After the song release, the audience felt the pain and love the singer’s songs, which brought him into every home. The singer is Altaf Raja and the song is…
Published: February 11, 2026 7:14 PM IST
In the 1990s, songs were a crucial part of Indian cinema. They not only moved the story forward but also deeply touched the hearts of the audience. Songs served as a medium to express emotions like romance, pain, and joy, and played a significant role in a film’s success. One of the singers was Altaf Raja, whose songs held a unique charisma during this era. His distinctive voice and qawwali style captivated millions of fans. His craze was palpable on the radio, on cassettes, and during live performances. People listened to his songs repeatedly, played them at parties, and connected with them emotionally.
Altaf Raja’s popularity was so immense that he became a star even without major promotions. Fans felt the pain and love in his songs, which brought him into every home. Even today, people remember his old hits, proving that the appeal of true music never diminishes.
Wahat’s the song we are talking about?
Altaf Raja’s iconic classic song “Tum To Thehre Pardesi” was released in 1997. It’s an Urdu qawwali originally released as a b-side song of the album Panga Le Liya. Later, raja re-released it. It was the fifth most popular song in India, selling four million units in its maiden year. The music was composed by the late Mohammad Shafi Niazi, and the lyrics were written by Zaheer Alam. Tum Toh Thehre Pardesi is a sad, romantic number in the qawwali style. Upon its release, it became immensely popular, selling millions of cassettes.
Tum To Thehre Pardesi set a Guinness World Record
The song became so popular that it set a Guinness World Record for the best-selling non-film album. Over 10 million copies were sold, a record in the 1990s, with seven million copies sold in a single day. Even today, the song remains popular, appearing in memes, reels, and remixes on social media. People associate it with breakups and long-distance love, and its emotions remain relevant even now.
This song is not part of any film but is from an independent album. However, a video version was released in 1997, directed by Manoj Sharma. Altaf Raja himself appears in the video, which feels like a short film. Although it is listed as a short on IMDb, it is actually a music video.
The album was made on a very low budget, yet it became the most successful non-film album of the 1990s. Its value continues even today through royalties and performance revenue. This proves that good content can become a hit, even without a big budget.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: india.com
