A Review of The Journey Within – The Coke Studio Origin Story by Mian Adnan Ahmad
Watching The Journey Within felt less like watching a documentary and more like feeling a heart beating. There is something so raw about the way it starts—just this beautiful, unique blend of music and chaos that pulled me in immediately. Watching the cinematography unfold a completely new story before our gaze while familiar tunes and songs pulsed in the background felt like I was standing right there, watching Coke Studio being built from the ground up until it finally became the massive musical phenomenon it is today.
One of the lighter moments that stuck with me was the joke about the donuts: “If you are late, you’ll get donuts and since we are never late, we still get donuts.” It’s a small detail, but it speaks to the spirit of the people behind the Coke Studio story. But the film quickly moves into deeper territory, reflecting on how folk music is slowly fading away, and the heartbreaking challenges so many musicians faced following the 9/11 tragedy. As we are shown the different ways in which the identity of Pakistanis was being challenged by several interrelated social and political factors, we can feel the oppressive weight of such discriminatory biases they were carrying around.
“Sometimes the best art is created in adversity” is one of those memorable guiding principles from the film that will stay with me. There are more such thoughtful observations from the film, for example, the one about how the same iron that can be used to manufacture weapons, when given to an artist, can transform into an instrument of their faith. As someone who feels a deep, personal connection to music and the creative process, the idea that we can take something hard and unrelenting, and turn it into something sacred and beautiful, really moved me.
It is amazing to think that Coke Studio started in a simple studio apartment with just a few instrumentalists playing Pakistani folk music. Watching this story unfold, one could readily imagine the uphill struggle such a venture must have been from the get go, both in personal and public terms. One roots for them, given the sincerity of their intentions and resolve.
The soul of the project stems from music and we can see what music means to these musicians by the very way in which they treat their instruments—with this profound respect and loving care. It feels less like a corporate project, and more like artists invested in sharing the joy of music with the world. Their love for music is deepened by their respect for heritage and desire to preserve our artistic traditions. For instance, we learn that when they featured music from Rajasthan—my home state—they ensured that the singers and dancers were from the region, carrying the earthiness of their culture to the stage. No wonder it always sounded so authentic!
To learn that the Project eventually moved to ‘146 Studios’ brings to mind the heartwarming image of a nomadic studio, travelling with its music. This is also in keeping with the way they relate their music to the concept of migration, with such natural ease. By the end of the film, it was this sense of heartfelt familial intimacy that Coke Studio was able to build across nations, that stayed with me.
–Written by Lavanyaa Jain, 1st year, B.A. Hons. Journalism and Media Studies