|
Pakistani singer Atif Aslam doesn’t just have a fantastic voice, but his
good looks have gained him favour and a large female fan base here.
Yet, he isn’t inclined towards singing and acting in movies, though he
played a small role in the Pakistani film, Bol (2011). "I know there are
others
(Pakistani singer–actor Ali Zafar) who sing and act in movies, but I’ll not pursue both. I want to focus on music.”
He explains, "My music career will get diluted, so I won’t divert my
energies in too many directions. As for movies, I don’t want to force
myself into them just because I am getting offers. Multi-taskers have no
personal life and no free time because they handle too many things.”
Other Pakistani singers like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have had more hits
in the recent past than Atif, but he has no qualms about that. "All
other singers are doing better than me and I am happy for them,” he
smiles, insisting he’s content with his career. And unlike Adnan Sami,
he isn’t inclined to shift to Mumbai for work. "I like my home (in
Pakistan) and my bed. I miss my house when I am away for long.”
At the moment, the artiste is eagerly awaiting the singing reality
show Sur-Kshetra, where he plays mentor to Pakistani contestants, while
singer-composer Himmesh Reshammiya offers guidance to the Indian
competitors. "I hope the show erases the image Pakistanis have of
Indians and vice versa,” says Atif. "In today’s times, we should shed
such notions, which our forefathers harboured, and be open to a new
thought process.”
The buzz is that there were some arguments with Himmesh on the show... Atif responds, "Well, he gets excited pretty quickly.” | 
