Pakistan's Latest Export

ICE PEOPLE: Ali Zafar

Music director Himesh Reshammiya must be a content man. While his soundtrack for the film Aashiq Banaya Aapne is topping the charts, he's also managed to make a decent debut as a singer for the same movie. Meanwhile, a conference call to Pakistan from Indian music company Universal Music has artiste Ali Zafar reeling in a state of shock.

His popular track Rangeen has been plagiarised and used in Aashiq Banaya Aapne "" for which Reshammiya is grabbing the credits "" without his consent. Released in June 2005, Rangeen was the first music video from his debut album in India called Huqa Pani.

Rangeen made Zafar very popular and the Indian music industry can't seem to have enough of him. Ad film-maker Prahlad Kakkar calls him the Shah Rukh Khan of Pakistan "" he has directed him for a Pepsi commercial and rumours are rife that Mahesh Bhatt is keen to cast him in one of his films.

Born in Lahore, this 25-year-old has also done modelling assignments that helped him make some pocket money. But his heart was in music and Zafar continued with his classical training. Huqa Pani that was released in 2003.

The album sold a whopping five million copies and Zafar toured 11 different countries. Now, with the international release of the same album by Universal Music, Zafar is clearly here to stay.