Riot Productions recently hosted a unique event to celebrate the life and works of Farhad Humayun, best known as a leading Pakistani musician and vocalist, from the 2000s band ‘Overload’. Many members of the Pakistani music fraternity such as Atif Aslam and Ali Noor paid tribute to the late visionary musician who passed away earlier this year, at the evening held in Lahore.
Riot Productions was the brainchild of Farhad Humayun himself who was not only a visionary musician and singer, but also a songwriter, performer, showman, sound engineer, producer, video and art director, painter, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
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The event was named ‘Sunchaser’, a title borrowed from his planned English album, and was held in Farhad’s own Riot Productions studio in Lahore, famous for having founded the ‘loudest band in Pakistan’ – Overload.
Meticulously planned and executed, the evening’s activities commenced with the voice of Farhad singing a haunting folk-cum-ballad ‘Dilri Lutti’ in darkness. An exceptional documentary on the life of the drummer, singer, composer and award winning director by renowned video and film maker, Zeeshan Parwez set the mood for an evening of celebration and loss.
This was followed by Pakistani music sensations, Atif Aslam and Ali Noor, rendering soulful covers of many of Farhad’s hits such as Nimmi Nimmi and Batti. Playing to a packed hall, in an act of graciousness, Atif generously acknowledged Farhad’s role in helping launch his spectacular career.
While the memorable event offered a glimpse into the legacy Farhad Humayun has left behind, it also announced exciting plans Riot Productions holds for the future. As the year 2023 marks two decades of Overload, RP plans a revival of Farhad’s Humayun’s trail blazing work, with an exploration into the power of music for creating innovative transformations.
In an effort to preserve his legacy, Riot Productions has plans to publish Farhad Humayun’s vast body of unreleased work. The next few years will come to see Farhad’s music where it belongs. Going by his words- ‘with everyone and anyone who wants to listen’.
