Behmai

Behmai is a qawwali-based vocal track performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The composition appears as the 27th track on the album Bandit Queen, Vol. 51, released on January 1, 1995 under the label Oriental Star Agencies Ltd. The track runs for 1 minute and 19 seconds and was distributed in digital media format.

The album forms part of a larger series associated with the soundtrack of the 1994 Hindi-language film Bandit Queen, directed by Shekhar Kapur. While the film’s original score featured compositions by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan among others, Vol. 51 specifically compiles his contributions, including traditional and semi-classical works. The label Oriental Star Agencies Ltd. specialized in South Asian devotional and classical music during this period, with Khan’s recordings often centered on Sufi poetic traditions.

The brevity of Behmai aligns with Khan’s occasional use of short, improvisational pieces within longer performance sets. The track’s lyrical content and melodic structure reflect the qawwali genre, characterized by devotional themes and rhythmic vocal delivery. No additional details about the track’s specific poetic source, accompanying instrumentalists, or recording session location are publicly documented in authoritative sources.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948–1997) remains one of the most influential figures in modern qawwali, known for his vocal range and fusion of traditional Sufi music with contemporary arrangements. His work on Bandit Queen, Vol. 51 exemplifies this synthesis, though the album’s reception and commercial performance remain less documented compared to his standalone releases.