In an era predominated by a handful of singers, singer and composer Jagjit Singh’s contribution to music can best be described as being genre defining. The ghazal, the prerogative of classical singers like Mehdi Hassan, Begum Akhtar, Angoori Bai and others and patronised by the literary elite, was brought into the mainstream thanks to Jagjit Singh’s efforts. His constant companion in his endeavours was his wife Chitra Singh, an accomplished singer herself. He handpicked the works of noted poets like Mirza Ghalib, Mir Taqi Mir, Daagh Dehlvi right upto Sudarshan Fakir, Nida Fazli, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar, reaching across the demographics. Staying away from the usual tropes of sharab and shabab, his compositions spoke of the rites of passage… of loving, losing and learning, appealing to ghazal connoisseurs as well as to the masses. Jagjit’s style of composing and singing was what the learned dub as bol-pradhan (emphasis on words). Also, his raag-based renditions relied both on the strains of the saxophone and the guitar alongside the tabla and the sitar… The same fusion of melody and melancholy, he brought to films like Saath Saath and Arth in the ’80s, making it a character in the relationship-driven films of the era. After losing their only son Vivek Singh in a tragic road accident in 1990, a heartbroken Chitra stopped singing, while Jagjit took it on as a panacea for his pain. Just as his passion for horses and penchant for humour… were all but engagements to keep the sadness at bay… Around his ninth death anniversary, we pay a tribute to the maestro, who not only popularised the ghazal as a genre but also gave it a pride of place in Hindi cinema…
EARLY YEARS
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Truth, morality, justice...
Truth shall set you free, it’s said. It took the courage of a few junior artists to expose the deepseated issues within the Malayalam film industry.
Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
Courtroom dramas, are becoming increasingly unpopular. It is that simple.
CELEBRATING THE WINNERS OF SOUTH AWARDS 2023
RACHIT GUPTA PROFILES WINNERS OF THE 68TH FILMFARE AWARDS SOUTH 2023
WINNERS ALL THE WAY
Devesh Sharma offers of bard’s eye view of the 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 with Kamar Film Factory
New beginnings
All that transpired at the press conference held to herald the 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 with Kamar Film Factory
TRAILS of GLORY
THE RECENTLY HELD 69TH SOBHA FILMFARE AWARDS SOUTH 2024 WITH KAMAR FILM FACTORY WERE A BLAST. DEVESH SHARMA CHARTS THEIR TRAJECTORY
A Man Apart
Pankaj Tripathi Has Led A Life Less Ordinary. He Shares Some Home Truths With Tanisha Bhattacharya
SMALL is BIG!
RASIKA DUGAL CONFIDES IN TANISHA BHATTACHARYA THAT SHE HAS NEVER LET THE LENGTH OF HER ROLES DEFINE HER
MARATHON WOMAN
SAIYAMI KHER, WHO LOVES TO RUN AND ACT IN EQUAL MEASURE, TELLS SUMAN SHARMA SHE'S THERE FOR THE WHOLE HOG
Long way home!
TAHIRA KASHYAP TELLS SUMAN SHARMA THAT SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN COUNTING THE MILESTONES AS HER JOURNEY IS A DESTINATION IN ITSELF