Asha Bhosle may have forgiven Atif Aslam, we haven’t

In 2012, Pakistan’s own atonal superstar singer Atif Aslam was part of an Indian music reality show named Sur Kshetra. The iconic Asha Bhosle too was part of the show. Both served as sitting judges. Atif was extremely rude to Asha Bhosle, so much so that she called him ‘bidga hua’ (spoilt brat), which many think is true.

We didn’t know Atif moonlighted as an archaeologist. But earlier this week on Pakistani television Atif excavated this forgotten incident. He spoke about his differences with Asha Bhosle, claiming that they had sorted out their conflict points, all thanks to Asha Bhosle’s daughter who, claims Atif, told her mother, ‘Why are you fighting with that handsome boy?’

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The ‘handsome boy’ in all his magnanimity has decided to forgive and forget the incident.

Now, we all know all truth is subjective. But Atif’s truth about what happened with Asha Bhosle bends the truth into an unrecognizable shape. Atif was constantly rude to the iconic songstress, contradicting her judgement with smirking sarcasm, so much so that she quit the show.

Here is what the Sur Kshetra producer Gajendra Singh had said to me about the incident. “Atif’s conduct with Ashaji was not proper. We were all shocked and wondered why he was behaving this way. Finally, matters came to a head and Ashaji walked out of the show for a couple of weeks. Two people persuaded her to return. One was Boney Kapoor and the other was Ashaji’s niece Rachna Shah. If they hadn’t mediated God knows what we’d have done. Ashaji is like the foundation and touchstone of the show.”

To now claim that all is well between the two is not only preposterous, it is adding insult to injury.

The claim that Asha Bhosle’s daughter brought about the patch-up is even more unacceptable. Asha Bhosle had only one daughter Varsha who committed suicide in October 2012. Sur Kshetra the reality show on Colors where Indian contestants were pitched against Pakistani contestants, was telecast from September to December 2012.

It seems highly unlikely that Varsha, may her soul rest in peace, spent the last month of her life mediating between her mother and that ‘handsome boy’ from Pakistan who needs to understand that abusing Indian hospitality won’t be tolerated.

We repeatedly invite Pakistani artistes to India only to be kicked in the butt by them. What is the need for it? We don’t need them. They need us. We give them a warm welcome. In return, they insult our icons. Sounds like an unfair deal.

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based film critic who has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. He tweets at @SubhashK_Jha.

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