Who is Muhammad Atif Aslam? 

By IndiaFM News Bureau, April 16, 2005 - 08:53 IST

'Yes, that's me” Atif tells us, as we chat over a telecon. We are talking to the man behind the track spinning atop most music charts, 'Woh Lamhe' from Zeher. “I made this song some time back, it was a part of my album, Jalpari. Mukesh Bhatt got in touch with me and said he wanted the song for his forthcoming film” he recollects. “Since it was a rage in Pakistan, I on my part was curious about how the Indian audience would react to it, so was agreeable to the idea. The song was tweaked and recorded in September last year” the youngster informs us.

The song is playing in every nook and cranny of India, what does he think worked best? “It simply reinforces that the treatment of music can change, but people always smell good music from a distance” he articulates. “Besides, I think it has a generic feel to it, it lends itself to people. When people walk up to me and say 'yeh gaana apne humare liye likha hain', I feel I haven't failed my music” Atif coils.

“I was surfing the internet for the latest Pakistani hits and bumped into 'Woh Lamhe'. I thought it was a powerful track and desperately wanted it for Zeher.” says an excited Mohit fresh from the success of his directorial debut. And he thought that it would become the 'Bheege hont tere' of 2005? “That's right, it has a magnetic quality about it, instantly draws you to it. Unlike other songs, it doesn't time to grow on you which works well for today's youngsters like me who are incredibly impatient” he smiles. “I remember an incident when Atif told me that the time he sang the track in Pakistan, it had rained, I brushed it away. But believe me, we recorded in September and it rained” Mohit tells us amused.

Controversy King: Mahesh Bhatt