Romantic comedy, music with soul on Ali Zafar’s mind

MUMBAI - He entered Bollywood with the small budget, quirky “Tere Bin Laden”, but Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zafar will be seen next with Katrina Kaif and Imran Khan in a typical romantic comedy. He will also focus on his first love - music.

“The film is a romantic comedy, a very family kind of set-up. Imran and me play brothers. I’m a very charming and flamboyant guy in the film who is very confused about what he wants from life,” Ali Zafar told IANS in an interview.

And he is all praise for co-star Katrina Kaif, one of the reigning divas in Bollywood.

“It was a very good experience working with Katrina. She is a very hardworking person and was extremely cooperative and fun on the sets,” he said.

“Mere Brother Ki Dulhan” is a Yash Raj Films’ production and is being directed by debutant Ali Abbas Zafar. “Tere Bin Laden” was also director Abhishek Sharma’s first film. So why is Ali Zafar signing up with newcomers?

“One hardly comes across good scripts. I have heard about 50 scripts since ‘Tere Bin Laden’. Then finally I liked ‘Mere Brother…’. Recently I have signed another film but I can’t talk about that. The makers will make an announcement soon,” he revealed.

Ali, who has worked as a model for several commercials in Pakistan, has also acted in Pakistani TV serials “Lunda-Bazar”, “Kanch Ke Par” and teenage sitcom “Kollege Jeans”.

Films apart, Ali is also focussing on music, his first love. The musician’s new album “Jhoom” was recently released by Yash Raj Music in India and worldwide and by Ali’s own label Alif Records in Pakistan.

“This time I have tried to make timeless music rather than something that is interesting only for a week or so. I made what my heart liked and not what I felt would be popular in the market,” said Ali, who has earlier released two albums titled “Huqa Pani” and “Masty”.

“As far as inspirations are concerned, I was just thinking that the music that is created today, the soul is missing, secondly it doesn’t touch a chord and thirdly it has no shelf life. So I wanted the music that I compose has all of the above.”

“Initially I was driven by the commercial aspect of music; now it’s driven more by the spiritual aspect,” he added.

“Jhoom”, which has 12 tracks, took the musician three years to complete.

Even though the market for non-film albums is not booming at the moment, Ali is unfazed by the trend and says he will keep trying and hope for greener pastures.

“I’m a singer, my job is to keep creating music, I can’t get bogged down by the market scenario or commerce of it. I could have been if I was looking for money, but I’m not looking for money from this album.

“I’m looking to earning respect from this album. Nowadays I know releasing a non-film album is not very favourable, I wish it was. Music channels are not playing the songs, but I think it’s our responsibility as artists that we don’t stop doing something we believe in. I feel if you are sincere towards your music it just finds it’s way into people’s hearts,” said Ali.

(Ruchika Kher can be contacted at ruchika.k@ians.in)