Even if Amjad Ali Khan wasn’t the greatest sarod player in the country, it wouldn’t have mattered. For someone with such good looks, he would’ve eventually found fame and fortune in the tinsel town. It’s just as well, it didn’t happen so. It was written that Amjad Ali Khan would pick up the instrument, modified and created by his own forefathers. In December 1986, Society caught up with India’s famed sarod player, who was at his humourous best and in the mood to say it all.
Everything about Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the sarod maestro, is classy. Right from the delicate embroidery on his kurta to his clean manicured fingernails. A shock of silvery hair sits neatly in place on a head containing oodles of grey matter, which mastermind the intricate artistry of his fingers, racing across unmarked strings like so many thoroughbreds racing together to the winning post.
The music that emanates from his sarod has a magical quality, ethereal at times, sometimes transcendental, and quite simply mellifluous always. The man himself is simple. He shuns title or prefixes to his famous name. All the glided flourishes of Ustad and Padmashree are scrupulously avoided on his calling cards, which simply bears his name. He prefers to remain aloof, away from the headlines, and remain unaffected by the not-so-sporadic barbs of his critics and detractors.
Society called on Ustad Amjad Ali Khan during the latter’s recent trip to Bombay, for an interview. The sarodist or ‘sarodiya’ as they say in Hindustani, spoke at length about his craft, his instruments, his private passions, the false notes in his life, went briefly to the time he used to hit the bottle, speaking mostly in chaste Urdu, laced with Hindustani and Inglistani as well….
Khan saheb, let us begin with a very basic question. What is a sarod? Does the name have any meaning and where did the instrument originate?
This story is from the June 2018 edition of SOCIETY.
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 June 2018 edition of SOCIETY.
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
Ending Is The New Beginning
Pakistani author Sara Naveed writes on what’s considered a minority genre in her home turf. She discusses her love for writing romances…
Writing On A Wet Wall
Sudha Murty Speaks about her avatar as a bestselling children's writer
Three Friends, One Love!
Find out how love for fashion brought three close friends to start the pret label, LoveGen…
Summer Diet For Kids
WITH the arrival of the summer months and rising temperature each passing day, it really becomes a daunting task to keep a strict check on children’s health and maintain a proper check of their food intake.
Real Life Heroes
Raveena Tandon Thadani and Dr Aneel Murarka unveiled the Bharat Prerna Awards magazine amidst much appreciation and applause
Man Of Action
Magna Lounge was buzzing with excitement when the irresistibly hunky actor Vidyut Jammwal, dressed in a maroon body hugging t-shirt and black pants, dropped in to unveil the April 2017 issue of Health & Nutrition, the cover of which he had graced.
Ira
Theatre has never failed Bollywood in providing a continuous and talented supply of actors who have contributed adequately to make every film a delight. One such actor is Ira Dubey, who was born with theatre in her blood, but is now enjoying her stint in films too.
acting matters
you may remember her as the wheelchair bound character opposite amitabh bachchan in the film, te3n, but there is more to the versatile padmavati rao than just that role. find out more…
the leading lady
aishwaryaa rajnikanth dhanush has been appointed as the un women’s advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment in india. society catches up with the glamorous lady on the high profile opportunity and her other creative undertakings
mother t our lord's bride in white sari!
even as mother teresa got canonised amidst much fanfare recently, here is an interview the selfless and humble nun gave society in december 1982