The legendary folk singer who made a difference on July 5, 2017It must have been a matter of pride for Samar Iqbal to sing the duet “Soniye Ni Lamma Ganna Kumade Da” with Tufail Niazi many years ago for a television performance. Unfortunately both artists are no more. Tufail Niazi was basically a theater performer and while singing he used to act as per the requirements […]
A kafi singer worth remembering and being reflected upon with passion on July 3, 2017It was in the 1960s that Radio Pakistan’s music producer Abdul Shakoor Bedil took me and Mushtaq Hashmi to Radio Pakistan. We introduced to a folk singer Hamid Ali Bela. He was clad in a flowery coloured kurta and matching shalwar with beads around his neck; attire of a Sufi. When he sang his voice […]
The success story of the filmmaker, singer, actor and director on June 25, 2017Imagine Inayat Hussain Bhatti, an artist who started his career as a folk singer in theatres went on to invest his life-long savings in a movie ‘Warris Shah’ based upon the life and works of the great Sufi poet of Punjab. He knew that in the 1950s, this theme was too mature for cinemagoers in […]
Zahida Parveen the nightingale on June 22, 2017The great Kafi singer Zahida Parveen was born in Amritsar, Punjab, British India in 1925. Critics say that she was a ‘Peerni’ (saintly figure) by caste and not a ‘tawaif’ (red light area) singer. Her parents died at an early stage. She was raised by one of the two elder sisters namely Peeran Ditti (gift […]
Syed Younis Ijaz Ki Sheeri Khidmaat Ka Tajzayati Mutalea by Naveedul Hassan Noor on June 18, 2017Syed Younis Ijaz Gillani was born in Toba Tek Singh in a Punjabi family on June 21, 1938, and remained a supporter of the Urdu language all his life, writing poetry in this language mostly. That is why he says “Nawa-O-Nutq Ke Warse Hamesha Chalte Rehte Hain / Kabhi Mitne Nahi Dei Gi Meri Urdu […]
Diwar-e-Giriya Ke Aas Paas by Kashif Mustafa on June 13, 2017Kashif Mustafa hailing from Rawalpindi, Pakistan always enjoyed travelling to far flung places that carried history of invaders with them. He preferred these places to the cities with tall sky scrapers and its affiliated hustle bustle. He loved small lakes, wells, canals, rivers and dilapidated houses in these areas. He would be happy enjoying a […]
One of the pioneers of folk music in Punjab on May 22, 2017 Alam Lohar is an icon as far as folk music of Punjab is concerned. He knew all the folklore by heart. I have seen him singing poetry of Heer Waris Shah, Saiful Muluk and alike by heart for hours while playing a rhythm on chimta (music tongs). Before proceeding ahead I would narrate an […]
Remembering the legendary folk singer on May 18, 2017I remember vividly that when black and white television was introduced first as a pilot station in Lahore in 1964, followed by three hours live transmission from 6pm to 9pm, a tall guy wearing black cloak and necklaces of thick beads used to appear in its folk music programmes. He was Sain Akhtar Hussain who […]
Ustad Raees Khan a great exponent of sitar playing on May 10, 2017Learning of Ustad Raees Khan’s death on social media on Sunday woke me up to the fact that none of the media channels had telecast this news on Saturday; an indicator of callous attitude towards the condition of great artists. Ustad Raees Khan was an internationally renowned sitar player. He was born on November 25, […]
The unsung heroine on May 5, 2017I remember that I was in Bombay in 1964 when I watched Kidar Nath Sharma’s film ‘Hamari Yaad Aaye Gi’ starring Tanuja, Nutun’s little sister and Ashok Sharma. This film was released on February 1, 1962 and had a beautiful song “Kabhi Tanhaniyon May Yun Hamari Yaad Aeigi” sung by Mubarak Begum in the music […]