Singer turned actor Atif Aslam recently appeared in an interview with Something Haute and opened up in detail about his acting experience in Sang-e-Mah, his relationship with wife Sarah Bharwana and the re-invention phase of his musical career. Read on
On Signing Sang-e-Mah
I never imagined doing something in acting but yes, I wanted to challenge myself. I wasn’t doing much after COVID, so I was thinking of what can I do differently. As an artist, I was feeling monotonous and that’s when Sang-e-Mah happened. Momina Duraid offered me the part and it was a beautifully written script Mustafa Afridi. The director Safiee Hassan along with Afridi, flew down to Lahore from Karachi to meet me. The way they narrated the story, I was convinced. I felt I was into doing something powerful. Also, I personally related to Hilmand to quite an extent. It’s not easy to face the camera with dialogues on point, body language to be in sync with the character, so yeah it is a big deal. I had a wonderful time shooting it with a bunch of experienced actors.
Family opposed Atif’s Decision To Act
My wife Sarah was like are you crazy? You are at the peak of your musical career and why would you want to do such a silly move? But when she saw my performance in Sang-e-Mah, she was taken aback. She received numerous phone calls from people praising my performance.
Best and Worst Feedback for Sang-e-Mah
The best feedback was from a fan who said, ‘We never thought that you could pull this off, and you were equally good as Nomaun Ejaz’. I feel I am nowhere close to the veteran actor, so that was a huge compliment. There wasn’t much worst criticism, there were some minor things like, ‘How come Hilmand’s hair was always in place in the entire drama? Another was related to dialect and pronunciation. My fans from India were super impressed. They told me that they have started watching Pakistani dramas because of Sang-e-Mah. So, I am really happy about it.
Re-invention in Music
The re-invention was due for a couple of reasons, part of it was about encouraging young artists, part of it was about re-inventing myself, and part of it was to create my own genre. At this point in my career, with so much experience, I can take risks. I want to do something for myself. Resultantly, Sajan Das Na, Go, Cricket Khadaiye Hai, Ajnabee and Raat, are purely products of my gut.
Never Believed in Marriage
I didn’t quite believe in marriage until I met Sarah. She showed me the best side of life. I was a workaholic, it was Sarah who tamed me down. My life has seen a contrast, it’s not just about earning money, life is also about spending time with your loved ones and talking to them. I thought everyone operates with the same mindset. When I had kids, I realized their space in my life. Sarah has a big heart on many different levels. The changes she has brought to my life are mind-boggling.
On Dealing with Social Media
I am not a very big fan of it. I like the fact that I interact with my fans on a one-to-one basis. It feels great when people appreciate your work. For instance, my aadeez arranged a Quran Khani for the success of Tajdar-e-Haram in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. So, naturally, I want to give back the love to them.
Future Acting Plans
Yes, I will continue acting in the future. It depends upon the script and the people I am working with. I had a great team in Sang-e-Mah, Momina Duraid was fantastic, Duraid and the entire team were helpful. I don’t feel money is everything, I want to do things to satisfy my creative side.
