Oct 24, 2026 8:00pm IST
Faheem Abdullah on His Fandom Post ‘Saiyaara’: ‘The Love Is Louder Now, But It’s The Same Love’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The mainstream knows Faheem Abdullah as Ahaan Panday’s playback voice from “Saiyaara,” but long before he lent his sonorous vocals to the film’s main character, Krish Kapoor, a fandom existed for Faheem Abdullah, the independent singer-songwriter from Kashmir. His booming voice feels deeply intimate at the same time, and that is probably his biggest calling card.
As he preps for his six-city ‘The Unbecoming Tour,’ Variety India catches up with him and gives a taste of what to expect from the tour, breaking down walls between his audience and him, the freedom he still enjoys as an artiste and his latest songs, among other things.
Long before ‘Saiyaara,’ you built a fandom from scratch with your independent releases. How does Bollywood adulation compare?
The early fandom felt like family. When I put out “Jhelum,” I thought a few thousand people in Kashmir would hear it. Then came “Lost; Found,” and the love that album received still overwhelms me. People found themselves in those songs, and that’s when I realized this was real. Bollywood came after that, and I’m deeply grateful for it. But the scale doesn’t change what I’m trying to do. Whether it’s 10 people or 10 lakh, I still want each person to feel I’m singing only to them. The love is louder now, but it’s the same love.
Would you trade it all in for the peace, quiet and relative freedom you once enjoyed as an independent singer-songwriter?
No, though I understand why you'd ask. I miss the quiet sometimes, being able to disappear into a song for months with no one waiting. But I never really lost my freedom. I still write what I feel, and I still say no to what doesn't feel true. The noise outside has grown. The room I create in is the same. I've learned to protect that room and that's been my biggest lesson this past year.
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What were Ahaan's first reactions to ‘Saiyaara’’s title track at first listen?
Ahaan felt it very deeply. He told me the song made him understand his character in a way the script alone hadn't. That meant a lot to me, because when an actor connects that honestly with a song, it shows on screen, and I think audiences felt that.
Do you think you have now become the voice of Ahaan Panday?
That's very kind, but I'd never claim that. Ahaan has his own voice as an artist, and he's only beginning. "Saiyaara" was a moment where our worlds met perfectly, and I'll always be grateful to have been part of his first film. If people hear him when they hear the song, that's the film's magic and his.
If you could concise the idea behind ‘The Unbecoming’ Tour, what would you say?
Unlearning. It's about stripping away everything I've been told an artist is supposed to be: the image, the expectations, the performance of it all. On this tour, I want to come back to the songs and the people. No walls, no pretense, just honesty from both sides of the stage.
Do you have a pre-performance superstition?
Not so much a superstition as a ritual. I take a few minutes alone before every show. No phone, no conversation. I just sit with the silence and remind myself why I'm there. It grounds me before the noise begins.
When touring, what's the one thing you never leave home without?
My notebook. Some of my best lines have come at airports, in hotel rooms at 3 a.m., or in the car after a show. If I don't write them down, they're gone. Home travels with me through those pages.
People feel your rise is driven by streaming, but live, you clearly draw crowds. What can audiences expect from the big-stage Faheem experience?
Thank you, that means a lot. Streaming lets people hear my songs, but the stage is where we actually meet. Expect a full band, new arrangements of songs you know, a few you haven't heard yet, and moments where we just slow down and breathe together. I want people to leave feeling like they've been part of a conversation, not just watched a concert.
Will you have supporting acts or special appearances? Can you share names?
There will be a few surprises along the way. I'd rather let those moments happen on the night. That's half the joy.
After ‘Chand Mera Dil’ and ‘Chaand’ in ‘Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar,’ is there a real-life fixation with the moon?
I didn't plan it, but maybe the moon planned me. Growing up in Kashmir, the moon over the mountains was one of the most beautiful things I knew. It has always meant longing and calm at the same time, which is what my music tries to hold. So maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe it's just home finding its way back into the songs.
What's it like working with Rochak Kohli and Gurpreet Saini on ‘Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar’?
It felt effortless, in the best way. Rochak has a beautiful sense of melody. He knows exactly when to hold back and let a feeling breathe, and singing "Chaand" alongside him was special. Gurpreet's words have a rare simplicity. The idea of love feeling like coming home after years away is something I connected with instantly. They made me feel like a collaborator, not just a voice on the track.
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