I recently read an article in the www.dailytimes.com.pk about this guy Atif, who i really don’t know. But I was a little surprised by his treatment of his fans. Is this typical of Pakistani celebrities? He was charging them for his autograph…teenyboppers. Does this change anyone’s perception of him or do you just care that he sings well?
Ok..it was last weeks editon i guess, not up anymore. But does anyone know about this kind of behavior?
Re: Atif is a Diva?
The way the article's headline reads it seems they're accusing him of being a transvestite!
Re: Atif is a Diva?
The writer seems to be self obsessed. chay kahein kaa.
Re: Atif is a Diva?
here is the article,
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By Reem Khan
To be absolutely honest with you, the very first time I heard Atif’s voice, I fell in love with it like a little schoolgirl lost, who has finally found her first crush. He has the kind of dreamy voice that makes you want to fall in love, melt, and be reduced to nothing but a big slurpy pile of jello! Then you finally get the strength to get back up only to go through that whole song and dance routine again. Maybe I’m stretching it, but yea that’s what his voice did for me… that is, until recently.
I remember the first time I met him. It was back in the good ol’ days when Atif had not parted ways with Jal and gone off to seek solo stardom. The good ol’ days when buying a Jal CD meant getting to sample both Atif’s and Gohar’s talents, not standing in the aisle scratching your head wondering which CD to buy out of the two! I met him at an Alhamra gig organised by Aitchison College back in January of 2004. It was one heck of a show, with even more of a foot stamping, jive and groove performance. I remember sitting mesmerised in the audience, gawking at this one-hit wonder. After the show, I grabbed (not literally, I don’t just grab a hold of every guy I see!) one of the organisers and told him to lead me to the voice that could launch a thousand ships (HEY, if a face could do it, why can’t a voice?!). When I got to the stage, Atif, like any other star, was busy having pictures taken with his legions of fans. After having his image clicked upon he came to the front of the stage, met me very nicely and then was on his way. I, very happy with my newfound obsession, went home, content that here was a pop sensation who knew how to treat those who admired him.
Fast forward to the 23rd of December of the same year and whoa! Had we come a long way or what? Jal had broken up, Atif was an entity surviving on his own and Goher and his minions were gathering up their own faithful followers (sounds a bit like Lord of the Rings doesn’t it?). As for me, I was still horribly devoted to Atif and had bought his Jalpari album countless times, not just for myself but all my family members.
Anyway back to the day at hand, Atif was holding a concert at Kinnaird (can’t help but wonder what men see or used to see in that place!) and I was all geared up and ready to go see my idol perform his heart out. We were seated at six pm and were treated to Rage before the vocal maestro took to the stage. I was UNpleasantly surprised when we were told that Atif would not grace us with his presence for another two hours. After that followed a relentless period of freezing our butts off while seated on the damp ground of the amphitheatre. I must mention here that Rage performed extremely well and the lead vocalist really sang and danced his heart out. He was full of life and energy and I must say he was quite a refreshing breeze of hyperactivity! So there we were, waiting and waiting and waiting until, quite honestly, I felt the numbness settling into some regions I do not care to mention!
Atif took to the stage at about nine pm (a full hour more than the limits of our expectations allowed) and by then, I could feel my patience wearing thin but woe is to me who yet again got taken in by that soul train he calls a voice. The girls went crazy, the guys in the audience sulked when their girlfriends got a little too close for comfort and I forgot about the time lapse. After the rocking gig, there were throngs of doting fans making their way backstage to meet the artist. I took my little sis to meet him (she’s that teeny bopper type so I couldn’t resist!) and after a bit of a wait we gained entrance. There he stood, in all his striped sweater glory, for the adoration that surrounded him. My sibling rushed over to him and had her picture taken with him. Just as he was about to bestow upon her his autograph, an elderly lady who seemed to be one of the organisers, walked in and told the fans that if they wanted an autograph they had to pay, yes PAY, five hundred quid and for a snapshot, they had to dish out a thousand big ones. My jaw hit the ground when I heard this. I expected Atif to rise in denial to these stupid demands but to my utter shock he glanced at his brother, Shahbaz, and upon his insistence my soon to be disowned pin-up put down his pen and said that he would not oblige with anymore autographs or pictures. I couldn’t believe my ears. What was he, a puppet on a string? When brother say jump, I jump and when brother say sign, I sign – you have got to be kidding me! When the fans kept trying to gain access to their hero, they were forcibly ushered out. A couple of other fans I met on my way out were as dumbfounded as I was, they couldn’t believe the absurdity of the ultimatum and more than that, they could not believe that Atif had allowed it to happen.
I remember once meeting Clint Eastwood and Rene Russo back in ’92 during the filming of In The Line of Fire. Dirty Harry didn’t shun away his fans by asking for a quick buck, he signed all the pieces of paper that came his way and he did so with a smile on that renowned face.
How can anyone honestly expect teenage, pubescent kids to whip out that much dough just so you can sign a measly piece of paper? How can you honestly expect your fans to remain loyal to you when you turn them away with just a wave of your hand? Atif, I’m sorry to say, you disappointed a die-hard fan in just one encounter, you let down the many fans who have helped build you into whatever it is you are now. Money may be a sustainer champ, but it’s not the way to enter our hearts.
Re: Atif is a Diva?
tsk tsk tsk..... Commi.. are u proud of this?!