• About us
  • Community
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us
Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • Login
Dubai News TV - Dubai News
  • Home
  • UAE
    • Dubai
    • Sharjah
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Ajman
    • Ras Al Khaimah
    • Fujairah
    • Umm Al Quwain
  • REGION
    • Asia
    • South Asia
      • Pakistan
      • India
      • Bangladesh
      • Afghanistan
    • Middle East
    • GCC
    • MENA
    • Europe
    • Africa
  • Business
    • Global Business
    • Local Business
    • Markets
  • REAL ESTATE
  • Expo 2020
  • Meet The CEO
  • Horoscope
  • PR
  • more
    • Opinion
    • EDITOR’S CHOICE
    • The Big Read
    • Viewpoint
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • UAE
    • Dubai
    • Sharjah
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Ajman
    • Ras Al Khaimah
    • Fujairah
    • Umm Al Quwain
  • REGION
    • Asia
    • South Asia
      • Pakistan
      • India
      • Bangladesh
      • Afghanistan
    • Middle East
    • GCC
    • MENA
    • Europe
    • Africa
  • Business
    • Global Business
    • Local Business
    • Markets
  • REAL ESTATE
  • Expo 2020
  • Meet The CEO
  • Horoscope
  • PR
  • more
    • Opinion
    • EDITOR’S CHOICE
    • The Big Read
    • Viewpoint
No Result
View All Result
Dubai News
  • Top News
  • UAE
  • REGION
  • Business
  • World
  • REAL ESTATE
  • Entertainment
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • Expo 2020
  • FEATURED
  • Horoscope
  • Meet The CEO
  • Road To Financial Freedom
  • Opinion
  • PR
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Video Posts
Home Entertainment

Whatever I am today is because of fans, says Atif Aslam

Singer to perform at the Coca-Cola Arena on Friday.

by Dubai News
February 9, 2022
in Entertainment, Top News
Reading Time: 12 mins read
148 5
A A
facebook & twitter banner 1200x628px
2.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Dubai News

In any form of art, those who dare to push boundaries and innovate are the ones likely to be remembered for generations to come.

Such is the case with 38-year-old Pakistani singer Atif Aslam, who has long entertained us with his distinctive vocals and musical improvisations, whether with independent hits like his latest, Ajnabi, or through tunes for Bollywood (Tera Hona Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane Na, among many others) and the Pakistani film and television industry.

A budding cricketer turned musician, Atif kicked off his career with the band Jal, dropping the song Aadat in 2003 which went on to become a huge hit. He released his first solo album, Jal Pari, in 2004, some of whose songs were picked up by an international film, Man Push Cart.

RelatedPosts

Dubai: Luxury property set to double its market share in 2022

Russia to send Belarus nuclear-capable missiles within months

Taliban call for unfreezing of bank funds after deadly earthquake

He has released chart-topping tracks over an almost two-decade period. Naturally, we were curious as to which song from this extensive repertoire is most requested at his live performances.

Atif’s answer, revealed in a Zoom interaction ahead of his latest gig in Dubai on Friday, February 11, surprised us. “That’s Gulabi Aankhen, which is not even my song! There is Aadat, and they (the fans) request for my other hits as well. But I find this (Gulabi Aankhen, a Mohammed Rafi hit from the 70s) request very odd because I had done an unplugged version in a cafeteria back in the day, and it was just recorded over a phone; it reached India and it was everywhere! There were no smartphones at this time.”

To have a low-key performance go viral even before the social media boom took over the world is no mean feat.

Evolving as an artist

But that is just the kind of stellar performer Atif is. Not only does he take a classic hit and make it his own, with all due respect to the original artist, but he continuously experiments with sound where his own music is concerned.

Take the track Ajnabi, released late last year, a slightly uptempo, catchy tune featuring actress Mahira Khan in the video. Atif said reinvention is important for any artist.

“My idea was to sort of changing my music, change my sound, and that’s what I did with Raat, with Ajnabi, with Kadi Te Hans Bol; I continue to do so because I believe that an artist should definitely reinvent himself every now and then, otherwise it becomes very boring. It became very boring for me as well; I couldn’t even enjoy myself performing certain numbers on stage, which is why I explored new opportunities and new music.” Ajnabi was shot within two days, Atif said, adding, “It’s great when you have a good director on board. Asim (Raza) is brilliant at what he does.”

On his equation with the lovely Mahira, star of films like Bol (in which both she and Atif made their movie debuts) and Bin Roye, Atif said, “Mahira was kind enough to be a part of the video. We go back a long way — our first movie was 11 years ago; so we thought of working together again and it was such a vibe! She loved the track; I enjoyed myself and people have enjoyed the new sound as well. So Ajnabi was quite a change and I felt, okay, there is room for this kind of music, so why not?”

