To this day, a great many artists present his renditions across different platforms and forums, trying to reproduce the same hold over a mystifying genre, which is a fine blend of Arabic, Persian and Urdu verse.
However, we trust the orginal and nothing but the original - the one and only Sheheshah-e-ghazal to convey the intended meaning in his husky and resonant voice, exactly as the shayar constructed it piece by piece: all the way from the Matla to the Maqta, while cherishing the sonic identity through the immutable Radeef and the variable Kafiya.
Born in Luna, Rajasthan to a musical family of Darbari Ustads who were also into wrestling, Mehdi Hassan saab delivered his first public performance at the tender age of 8 before the Maharaja of Baroda. He never looked back ever since and took his vocalism to new highs across diverse forms, whether Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri or Dadra. Thanks to his selfless contribution, the ghazal form enjoys a Pole Star position of pride today, which cherishes the legacy of all-time greats like Begum Akhtar through purposeful improvization.
Post partition, Mehdi saab’s family relocated to Pakistan where he ran errands at a bicycle shop before becoming a competent auto-mechanic, as well versed with engine makes as he was with raga types. Never abandoning his riyaz, he kept exploring opportunities and the Radio Pakistan stint as a thumri singer was the perfect foundation that unleashed his lifelong passion as a world-renowned Ghazal exponent.
His renditions are not just about the gayaki and raagdaari, there’s something deeper about his singing that makes the discerning music lover wilfully and gainfully introspective. After identifying the most appropriate raga for the ghazal’s defining mood, he innovates on it with astounding dexterity, impeccable pronunciation and enunciation, and prudent phrasing, and all this without disturbing the raga’s integrity. He entertains the audience and leaves them mesmerised but there’s no playing to the gallery.
Think of Mehdi saab, and you yearn to lose yourself again and again in the hypnotic spells of Ranjish Hi Sahi, Gulon Mein Rang Bhare, Ab Ke Hum Bichhre, Baat Karni Mujhe Mushkil, Woh Zara Si Baat Par, Zindagi Mein To Sabhi, Mohabbat Karne Wale, Ku-Ba-Ku Phail Gayi, Shola Tha Jal Bujha Hoon…the list is endless.
Here I recount one of his lesser known but highly incisive ghazals 'Kaise Kaise log', a masterpiece penned by Munir Niazi saab. Each couplet is true to life – both in terms of the lyrics and the composition. Ask those who intuitively sense the hollowness of social interactions, and they will profusely agree:
कैसे-कैसे लोग हमारे जी को जलाने आ जाते हैं, अपने-अपने ग़म के फ़साने हमें सुनाने आ जाते हैं।मेरे लिए ये ग़ैर हैं और मैं इनके लिए बेगाना हूँ फिर भी एक रस्म-ए-जहाँ है जिसे निभाने आ जाते हैं।इनसे अलग मैं रह नहीं सकता इस बेदर्द ज़माने में मेरी ये मजबूरी मुझको याद दिलाने आ जाते हैं।सबकी सुनकर चुप रहते हैं, दिल की बात नहीं कहते आते-आते जीने के भी लाख बहाने आ जाते हैं।I am not attaching Mehdi saab’s elaborate version given the poor quality of the Youtube tracks; here’s the compositionally-truncated film song version which has enough nutrients to organically lead the true music lover to the full-blown rendition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kJmdw3S04U