LG ABS EPISODE 48

Episode 48 was a special episode. The last one before the quarter finals start. As the show started, there was a stand right in the middle of the stage on that big white star. On that stand there were four envelopes. Muzna & Tipu come up on to the stage and behind them it’s ‘Nomi King’. ‘Nomi King’ performs for the audience for a while and then Tipu & Muzna explain the purpose behind that stand on the stage. The four envelopes on that stand were given to the judges to select those four lucky students who’d move on to the quarter final stage from group four to go and join the other eight lucky ones and complete the line up for quarter finals. There was trepidation in the air as everyone wanted to find out what happens in this last episode before the quarter finals.

Round 1
It started with M Ahad singing ‘Mere Sayyan To Hain Perdes’. Taken from the film ‘Bandit Queen’ it was a difficult choice for Ahad right from the off set. Sung by the Ustaad himself ‘Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’, Ahad must’ve known even before he started singing it, what task he’s trying to accomplish. Ahad fairs well though. The judges: “A decent effort!”

Tayyaba is up next. ‘Mera Babu Chhel Chhabeela’ is the track she decides to have a go at. The cover she sang was only a remixed version of the original song though. She manages to get the crowd up on their feet right from the beginning. By the time she gets half way through she’s more stabilized and seen concentrating more on the technical ups & downs of the song. The judges when delivering the verdict mentioned the fact about her being a bit rocky at the start.

Next up is Arsalan. Arsalan casually walks up to the star, holds the microphone in both hands, and as everybody gets settled down for the music to start and Arsalan to start singing, he starts uttering words instead. He dedicates the song to the entire cast and the crew of LG ABS. The track is Faakhir’s “Kash Hum Juda Na Hote”. A sentimental beat. As Arsalan delves deeper into the track, the lyrics of the song, his perfectly suited voice to the track and the nostalgic theme takes precedence over the environment in the auditorium. And as the song progresses, you could see quite a few wet eyebrows in the hall including that of Muzna – The Co Hostess. By the time the song ended, Muzna had gone in full nostalgic mode, and as she comes back on to the star to say bye to Arsalan she struggles to hold her tears back and says her lines in a shaky voice. Judges appreciated Arsalan’s effort, especially Hadiqa who said that Arsalan really did justice to the tone the track required.

Round 2
M. Ahad gets ready to stand on that big white star yet again. This time round he chooses ‘The Maestro’ A R Rahman’s song ‘Satrangi Re’ from the film ‘Dil Se’. His left hand pointed towards the sky, clenching the microphone tightly in his fist, leaning his body on his right, staring down on to the floor, his vocal veins visibly stretched; with all force and might Ahad puts the song in first gear. With audiences appreciating his effort time after time during the song, by the time he finished it, there was an ovation for him by the crowd. The judges felt the force wrapped around Ahad’s performance and they also encouraged it. An accomplishment for Ahad!

‘Chhaliya Chhaliya’ is the choice of Tayyaba for her second performance of the evening. Again a track well tuned in with moving arrangement of music to blend with it. Tayyaba gets in the groove and manages to indulge her audiences into it too. All seemed to be going well for Tayyaba for her performance until it came down to the judges to deliver the verdict. They again stressed on the fact that much more substance is needed both in her performance and especially in her voice.

It’s Arsalan again. And this time round he chooses ‘Aye Dil Ruba’ by Sonu Nigam. A softish track with an Arabesque touch to its central beat. A hip hopping foot tapping song as Muzna would’ve put it. Arsalan with his already soft voice blends right into the track. Trying to keep up with Sonu Nigam’s mastery, Arsalan manages to muster an average performance for the judges.

It’s decision time!

That stand which was placed right into the centre of the stage at the beginning of the show has been brought back. Only this time round the envelopes it’s carrying are sealed with the names of the next four quarter finalists from group 4.

The stage is filled up with all the participants from group 4, the hosts, the judges and the rest of the quarter finalists from the previous groups. The first envelope is opened…. It’s Hamza! From BVS Parsi High School. The second one is… Ahad! From NED University. The third one to proceed to the quarter finals from group 4 is…. Aima! The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. And the last but not the least, it’s…. Zain! from Pakistan International Education System College Islamabad.