Lahore: Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has praised Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, naming him his favourite Punjabi singer during an interaction captured in a video circulating on social media.
When asked by a journalist about his preferred Punjabi artist, Akram named Dosanjh and praised his music and international career.
“Diljit Dosanjh is my current favourite Punjabi singer. He is the biggest star in the world. His music is amazing,” Akram said.
He also described Dosanjh as a star in his own right and used the Punjabi expression zabardast to praise his music.
The video has attracted reactions from social media users in Pakistan and India, with several welcoming the former cricketer's appreciation of an artist from across the border.
Akram's comments follow several instances in which Dosanjh has worked with or acknowledged Pakistani performers.
The singer previously collaborated with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. The two had also shared the stage during one of his concerts in London, where Aamir joined him during a performance.
Their collaboration attracted attention amid restrictions and political tensions affecting cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan.
More recently, Dosanjh paid tribute to Pakistani qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan during his concert at London's Wembley Stadium on 12 September.
As part of his Aura World Tour, Dosanjh performed Khan's Saanson Ki Maala, with recordings of the performance subsequently circulating on social media.
Speaking about the tribute, Dosanjh acknowledged the difficulty of performing Khan's music and said he had wanted to honour the singer's contribution.
Dosanjh has expanded his career beyond Punjabi music through Hindi and Punjabi films, international concerts and collaborations with artists from different countries.
His Aura World Tour is scheduled to continue in India, with performances planned in Delhi NCR, Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Lucknow. A concert at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium is scheduled for 21 November.
The exchange involving Akram also reflects the continued circulation of Punjabi music across Pakistan and India, where audiences share a language and cultural traditions despite political differences.
For Pakistani listeners, Dosanjh's collaborations with Hania Aamir and his tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have provided further points of connection with his work.
Akram's remarks add to those exchanges, highlighting the relationship between music, popular culture, and audiences on both sides of the border.
