Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the qawwali maestro, left Pakistanis with a rich musical legacy. PHOTO: THE FAMOUS PEOPLE

PHOTO: EXPRESS

PHOTO: FILE

PHOTO: THE NATIONAL

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been an epitome of Pakistani music. Discussions on the subject of music are incomplete without mentioning his name. Hailing from Faisalabad, Nusrat earned recognition all across the globe.Although he was a qawwal, his know-how of folk, ghazal and classical singing, including various other beats has been impressive. This garnered him a huge fan following around the world. He didn’t only mesmerise Bollywood with his craft but also managed to wow audiences in Hollywood – and some fans in Japan.After Nusrat’s demise in 1997, his wife Naheed and his only child, a daughter Nida moved to Canada and never came back. Most of the world had forgotten about the two, however 20 years later, Nida came to Lahore and held a press conference. While her return hasn’t disturbed most people, it sure seems to have made her cousin Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, very uncomfortable.At the press conference, Nida told media that she would be taking action against everyone who has used her father’s music without permission as she owns the rights. Rahat responded to Nida’s statements stating that he was the successor after Nusrat, which is why he doesn’t need to ask anyone for permission. While the family drama is going to stir a war between the court and the masses, Nida spoke to Express in her first ever solo interview.Speaking of her return, Nida said that she was back to fight for the rights of her father’s music. “I have decided to fight a legal war against those who are misusing his music and making profit without giving him due credit.” She explained that she was unclear about a lot of things at the time of Nusrat’s death and decided to move to Canada with her mother to complete her studies. While Nida was trying to fight for copyright, her mother started to become ill and eventually passed away.“After my mother’s passing, I kept working to save my father’s music. Now, I have a few targets that I need to achieve,” she shared. Nida also said that she’s going to take legal action against those who are making profits in my father’s name or by trying to impersonate me. “Everyone, including Rahat, who tried to benefit from my father’s music, will be held accountable. I am determined to fight this battle alone.”Nida continued that she is the rightful heir to Nusrat’s legacy and can take much better case of his music. As mentioned in her press conference, she also suggested that she has already started sending legal notices to the concerned people. However, Nida mentioned, “I have not spoken to Rahat or sent him a legal notice yet. As soon as this is discussed with him, I will share the details.”Apart from stopping the illegal use of the maestro’s music, she also intends to launch new tunes created by Nusrat himself, that haven’t seen the light of day. Nida stated that she’s focusing on preserving her father’s music and spreading it to people by providing a platform to youngsters. She added that she will help them produce albums using the legendary singer’s unreleased tunes.When speaking of singing, the maestro’s daughter said, “I have learnt a lot through my father, however, women in our society are not allowed to sing. But things have changed now and talent – whether it’s a male’s or female’s – should be promoted. Moreover, in various interviews, my father said that he has no objections if I ever like to work in the industry.”To conclude, Nida shared that Nusrat believed in changing music through times. “He always thought differently and I’ve passionately returned back to Pakistan to keep his name alive and promote his music. I want to tell everyone that this is just the beginning and I have a long way to go.”Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.