Staying with the topic of music, Atif recently paid tribute to late singing legend Lata Mangeshkar, on Instagram Stories. He told City Times how her songs brought on a feeling of great nostalgia.

“I’d never met her but had heard a lot of great things about her. More than that I think I had a lot of memories (associated) with her music. My brother used to play these records for me, and whenever I listen to them now they bring back a lot of memories of friends, people from university, my relationships — I had her songs in the background.”

A return to acting

10 years after starring in the feature film Bol (his only film role to date), Atif made his television debut, playing Hilmand in the Hum TV series Sang-e-Mah, which focuses on life in a tribal area of Pakistan. What was the experience of doing this show like?

“It was fantastic! I really enjoyed myself. I have a lot more respect for the artists (actors) now because I got to know what they go through and how many hours they have to work in a day!”

As a singer, he said “you perform for a couple of hours and then you’re done, but (acting) is constant work.”

“It’s not a lot of fun to put on makeup and sit there and wait for your shot and then you have to be in character throughout the day —no matter what is happening at your end, no matter what you are going through. It was actually very challenging, and beautiful in its own way.”

He admitted he’d been “spoilt” for the past decade or so. “Wherever you go they spoil you with luxuries and stuff like that, which I don’t mind, which is great but of course, you get used to that, right? But we were shooting in a village and we didn’t have basic amenities. We were staying in a guest house, and the first night I checked the mattress and I was like, what am I doing… why am I doing this? So I calmed myself down and I collected myself and said ‘this is a part of the journey. I had to unlearn ‘Atif Aslam’ to get into that character. It’s mind-boggling that even after the pack-up, I was Hilmand for the next 50 days.”

Atif shared that fans could expect to see more of him on-screen “if the script is good”. “I waited many years to pick up the right script and this was it!”

Fans are lapping up his latest foray into acting. “They’ve started quoting Hilmand now! Hilmand said this… so we should do this! So they are also into this character now, and get inspired, which I love.”

A fan-favourite

Atif calls his fans ‘Aadeez’ which literally translates to ‘habitual’. No doubt his ‘Aadeez’ in UAE are delighted by the fact that he is returning for another concert after his recent performances at Expo 2020 Dubai (November 2021) and Yas Island Abu Dhabi (New Year’s Eve).

We asked him what continues to draw him to the UAE and what he loves most about the country.

“The love of my fans! And of course, I love the venues and how the whole production is great and top-notch. This time around I am performing with the Symphony Orchestra and there are a lot of people flying down from India, who are masters at playing some of the greatest and legendary numbers. I will be incorporating these in my set as well, which is very exciting for me as well as the fans.”

As someone who performs live regularly, how important is it for him to engage with his audience and does he ever alter a setlist as per what fans want?

“I believe it’s very important for an artist to interact with the audience. But unless and until you’re really in your moment and you’re having a great time and enjoying yourself on stage by not looking at the audience, that’s a different ballgame altogether….

“But I get my adrenaline rush through my fans. When I see them enjoying the music and singing along, that’s what keeps me going on stage.”

Does he plan on staying long in the UAE this time? “We have a UK tour scheduled right after the Dubai gig. But Dubai is like this second home and not too many people know that I have lived there for quite some time — four-five years of my life!”

In a parting message for his fans, Atif said, “I would like to thank them for listening to my music all these years. And the way they have appreciated my acting is just wonderful and beautiful. I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for me. I want to tell them I love them a lot. Whatever I am today is because of them.”

Tags: Atif AslamCoca-Cola Arena
Share9Tweet6Share2Send

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
">
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Dubai Luxury property
REAL ESTATE

Dubai: Luxury property set to double its market share in 2022

June 26, 2022
4.2k
Russia to send Belarus nuclear-capable missiles within months
NEWS

Russia to send Belarus nuclear-capable missiles within months

June 26, 2022
2.2k
Taliban call for unfreezing of bank funds after deadly earthquake
Afghanistan

Taliban call for unfreezing of bank funds after deadly earthquake

June 26, 2022
2.2k
Zelenskyy urges Glastonbury crowd to spread truth about war
Top News

Zelenskyy urges Glastonbury crowd to spread truth about war

June 26, 2022
2.2k
Industry experts say the top three categories of residency are golden, silver and retirement visas
UAE

UAE: Golden and silver visas most popular among investors

June 24, 2022
4.8k
SriLankan Airlines
Business

SriLankan Airlines looking for a strategic partner

June 24, 2022
3.6k

Popular News

  • zoom property

    Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai most popular areas as per square feet price increase

    27 shares
    Share 44 Tweet 28
  • Top nationalities continue to invest in Dubai real estate

    18 shares
    Share 50 Tweet 31
  • What do VCs look for when investing in early-stage start-ups

    28 shares
    Share 28 Tweet 18
  • Dubai home sales surged 55.9% in April

    34 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Dubai’s luxury home market to continue its golden run in 2022

    57 shares
    Share 23 Tweet 14
  • Are you looking for an investor visa in Dubai?

