Singer Asim Azhar landed in hot water on Friday after commenting on a video posted by YouTuber Rajab Butt, which used his music in the background. Azhar has since issued an apology, saying he “should’ve been more aware”.
On Thursday, Butt posted a video on his Instagram account with Azhar’s rendition of the classic Bollywood song ‘Tu Hai Wohi’ playing in the background, dancing to the track.
In the comments, Azhar praised him, writing: “Shehzada lag raha hai mera bhai (My brother is looking like a prince). Thank you so much my love.”
The comment drew mixed reactions given Butt’s history of controversy and legal trouble.
Azhar later addressed the backlash on his Instagram stories.
“Should’ve been more aware. Should’ve read the room better. My bad, fam,” he wrote.
He also clarified that appreciating Butt’s use of his music did not amount to an endorsement. “But just for the record, thanking someone and showing love in return doesn’t mean my views and values are the same as anybody. But I understand and resonate with the concern of some of my fans and supporters, and I promise it wasn’t that deep. [It was] just a gesture of showing love in return,” he added.
Azhar ended by urging fans to enjoy “bangers and sweet mangoes”.
Butt has faced several cases in court, including charges of promoting online gambling applications, hurting religious sentiments and unlawful custody of a lion cub. In May, the Islamabad High Court ordered his name removed from the passport control list.
On the personal front, Butt married Emaan Fatima in 2024 in a wedding that went viral on social media. The marriage ran into controversy when Emaan’s brother made public allegations that Butt had cheated on his wife while she was pregnant.
Butt later announced his divorce during a podcast appearance, after which a legal notice was also sent to Emaan.
She later shared the notice on her social media along with an emotional message, saying that she and their son Kivan had been going through a painful time.
Butt maintains one of the larger social media followings in Pakistan, with nine million subscribers on YouTube and 2.9 million followers on Instagram.
