Members of Aasma with Koel Purie (centre) and (below) moments from White Noise

It?s a strange music world, this. While established playback singers keep trying to get a foothold in the Indipop market, ?popstars? are getting desperate to make it big in the world of motion picture soundtracks.

The latest to join the Bollywood bandwagon is the Channel [V]-promoted pop group, Aasma. Jimmy, Sangeet, Neeti and Vasudha have recorded for the original soundtrack of director Vinta Nanda?s celluloid debut, White Noise, starring Rahul Bose and Koel Purie.

What?s more, the band has also been featured in a special music video to promote the film, releasing today in Mumbai and in the coming weeks in Calcutta and other cities.

?We really wanted to get into the Bollywood groove because here in India, it is the number one platform for musicians,? explains Jimmy.

?So when this offer came about for White Noise, we were really for it. It is the only Hindi number in this out-and-out English film. While the song has been used as the background track, the video will help us reach out to other Hindi film music directors who might consider us for their new projects.?

The song, titled Salim Salma, has been composed by music director duo Salim-Suleiman, with lyrics by Abbas Tyrewala.

?Our fans feel it sounds a lot like our chartbuster track Chandu ke chacha,? says Sangeet. ?The day we heard it for the first time, we knew it would be a big hit. It is a great follow-up to Chandu? and we are planning to use it on our forthcoming album also.?

But the real buzz is about the video. Its storyboard has Koel Purie, who plays a soap writer-director in the film, directing Aasma and co-ordinating dance steps. Rahul Bose, who plays an editor in the film, is seen editing the video.

Behind all this rhyme is a big reason, too. ?The whole thing is basically a marketing phenomenon. With Channel [V]?s own band, Aasma, in the fray, it will promote our film at a much lower cost than it would have done for just another film. And the video, anyway, will make it easier for us to reach the people,? says Vinta.

Channel [V] head Amar K. Deb, agrees. ?Vinta wanted to licence the band to do the lead track for her film. It?s a smart marketing tie-up that will help both parties. The band and the film both will be promoted in the process,? he explains.

Another first for the video, choreographed by noted dance director Terence Lewis, is the eye-catching array of costumes it uses.

Each of the four members go through five costume changes, making for an absolute visual treat, thanks to the names behind the outfits ? Malini Ramani, Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Manish Arora, Aki Narula, Cue, Ishna and Oak Tree.

?They are all very good friends of mine,? is how White Noise producer Mozez Singh explains the costume coup. ?I take a lot of interest in fashion and am also closely involved with the look of the film. When this video was being conceptualised, I wanted to give the band a very cool, stylised, funky and hip look,? he adds.

Singh?s fashion designer friends all knew exactly what he wanted from them and delivered in style.

While the film features in the video, the video is missing from the film. So to catch Aasma in action, you will have to camp out in front of your small screen, even as distributors decide on White Noise?s Calcutta release date.