E-Paper
Ghazal maestro Talat Aziz on singing Begum Akhtar's ghazals in a play on her: Never did so much research in my life
The veteran ghazal singer will sing Begum Akhtar's ghazals live on stage as part of a play, titled Ammi... Akhtari, which premiers on October 25 in Mumbai.
Though ghazal has always been an integral part of Talat Aziz’s life, the veteran singer has spent the last few months researching and working on the nuances of Begum Akhtar’s music. Why? He is part of a play, titled Ammi... Akhtari, based on the Queen of Ghazal’s life. “It’s a very special project for me. Besides singing her iconic ghazals, thumris and a dadra, I am also excited about doing this on stage alongside a live enactment of the legend’s life. Until this project, I hadn’t done so much homework and research in my life on any subject, because I knew that her music cannot be just imitated and reproduced. One has to go deeper into her psyche as a person and singer,” says Aziz, who will take the stage this week, as the play premiers on October 25.
He adds, “The trauma and ecstasy she experienced in life reflect in her voice and renditions. I can’t replicate that, but I have tried to understand her feelings and reproduce them in my voice, keeping the essence intact. There are fine nuances that need to be taken into account while singing her ghazals, but I have added my own style and merged it with hers and a bit of my ustad, Mehdi Hassan sahab’s (late ghazal legend).”
The play, penned by Sayeed Alam and directed by Saif Hyder Hasan, features actors Padmini Kolhapure and Tejaswini Kolhapure Saraswat as Begum Akhtar and her shagird Sukhi, respectively. Ask what made him get aboard the act, and Aziz says it’s his homage to Begum Akhtar: “Unfortunately, I never met her. But I felt her soul through her music that I’d listen to on Vividh Bharti (radio channel) daily. Khayyam sahab (late composer), who I was extremely close to, had composed eight of her iconic ghazals, including Ae Mohabbat Tere Anjaam Pe Rona Aya, Woh Jo Hum Mein Tum Mein and Mere Humnafas Mere Humnava, which I am looking forward to presenting on stage.”
Meanwhile, on the acting front, Aziz will start shooting for his next project soon. “I am selective about the roles I take on. I recently signed a web show and my character has a lot of gravitas. It’s an ensemble cast project, which co-stars Raveena Tandon,” he ends.
