Singer, actor and music producer, Yasir Akhtar has been in the entertainment industry for more than three decades now.....
you & me
Singer, actor and music producer, Yasir Akhtar has been in the entertainment industry for more than three decades now. Yasir started as a child star when he was only five years old - acted in the first ever English Pakistani feature film ‘Beyond the Last Mountain’ by his uncle Javed Jabbar. Yasir gives credit to his uncle Javed Jabbar for introducing him to showbiz. Yasir, who has also been singing since his school days, formed the band - The Arid Zone - when he was in 10th grade. The band became an instant hit. It encouraged him to produce and direct 50 episodes of the first ever pop chart show of Pakistan ‘Music Channel Charts of Pakistan’. Later, he directed and produced 80 music videos and launched the careers of Shehzad Roy, Najam Sheraz, Fakhar-e-Alam, Collage, Fringe Benefits, Komal Rizvi and Nadeem Jaffery.
As an actor, Yasir has done countless dramas and serials including ‘Tapish’, ‘Yeh Jahan’, ‘Khawab Suhanay’, ‘Monsoon’, ‘Phir Yun Hua’, ‘Mera Ghar Aik Whirlpool’, ‘Jayen Kahan Armaan’, ‘Rahain’, ‘Zeher’, ‘Titlee’ and ‘Sard Aag’. Yasir is one of the few artists from Pakistan who has a profile on BBC Music. These days he is working in a series of films for television shot in the United Kingdom and will be filming in various countries including Pakistan. Let’s see what are the likes & dislikes of this multi-talented artist...
You! What is your specialised field of singing? Are you into jazz or rock & roll?
I started singing in my school. But professionally I released my first album from EMI when I was 19 years old. I am into all sorts of genres. We used to perform cover songs from Def Leppard to legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali.
Your claim to fame song:
‘Kabhi Tu Hoga Mera Milan’. I wrote, composed and recorded this song when I was the lead vocalist in one of Pakistan’s most popular musical group - The Arid Zone. It was part of our first album released by EMI.
How many music albums have you produced so far?
Three musical albums (40 tracks) and five singles. I have recently released my first ever naat ‘Assalamu Alaika Ya Nabi’. The universally popular composition is a fusion of Arabian instrumentation with western orchestra.
Your favourite international label:
Hugo Boss.
Your favourite international music celebrity:
Elvis Presley.
Your most irritating habit:
I am choosy.
You don’t like people who are...
Hypocrites.
You are afraid of..
Nothing.
Your most valuable possession:
My parents’ wedding album.
What bores you the most?
Waiting for someone.
You are crazy about...
Travelling.
Who was your favorite rock/jazz star when you were growing up or in your teens?
Bryan Adams
What’s the last thing you bought?
True Religion jeans.
The last film that made you cry?
‘The Pursuit of Happyness’.
Your favorite exercise...
Jogging.
Your favorite hangout:
Espresso in Karachi
How do you like to spend your Sundays?
At home with family and friends.
I get super uncomfortable when ...
I am not wearing the clothes I like.
What do you usually wear in daily life?
Denim jeans, t-shirt and Peshawari chappals.
The best gift you have ever received?
A Cavalli watch from my better half.
The best thing that’s been said about you...
A first few lines written for my drama serial ‘Jayen Kahan Armaan’s soundtrack: Duniya hansti hai... Dil roota hai ... Ik hujoom sa hai ... Iss dil main jo likha hai... Kiss ko sunayen.
The biggest misconception about you...
That I am a proud person.
If you had access to a time machine which era would you revisit?
The same era.
Something very few people know about you as a person...
I want my sleeping suit pyjamas to be ironed before I go to bed.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hollywood
