Pakistani singer Ali Zafar says that in his initial days he used to draw portraits to earn enough money to record his first music album.

“I started my career with painting portraits in a hotel lobby – 20-minute sketches. I was 18 then. I collected money by doing this so that I could record my album. Then I recorded my songs and shot the video. I was studying and modelling simultaneously, only to fulfill my dreams. All this took three-four years and when it finally released my hard work paid off, the song Channo became a hit overnight” the 31-year-old said while painting his London, Paris, New York co-star Aditi Rao Hydari at a promotional event of the film releasing on Friday.

Ask him about his most beloved painting and he goes red in the face.

“I think I had made a painting of someone a long time ago and that was quite an emotional painting. It’s an old, personal story. She got married to someone else,” said Ali shyly.

Check out Ali’s popular hit Jhoom : 

[youtube_video id=nVtlzJ9I244]

Ali is currently busy promoting London, Paris, New York, which is directed by Anu Menon.

Stay tuned to www.highonscore.com for regular musical updates.

Hark ye, padawaans! Follow the musical force on Twitter @highonscore

Follow Shresht Poddar on Twitter @shreshtpoddar