In the earliest Bollywood movies, Sufism was represented in the form of 'qawwali' which made its way from 'dargahs' (shrines). Mixing it with pop influences, Hindi movies began using Sufi music in a big way only in the current decade with songs like 'Sajdaa' ('My name is Khan') and 'Jashn-e-Bahara' ('Jodha Akbar') getting popular.
"I think Sufism is losing its value. Every song that has name of Allah (God) does not make it Sufi at all. One has to see, which 'shayar' (urdu poet) has done it. I think we are not capable of gauging...What was their relation with Allah," Atif Aslam said in an interview here.
Incidentally, Kailash Kher's rendition 'Allah Ke Bande' took forward the trend of Sufism in Bollywood.
Sufism is a soulful hymn expressing divine union with God and if it is not there then it's not a Sufi song, Aslam said.
"I think unless it is not authentic and pure it is not a sufi song...We cannot just tag it in that space," said Aslam, who has lent his voice to Hindi film songs like 'Woh Lamhe' from film 'Zeher', 'Pehli Nazare Mein' ('Race'), Bakhuda Tumhi Ho ('Kismat Konnection'), 'Tera Hone Laga Hoon' ('Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani') and others. MORE