Indian singer Anuv Jain recalls how Atif Aslam turned BBQ gathering into memorable jam session

Kathmandu Musical Festival in April 2024., Atif was scheduled to perform on the festival's opening night, while Jain was set to perform the following day. Despite having his own performance commitments, Atif attended Jain's show and later invited him and his team to a BBQ.“I have a crazy story.

I was doing a show in Nepal. Atif sir was performing on the first day, and I was performing on the second day. He came for my show and then invited us to his BBQ,” Jain recalled.

What followed was much more than a simple get-together. Jain said that he and Atif ended up spending several hours together, with the gathering eventually turning into an informal musical session. Atif performed alongside members of his band, creating a relaxed atmosphere where everyone sang and played music together.

“We were sitting there for four hours. He was performing with his band; they were playing on the table, and he was singing. I was sitting right next to him.

It was the best experience,” Anuv added. The singer's recollection highlights the informal and spontaneous nature of the evening, which he described as one of his best experiences. Rather than being a formal industry gathering, the night became an opportunity for the musicians to simply sit together, enjoy music and spend time away from the stage.

Jain had also spoken about the memorable evening at the time, sharing a picture with Atif on social media. He revealed that the late-night BBQ eventually transformed into an impromptu jam session, with the musicians continuing to sing and play for around two and a half hours.

View this post on Instagram"What a night!! This picture was taken at 3am, right after Atif sir and his band turned a simple BBQ dinner into the most amazing 2.5-hour-long jam session for about 20 of us.

Having a legend sitting just a few feet away from me doing his thing was probably one of the craziest things that has ever happened to me. Thank you for a beautiful night, sir, and for inspiring an entire generation", he wrote in the caption.

The interaction between the two singers also stood out because of their contrasting yet widely appreciated musical styles. Jain has built a strong following with his intimate, acoustic-led songwriting and emotionally driven tracks, while Atif is one of the most recognised voices in South Asian music, known for his work across Bollywood and Pakistani music.

For Jain, however, the evening appeared to be less about their respective careers and more about the simple joy of sharing music. Sitting alongside an artist he greatly admired, listening to live performances and joining an informal jam session made the encounter particularly special for the young singer.