I don’t want to be a chocolate hero: Atif Aslam

Atif Aslam would be a philanthropist if he could be anything other than a musician/actor.

If you could play a character in any film ever made, you would play...

I would like to play a negative and shady character. I don’t want to be a chocolate hero, dancing around trees and boring people.

If you could collaborate with any musicians (past or present), you’d work with...

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Perveen jee; I guess I’ll enhance my spiritual experience towards music.

If you could live in another time, you’d choose...

I would like to go to the time of Hazrat Dawoud (AS) and I’ll try to figure out how he used to communicate with birds and listen to what kind of vocals he had which inspired so many creatures.

If you could be anything other than a musician/actor, you’d be...

A philanthropist to give me a bigger reason to live.

If you had to record a cover version of i) a Pakistani, ii) an English song, you’d pick...

I have already sung Pakistani and English song covers — Dosti, Meri Hamjoliyaan, Akhiyaan Nu Rehn Dey and Billie Jean.

If you could change one thing about the world, you’d change…

I would like to change the distribution of basic necessities of life and make them available for everyone.

If you could change one thing about yourself/your life, you’d change…

I wish I could stop being careless about my health.

If you could go back in time, you’d...

I’ll go to each and every era of human civilisation to see all the revolutions that they pass through to learn more and more.

I’m looking forward to...

People’s response to the movie Bol.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2010.