    36 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • Dubai rents to pick up further in 2022

    24 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12
  • Coding, automation set to drive the digital economy

    31 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • Dubai real estate retains its appeal with record transactions in Q1

    28 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Approximately 7,000 residential units will come online in Abu Dhabi this year

    27 shares
    Share 11 Tweet 7
Currently Playing

Zoom Property Insights - How Expo 2020 is Shaping up the Dubai Property Market | Dubai News TV

Zoom Property Insights - How Expo 2020 is Shaping up the Dubai Property Market | Dubai News TV

00:03:34

Learn When is Best Time to invest in Real Estate Market

00:08:02

Managing Personal Liquidity in 7 Steps | Shailesh Dash | Dubai News TV

00:11:27

The World Plays The UAE National Anthem

00:02:13

Meet the CEO : BANKING ON RAJEEV KAKAR

00:25:20

About US

DubaiNews.Tv is a fast-growing Dubai-based digital platform that covers news, happenings and current affairs with a central focus on Dubai, UAE, Gulf, Middle East. It also features regional and international news activities in addition to exclusive reports, interviews and special videos.

info@dubainews.tv

dubainews.tv@gmail.com

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Abu Dhabi
  • Afghanistan
  • Africa
  • Ajman
  • Asia
  • Bangladesh
  • Business
  • CPEC
  • Dubai
  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Entertainment
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • Europe
  • EXCLUSIVE
  • Expo 2020
  • FEATURED
  • Featured Stories
  • Forex
  • Fujairah
  • GCC
  • Global Business
  • Health
  • heath
  • Horoscope
  • India
  • International
  • Iran
  • JOBS
  • Lifestyle
  • Local Business
  • Markets
  • Meet The CEO
  • MENA
  • Middle East
  • MORE
  • Movie
  • NEWS
  • Opinion
  • Pakistan
  • Philippine
  • Philippines
  • PR
  • Ras Al Khaimah
  • REAL ESTATE
  • REGION
  • Road To Financial Freedom
  • Russia
  • Science
  • Science
  • Sharjah
  • South Asia
  • Space
  • Sports
  • Spotlight
  • Sri Lanka
  • Startup
  • STOCKS
  • Syria
  • Tech
  • The Big Read
  • Top News
  • Travel
  • Tunisia
  • turkey
  • UAE
  • Umm Al Quwain
  • Uncategorized
  • Video Posts
  • Viewpoint
  • Weather
  • World

Recent News

Ukraine Becomes an Official EU Membership Candidate

Ukraine Becomes an Official EU Membership Candidate

June 26, 2022
Russia’s Welcome at Brics Summit Shows Disconnect With West

Russia’s Welcome at Brics Summit Shows Disconnect With West

June 26, 2022
Jury takes fraud case against Elizabeth Holmes’s ex-partner

Jury takes fraud case against Elizabeth Holmes’s ex-partner

June 26, 2022
Moderna COVID-19 shots now an option for older kids in US

Moderna COVID-19 shots now an option for older kids in US

June 26, 2022
LGBTQ youth of faith retell their stories to inspire others

LGBTQ youth of faith retell their stories to inspire others

June 26, 2022
  • About us
  • Community
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 DNTV - Powered By LSG GROUP.

No Result
View All Result
  • Top News
  • UAE
    • Dubai
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Ajman
    • Fujairah
    • Ras Al Khaimah
    • Umm Al Quwain
  • REGION
    • Middle East
    • GCC
    • MENA
    • South Asia
      • Afghanistan
      • Bangladesh
      • India
      • Pakistan
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Europe
  • Business
    • Global Business
    • Local Business
    • Markets
  • World
  • REAL ESTATE
  • Entertainment
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • Expo 2020
  • FEATURED
    • Featured Stories
  • Horoscope
  • Meet The CEO
  • Road To Financial Freedom
  • Opinion
    • EDITOR’S CHOICE
    • The Big Read
    • Viewpoint
  • PR
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Video Posts

© 2022 DNTV - Powered By LSG GROUP.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.