Pakistani singer Syed Asrar Shah: I want to touch Lataji's feet

Pakistani singer Syed Asrar Shah on making his Bollywood debut with 'Afghan jalebi' from Phantom.
How did 'Afghan jalebi' happen?
I was going home for Eid from a show and got a message from Pritamda’s team that they were trying to trace me. He had heard my song 'Sub aakho ali ali' for a televised music show. If a senior calls, why not? I don’t sing commercial songs normally. In fact, this is an item number so I had my doubts initially, since they tend to compromise on quality of the words.I asked for one or two changes in the lyrics and the composer agreed. I recorded the vocals in Lahore and sent it to Pritamda. Melody achi thi toh maine bahut maze leke gaana gaya. Even when I sing for Pakistani films, I always follow the brief of the music director. His brief was that it is an ishq mizaaji song. I didn't have a problem with that. I thought of the girl I like the most and sang it. Pritamda then gave his feedback on the little nuances he wanted and we re-recorded it. Credit goes to him that he got me on board for the song. He knew exactly how to guide me. I have got film offers in the past but this is the one that materialised first. I haven't met but I am sure that when we do, it will feel like we have known each other for years.
There’s a slew of Pakistani singers in Bollywood films now.
Apne mulk se hatke log pyaar kare, aur kya chahiye. There are no boundaries in music and the Indian media has proved it. No matter what the politics, there is a long list of artistes from my country who has been received well. There are always high hopes when someone from Pakistan sings for a film in India. I believe that there are two types of people – positive and negative. Take any person from any era or country and see what he has to say, and the positive people will tick that box. All the artistes here who have a positive approach, believe this.
How did you get started in music?
Music is not appreciated out here. Singers ko bhand samjha jaata hai. Nobody in my family is remotely into music. I come from a family of writers, so it was a given that I would grow up to be one. In school and college, I used to participate in talent shows. I went on to get training in classical music in my teens. Before I realised it, I was deep into singing. I came to Lahore and made a production house with J Ali. He would compose and I would sing. We went on to do many songs for television and films as well.
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What do you think about Sufi music?
I was always interested in Sufi poetry. When I was growing up, a lot of questions would about life and the universe would keep me awake. I want to tell people that worldwide, it is wrongly believed that Sufi music is a form of music. Eastern classical has forms like thumri and alaap, and western music has genres like rock and rap which you can recognise by the instruments played. But Sufi is the thought. Sufis believe that God is within them. It has nothing to do with religion. It is about talking about God.
What is it like to be a playback singer in Pakistan?
It is only now that playback singing has caught on. There are more Pakistani films being made now. I didn't expect to see my songs in films or that I would get famous. I didn't think that my voice would suit a hero's face. In the recent past, the style of music in films has changed, and now I am open to doing more songs. Even my music videos are all made on a low budget. I make music for my own enjoyment. I believe that melody and lyrics are most important.
What do you wish for?
I want to touch Lataji's feet if I ever get a chance to come face to face with her. I am a follower of hers. She is from another world. Her live performance of 'Jiya jale' (Dil Se), from start to end is amazing. She brings a spiritual feel to songs. The other person I want to meet is Mohammad Ali, the boxer.
What genres do you like to sing?
Sufi rock is my all-time favourite genre although I am trained in Eastern classical music. Male gayaki should have that virility which a genre like Sufi rock can.
Who are your musical icons?
In classical music, it is Salamat Ali Khan Saab, among qawwals, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, in Bollywood I admire Lata Mangeshkar and Shreya Ghoshal, in the folk world Tufail Niazi and in the west, the late Michael Jackson.
Would you compose for films?
When I started making music, I would write my own songs. Apna mazaa karte karte, I didn't realise how I became a singer.
What’s next?
I am doing title songs for movies and working on my private songs. The songs are about the things I see around me, life on the street, at the traffic signal. I believe music is one thing that can change a person’s mind on a subconscious level. My dream is to make music a vehicle to bring a – positive change in society, through education in music, perhaps.
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Listen to Phantom songs on Gaana.com
WATCH: Afghan Jalebi (Ya Baba) VIDEO Song | Phantom | Saif Ali Khan, Katrina Kaif | T-Series