Singer Atif Aslam has opened up about his connection with India, nearly a decade after Pakistani artists were barred from working in the country.
Speaking in a recent interview with Kris Fade, Aslam addressed the ongoing ban and how it has affected his relationship with Indian fans.
He explained that the restriction came from a government decision. “There was a decision of their government probably, and they thought that we could ban the artists from Pakistan,” he said.
Aslam confirmed the ban has been in place for close to ten years and remains in effect on both sides. “They’re banned now. From the past 10 years. I haven’t done a song over there,” he said, adding that Indian artists face similar restrictions in Pakistan.
Despite the ban, Aslam said that his music continues to reach fans in India through alternative means. “My fans are listening, you know, with VPN and all of that,” he remarked.
The singer also spoke about missing the people of India rather than the professional work itself. “I don’t miss working over there, but I miss you [fans] guys,” he said, addressing his Indian fans directly during the conversation.
Reflecting on the impact of the ban on his career, Aslam struck a grateful tone. “I thank people who have banned me as well, because I would not have been able to explore myself,” he stated.
He added that he hopes for change in the future, saying that he believes that “some knowledge and some empathy comes into play” over time, regardless of the restrictions currently in place.
Aslam entered Bollywood with the song “Woh Lamhe” from the 2005 film Zeher, which became an instant hit and opened the door to a long career as a playback singer in India. Over the years, he went on to sing chartbusters such as “Tere Bin,” “Jeena Jeena” from Badlapur, “Tere Sang Yaara” from Rustom, “Hoor” from Hindi Medium, “Baarish” from Half Girlfriend, and “Dil Diyan Gallan” from Tiger Zinda Hai, among many others.
He worked with leading Indian music directors including Pritam, Mithoon and Vishal-Shekhar, and lent his voice to songs picturised on stars like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ranbir Kapoor and Tiger Shroff.
