From 'personal association' to 'universal rite of passage', Lisa Ray revisits iconic 'Afreen Afreen'

Lisa wrote in a long note on Instagram, "READ THE CAPTION. I have to confess I have felt uncomfortable sharing or celebrating the #AfreenAfreen breakthrough video of the 90s and iconic song by maestro #nusratfatehalikhan because I was so strongly identified with it. The song still often plays on cue for events where I am invited to speak of other aspects of my life experience and I inwardly cringe while offering a polite smile."

Written by Javed Akhtar and composed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, 'Afreen Afreen' was one of the biggest hits in the 90s Indi pop (Independent) genre. The cult 'hit' is still celebrated and played at various functions. Not only that, the song has been recreated from time to time to woo listeners across generations. Lisa Ray and Himanshu Malik acted in the 10-minute song video.

As Lisa traversed through the long stretches of the desert, the song changed its meaning for her. She continued in her post, "Today, as great troubadours I listened to in my youth are passing into the light, I recognise the power of a song to evoke an emotional response in the audience that is tied to who you once were - to a moment in time that is often defined by hope, wonder and the optimism of youth. So of course hearing this song today is no longer about a personal association but represents a universal rite of passage - in the same timbre of falling in love for the first time, writing your first poem, reflexively planning your future- a pitch, a note, a video that reminds us of a world of beauty and possibility and innocence that once was."

Lisa concluded, "But truly, what would be a revelation today is others also comprehending this truth and freeing me from an association with the song, for the reasons and more above (I'm just walking around in the desert after all)."

Lisa's post drew comments from netizens. One wrote, "Such an iconic song and video! And you, Lisa, represented something far bigger with it. So you're right, the way is to embrace this wonderful moment with love and grace." Another one wrote, "I will never get over this. Ever ever ever ever."

Meanwhile, Lisa was recently seen in the Amazon Prime series 'Four More Shots Please'. She played the character of actor Samara Kapoor, who has a deviant sexual orientation.