single
Nari Narey was released in 2001. A cross collaboration between Egyptian singer Hisham Abbas and renowned Indian songstress, Jayashri Ramnath the song is still widely popular today.
If you're an Egyptian and have recently visited India, your friends will have most likely welcomed you with this number.
2. From Kuwait to India with love
This interesting piece of music by Guitara, a Kuwaiti band, was released in 2003. There is an Indian cover of it, which was released in 2006.
3. The UAE loves Indian beats!
This song by Hussain Al Jassmi was released in 2006. It perfectly puts Arabic lyrics to desi beats.
4. Coke Studio nailed this one
In 2013, Coke Studio Season 3 hosted this amazing performance to celebrate motherhood and compassion.
This rendition of Zariya, an Indian song composed and produced by A.R.Rahman, features Nepalese Buddhist nun Ani Choying Drolma singing a hymn from her homeland, and Farah Siraj blending in some Jordanian folk influences.
Jordan, Nepal, and India in one song? Can't get better than this.
But it does get better and better!
5. Gerua becomes Talagena
By the end of 2015, Sony Music India released the Arabic version of Gerua titled ‘Telagena’.
The soulful music, and the melodious voices of Adel Ebrahim from the U.A.E and Antara Mitra from India, make us want to get our Bollywood on right now!
6. Morocco lyrics to an Indian heart
Here, Abd El Fattah Grini from Morocco, sings the Arabic version of Jabra Fan, a promotional video clip of a 2015 Indian film starring Shah Rukh Khan.
This work is a cooperation between Platinum Records & YRF Music. Both the Hindi and the Arabic versions went viral.
It's worth mentioning that the song was also recorded in six other Indian languages, including Bhojpuri, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali, and Punjabi before going international.
7. Morocco and India, part two
Yet another cooperation across borders, between Platinum Records & Zee Music Company.
Here, Moroccan singers Jamila and Abd El Fattah Grini sing the Arabic version of the Hindi song, Zaalima.
Both versions were released in 2017 and they are still widely popular today.