Phoolan’s Revenge

Phoolan’s Revenge is a qawwali track performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The composition appears as the 21st track on the album Bandit Queen, Vol. 51, released on January 1, 1995, under Oriental Star Agencies Ltd. The album was issued in digital media format.

The track runs for 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Khan’s vocal delivery blends traditional qawwali elements with thematic references tied to the album’s narrative, which draws inspiration from the life of Phoolan Devi, a controversial Indian bandit and later politician. The musical arrangement retains the devotional and rhythmic characteristics of qawwali while adapting to the album’s cinematic context.

Bandit Queen, Vol. 51 forms part of a larger series of soundtracks associated with the 1994 biographical film Bandit Queen, directed by Shekhar Kapur. Khan’s contribution to the series includes multiple tracks, though specific production details for Phoolan’s Revenge beyond the credited artist and label remain undocumented. The album’s release coincided with the film’s international distribution, targeting audiences familiar with both Indian classical traditions and the film’s subject matter.

The label Oriental Star Agencies Ltd. specialized in South Asian music during the 1990s, with a catalog that prominently featured Khan’s work. No additional session musicians or composers are officially listed for this track in available sources. The recording’s reception and commercial performance are not widely recorded, though Khan’s collaborations during this period generally reinforced his reputation as a leading exponent of qawwali in global music markets.