Yusuf moved to Bhopal nearly three decades ago at the invitation of the late painter J. Swaminathan, who wanted him to join in setting up Bharat Bhavan. This close collaboration with the older artist opened many doors for the young Yusuf. Swaminathan believed that “there is none better than Yusuf who understands the meaning and magic of the line.”

In her writings about Yusuf’s paintings, Madhu Jain notes that “precision and restraint are the two attributes consistently evident in his works.” She describes them as “unsentimental, at times to the point of austerity,” yet with a “palpable rhythm.” His paintings resonate with an internal world, presenting visual cadences. Yusuf uses the abstract medium to uncover what is not directly accessible, giving hints at the distribution of cosmic bodies, their simultaneous aloofness, gravitation, and musical movement.