C OVER STORY
People come to me and thank
me for being there during
their breakups or matchups
Aatif Aslam
W
hat does Fahad Mustafa have in common with
Bollywood superstars Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay
Kumar, Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan?
They all have lip-synced to Atif Aslam’s distinctive voice
on the silver screen one time or the other. Be it 'Tera
Honay Laga Hoon' from Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani,
'Tere Sang Yaara' from Rustom, 'Bakhuda' from Kismet
Konnection, 'Be-inteha' from Race 2 or his latest hit 'Dil
Dancer Hogaya' from Actor In Law, Atif Aslam has always
delivered the goods. The singer now returns a changed
man after a self-imposed hiatus, which in his words was
a good thing. “Fatherhood has changed me and my perspective towards life,” he says, while talking about the
reason he took a break. “Before becoming a father, I
wanted to be No.1 but now I feel that there is no such
thing. I just want to do my job and entertain as long as I
can because that’s the best way to win people over.” For
someone who has won countless hearts and minds, Atif
Aslam is unique from his contemporaries – he doesn’t
listen to his own songs! “That’s true,” he confesses. “I
don’t listen to my songs. The only time I do it is when
someone points out a flaw in the end product.” Maybe
Atif doesn’t realise their importance in keeping his fans
from becoming severely depressed after a messy breakup or cheering up those still in love. “People come to me
and thank me for being there during their breakups or
matchups. It seems awkward but I’m glad to be of assistance during their light or dark moods (laughs).” Atif
Aslam has been instrumental in bringing Pakistan into
the international arena. After making a name for himself in dozens of Bollywood films and then Hollywood
with Man Push Cart and The Reluctant Fundamentalist,
the pop star decided to re-enter local filmdom some five
years ago by acting and singing for Shoaib Mansoor’s
Bol."It was high time that I gave the industry something
in return after Bol, which literally kick-started the revival
of cinema in Pakistan. As I hadn’t done playback here, it
seemed the best way to make a re-entry. The song 'Dil
Dancer Hogaya' from Actor In Law isn’t just another romantic number. It has a different feel and unique lyrics,
which required something extra, and that’s what I have
always wanted to do.”There is a story behind why he
chose Actor In Law for his return. “Om Puri sahib is possibly the reason. When I went to the sets of the film to
26 | BOOM