Singers Salman-Zaman open up about how they blend Nusrat saab’s Sufi music with their Hindustani gayaki

(L-R) Zaman Khan and Salman Khan Niazi. Pics/By Special Arrangement, AFP, Youtube

Part qawwali, part Hindustani classical, and part arena-ready energy is how Sufi artistes Salman-Zaman describe their sound. Forming a musical duo, brothers Salman Khan Niazi and Zaman Khan have carried the legacy of the Rampur Sahaswan Gharana while building a distinctly contemporary sound. It was evident in their performance, positioned as Sufi Ke Sultan, at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Bandra on April 19.

"When we formed Astitva [band] back in our college days, we did a blend of Indian classical with alternative rock sound," recalled Salman. "Then changing the outlook and becoming a Sufi duo made us closer to our roots of Hindustani classical music."

At the NMACC performance, they paid tribute to late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, revisiting the legend's classics. According to Zaman, the young generation seeks the authenticity and purity of music that the legend boasted. He shared, "Even mainstream cinema is doing renditions of old Sufi kalams of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab because people love the sound, which is untouched and still fresh. We were so happy to see the Gen Z crowd grooving to Nusrat saab's Dil Pe Zakhm Khaate Hain [in Dhurandhar: The Revenge]."

Reverence comes with responsibility, especially when performing Khan's work. Zaman added, "That's the toughest blend - staying true to how Nusrat saab has sung the songs, to how we showcase them. We blend Nusrat saab's Sufi element with a pinch of our Hindustani classical gayaki, shayari, and a dose of the new-age Salman-Zaman sound."

A still from ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge'

For the duo, artistes like the late Pakistani legend and late Jagjit Singh are benchmarks of what true artistry sounds like. Salman reasoned, "Back in those days, they released their songs without any stress of going viral, or aiming to hit a million views. They kept releasing their music, and people kept admiring them for their originality. That's what inspired us."

In May 2025, the legacy Instagram account of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was banned in India, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan. Reacting to this, Salman said, "It didn't affect us at all. Nusrat saab's music and his fans don't need an active Instagram account for his songs and qawwalis [to reach far and wide]."

Mumbai is the duo's favourite city to perform in. Reason? "People here are open to all genres of music, right from a rock act to a Sufiyana shaam," said Salman.

Apr 19
When the duo performed their Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan tribute