Arif Lohar had a great tour in India recently which he recalled during an interview very fondly. He also performed at a private wedding function there. He had visited India three times before. It was his second visit to Delhi. Arif explains why he has an edge of standing out amongst others who have been there:
“I have my own distinctive style. I feel that every artist should have their own signature. I feel proud that Pakistani artists have made a mark globally, be it India or abroad and that they have now reached a point where they are recognised the world over. I feel very happy when people recognise me as ‘Dum gutgoo’ singer. I think my sufi kalaam became popular at a time when it was needed most.”
He was surprised to find that people appreciate his get-up in black dress with a silver locket and long hairdo carrying a chimta in his hands. But aside from taking pride in his distinctive style of folk music, he also felt glad to have sung for Agent Vinod, an upcoming Bollywood film. Arif said:
“Honestly speaking I was very excited when I was offered to sing in a Bollywood movie. It felt good to know that people appreciate my style and want to hear more of it. Bollywood has been exploring lot of artists from Pakistan like Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Zafar and many others and I feel proud when I watch them.”
But more than all of this, he experienced a new thrill when he experimented performing at a Delhi nightclub upon being insisted on doing so. Arif shared his joy of finding a new kind of environment saying:
“I enjoy doing live shows more. Frankly, I have never tried performing at any discos or nightclubs. But I realised as an artist it is always good to experiment. I did not realise I have so many fans here. This was my first time experience to perform at a nightclub. I didn’t have a clue where to start and when to end my song. The crowd sang and danced to my performance, which went on for three hours. I don’t think I’ll shy away from performing at clubs anymore.”
