“Keep
politics
out
of
art
and
culture",
says
Pakistani
pop
singer
Ali
Zafar,
who
arrived
in
Mumbai
this
month.
He
would
like
nothing
better
than
to
move
to
Mumbai
and
become
a
singing
actor
like
Kishore
Kumar.
But
would
the
current
milieu
of
hostility
allow
him
to
make
that
move?
“Things
have
to
get
better
between
the
two
countries",
Ali
says
optimistically.
“The
sooner
the
better.
The
present
hostility
is
unbearable.
We
from
the
entertainment
industry
in
Pakistan
are
hard
hit
by
the
suspicion
between
the
two
countries."
Ali
Zafar
is
honest
enough
to
admit
there"s
more
scope
for
him
to
function
in
India
than
in
Pakistan.
“I"ll
be
honest.
There
are
more
avenues
and
prospects
here.
So
if
the
God
above
and
the
politicians
down
on
earth
permit,
I"d
love
to
move
to
Mumbai.
An
artist
knows
no
bounds
and
boundaries.
My
first
home
is
Lahore.
But
I"d
like
to
make
Mumbai
my
second
home."
Ali
has
a
wife
and
a
3-month
baby
boy
back
home.
“When
I
left
home
I
kept
looking
back
at
my
home
and
loved
ones.
I
wish
they
could
come
with
me." Ali
expects
his
wife
to
join
him
in
Mumbai
later
during
his
current
trip
to
the
city,
his
first
after
26/11.
In
the
last
6–7
years
he
has
been
to
Mumbai
at
least
20
times.
However,
he
was
unable
to
return
recently
because
of
the
current
political
scenario.
“Things
have
changed.
My
last
visit
was
before
26/11
and
I
remember
how
pleasant
the
mood
was
in
Mumbai.
I
was
free
to
move
around
the
streets
of
Mumbai.
I
cannot
deny
there"s
tension
between
the
two
countries.
Earlier
travelling
between
the
two
countries
was
easier
(aana
jaana
laga
rehta
tha).
Initially,
we
artists
from
Pakistan
used
to
get
multiple
visas
quite
easily.
Now
it"s
different.
However,
I
feel
singers
and
other
artists
should
be
exempt
from
politics."
Ali
thinks
it"s
easy
for
him
to
incorporate
singing
into
his
acting
because
he
uses
a
lot
of
acting
expression
on
stage.
“I
wanted
to
do
something
different
from
what
my
colleagues
from
Pakistan
do
in
India.
I
always
thought
my
first
acting
experience
would
be
something
different
and
special.
I"ve
no
leading
lady
in
my
first
film
Tere
Bin
Laden.
I
was
determined
that
when
I
act
for
the
first
time
I"d
sing
for
myself
and
not
sing
for
others
on
screen.
When
I
met
the
director
Abhishek
Varma
for
Tere
Bin
Laden
in
Mumbai,
I
knew
this
was
the
project
that
I
wanted
to
start
my
big-screen
acting
career
with.
I
laughed
so
much
when
I
heard
the
script.
I
was
sure
audiences
would
love
it
too."
Being
married
doesn"t
diminish
Ali"s
popularity.
“On
the
contrary
female
fans
trust
married
men
more
than
unmarried
male.
Married
men
are
considered
stable." About
being
inspired
by
Kishore
Kumar,
Ali
Zafar
shoots
off,
“He"s
my
definite
inspiration
just
as
Kishore
Kumar
Saab
was
inspired
by
K.L.
Saigal."
Ali
is
on
the
verge
of
signing
new
films
in
Mumbai
and
moving
in
to
Mumbai.
“I
love
the
city.
I
want
it
to
love
me
back
as
much
as
I
do."