Atif Aslam’s hit parade: 12 tracks that made him a music icon

A celebration of the Pakistani sensation’s most memorable songs as he gears up for his UK tour

• Asjad Nazir
• 20 August, 2024

By: Asjad Nazir

ATIF ASLAM has entertained generations of fans with his fabulous voice, whether it is standalone singles or terrific tracks for films and TV shows.

The Pakistani pop sensation enjoys a formidable reputation as a live performer and he is known for his arena shows around the world. Demand for his UK tour tickets in September is expected to be high.

Eastern Eye has drawn up a playlist of 12 tracks propelled him to become a music icon.

Aadat: The timeless track will always be special because it launched the singer’s stunning journey. He has delivered various versions of this song, including one on his debut solo album and another interpretation in the Bollywood movie Kalyug. Aadat still has awesome power more than 20 years after it was first released.

Woh Lamhe: The singer made his Bollywood debut with what turned out to be a star-making song in the 2005 mystery thriller, Zeher. The Hindi cinema adaptation of a track he had earlier released with his former band Jal was a huge global hit. There was a slower romantic version and a more upbeat dance mix that proved to be popular. It opened the door to a raft of Indian film hits.

Pehli Nazar Mein: There are rumors and allegations the music of this Pritam-composed song was copied from the South Korean drama serial Sassy Girl Chun-hyang, but that didn’t stop it from being a huge global hit. The highly rated romantic number from the 2008 Bollywood film, Race, struck a chord with listeners around the world, largely due to Aslam’s vocals.

Tu Jaane Na: This was the standout song in the 2009 romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. It was another love song powered by the singer’s unique voice. A special mention goes to his other song in the movie, Tera Hone Laga Hoon, which also became a huge success.

Tere Liye: The only thing anyone remembers about the terrible 2010 Indian film, Prince, was the great songs rendered by Aslam. The best of these, by far, was this upbeat dance duet with Shreya Ghoshal. There were various versions of this blockbuster hit, which was wasted on this Bollywood stinker.

Hona Tha Pyar: The biggest musical highlight of the globally acclaimed 2011 Pakistani movie, Bol, was this beautiful duet. The love song brought together two Pakistani music idols, as Aslam teamed up with pop queen Hadiqa Kiani. Their vocals blended together brilliantly on a romantic song relatable to anyone who has fallen in love.

Main Rang Sharbaton Ka: The outstanding moment from the 2013 Bollywood action comedy, Phata Poster Nikhla Hero, was this top tune. Although it was a duet featuring the talented singer Chinmayi Sripada, this track very much belonged to Aslam. He dominated the melodious number with his unmistakable vocals and oozed romance with each line.

Tajdar-e-Haram: There have been many wonderful moments on the iconic Pakistani music show Coke Studio, and this masterful 2015 cover version of a classic Sabri Brothers qawwali ranks right up there with the very best. This interpretation combined a deeply spiritual message with a contemporary structure, which enabled it to connect with listeners across generations.

Jeena Jeena: The dark 2015 drama, Badlapur, featured this delightful, deeply emotional  love song. The global chartbuster became the heartbeat of this movie and helped turn it into a success. Aslam earned yet another Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer nomination for the highly rated romantic number that is a great combination of beautiful lyrics, wonderful music and lovely vocals.

Dil Diyan Gallan: It is no surprise this blockbuster hit has been collectively viewed over a billion times on YouTube. The romantic song from the hit 2017 Bollywood action entertainer, Tiger Zinda Hai, showed once again that few can deliver a great love song quite like Aslam. Music duo Vishal-Shekhar brought out the best in the singer with a song that strongly resonated with music fans.

Wohi Khuda Hai: There are very few singers globally who can take on a song made popular by the late music powerhouse, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and make it their own. But that is exactly what Aslam did with this spiritual song. He combined power, grace and raw emotion with his stunning performance on the popular music show Coke Studio.

Rafta Rafta: Although Aslam is perhaps most known for his work in Bollywood and for winning appearances on Coke Studio, he has delivered an impressive number of standalone singles like this masterpiece. The romantic, emotional number once again showed that few can deliver a love song quite like Aslam. Like his other songs, it has delighted many millions around the world.

Atif Aslam at SEC Armadillo, Glasgow (September 6), Mattioli Arena, Leicester (September 7) and OVO Arena, Wembley (September 8)

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