Jun 02, 2026 8:30pm IST
With New Single ‘Apne Khilaaf,’ Papon Begins Dream Project, ‘Mehfilz With Papon’ (EXCLUSIVE)
It’s inspiring to see that ghazals as a musical genre still has some heft. And cheerleading that charge is Papon, who has just released “Apne Khilaaf,” the first single off his dream project and upcoming first part of a two-EP album: “Mehfilz With Papon.” The idea , says Papon, was born from his “deep love” for mehfils and the intimate musical gatherings” that have been part of his journey since his younger days. He adds, “With this project, I wanted to recreate that warmth and emotional connection in a contemporary format, where music, poetry and conversations come together naturally.”
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The project features verses by lyricists Irshad Kamil and Vaibhav Modi. About working with Kamil, Papon shares, “Collaborating with Irshad Kamil on this dream project made it even more special, as we shared a common vision of creating songs that carry the soul and beauty of ghazals while speaking to today's generation.”
Known for his engaging series of recent live concerts called Shaam-e-Mehfil where he was doing covers and nuanced renditions of known ghazals, the video for the first single for “Mehfilz…” indicates a shift to a more intimate setting.
“Apne Khilaaf” has the singer take the microphone in a living room setting with celebrity friends like Pankaj Tripathi, Meiyang Chang, Suchitra Pillai and others cheering him on. The experience compares to a Tiny Desk concert, the only difference being the crowd in the video. The video for “Apne Khilaaf,” directed by Parasher Baruah, sets the visual tone the album will take, as the song itself is about love, betrayal and showing one’s true self. In Indian homes, mehfils were traditional get-togethers of music lovers. The video captures the warmth, intimacy and upbeat mood of such get-togethers.
The living-room feel has been designed to recreate the feeling of sitting together in a real mehfil. Adding authenticity to the experience, the music videos were shot with Papon performing the songs live in front of select people from different walks of life. Calling the project “one of the most personal and fulfilling creative journeys of my life,” Papon notes, “Every element of the project, from the music to the intimate living-room mehfil setting, has been crafted with immense love and care, and I am excited for audiences to become a part of this journey.”
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