Mumbai, Aug 31: Even as filmmakers have been fascinated with Sufism, Pakistani pop singer-actor Atif Aslam feels the Islamic mysticism is losing its value in Bollywood commercial space.
In the earliest Bollywood movies, Sufism was represented in the form of ‘qawwali' which made its way from ‘dargahs' (shrines). Mixing it with pop influences, Hindi movies began using Sufi music in a big way only in the current decade with songs like ‘Sajdaa' (‘My name is Khan') and ‘Jashn-e-Bahara' (‘Jodha Akbar') getting popular.
“I think Sufism is losing its value. Every song that has name of Allah (God) does not make it Sufi at all. One has to see, which ‘shayar' (urdu poet) has done it. I think we are not capable of gauging...what was their relation with Allah,” Atif Aslam said in an interview here.
Incidentally, Kailash Kher's rendition ‘Allah Ke Bande' took forward the trend of Sufism in Bollywood.
Sufism is a soulful hymn expressing divine union with God and if it is not there then it's not a Sufi song, he said.
“I think unless it is not authentic and pure it is not a sufi song...we cannot just tag it in that space,” said Aslam, who has lent his voice to Hindi film songs like ‘Woh Lamhe' from film ‘Zeher', ‘Pehli Nazare Mein' (‘Race'), Bakhuda Tumhi Ho (‘Kismat Konnection'), ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon' (‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani') and others.
“I have been receiving offers from here for films and TV shows. As for playback, I have two projects in hand. There are three songs that I would be singing for ‘Jayata Bhai Ki Love Story' and two for ‘Race 2',” Aslam said.
“If there is an interesting and powerful script then I will do a film here. I am not interested in doing ‘latka-jhatka' (singing-dancing dominated) type film where one has to have six packs and all, I won't do that,” he said.
Aslam is kicked about his debut singing reality show in India, ‘Sur-Kshetra', meant for budding Indian-Pakistani singers, with an elite panel of judges like Asha Bhosale from India, Abida Parveen (Pakistan) and Runa Laila (Bangladesh).
“I am doing this for the first time. When I got to know about the jury, I got interested. I wanted Pakistani talent to come at a stage where they can show their talent.”
Aslam, who would be the captain of Pakistan team of singers, is all praises for Indian captain Himesh Reshammiya.
“He is brilliant, he has worked in several films. He was a hit machine for lot of music in films. I had great time doing the show,” he said.
