The VIPs of the Music World of India and Pakistan have made a history under the label of India’s senior most and top music company saregama.
The ‘Triveni Sangam’ of the legendary music stalwarts from the Hindustani continent Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar in classical vocal unison with Mehdi Hassan and Ghulam Ali, is the first of its kind and aptly titled ‘SARHADEIN—Music beyond boundaries”. Has any one to prove that “Music and Love"know no boundaries? It has been always “Borderless” and will ever remain “Universal”. Can anyone imagine, even in dream,a “Soul filling” duet by two genius voices Lata and Mehdi? And only Lata Didi with her age old love for the former HMV and now saregama label could have made it possible. In a serene, dignified function at the Taj Land’s End, Mumbai the album was formally released with a galaxy of participating singers on the platform and a celebrity gathering and music lovers, watching in rapt attention the AGELESS DIVA – Actor Rekha to unveil the magic.
Rekha was charged with emotions saying "I am so honored and privileged to unveil a rare album featuring many Indian and Pakistani music stalwarts of three generations and also wonder kids, but budding singers of the fourth generation (Nevaan Nigam 3 yrs. and Saanjli Khadikar 4 yrs. old.) But the rare privilege is to present the “First and perhaps the last duet together in the magical voices of two countries viz; India’s nightangle Lata Didi and music doyen Mehdi Hassan of Pakistan—a rare spectacle of “Music without boundaries”.
Lata Didi, thanked the ruling Diva Rekha that she agreed to “unveil” this album just after a phone call from me. Lata also revealed how the one and only dream duet of her with Mehdi Saab "Tera Milna Bahut Achha Lagate Hai” could happen. Wheel Chair bound Hassan had visited India in 2005 when she had the privilege of hosting a treat of Maharashtrian food at her house. But there seemed to be no possibility of both working together, which was also Hassan’s dream. Thereafter, from Pakistan, Mehdi saab had sent her a CD of few rough tracks of songs composed by him. After five years, Lata handed over the rough track of this song ”Tera Milna…” tuned by Mehdi Hassan ; to the young talented music maestro Mayuresh Pai, who has often worked with Lata in the past and now helping Lata Didi to salvage and preserve her mementos and memorabilia. In Lata’s in own words "The song, which was initially a solo track written by Farhat Shahzad, is now our first and last duet”. Lata has never performed in Pakistan but is well aware that there is immense mutual respect and love among the artistes on both sides of the border.
When Lata mentioned the idea of a full fledged album based on this concept, saregama instantly grabbed an opportunity to create the musical marvel “Sarhadein- Music Beyond Boundaries” and roped in the finest singers with Ghulam Ali, Usha Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam and Rekha Bharadwaj (Singer wife of music maestro and film maker Vishal Bharadwaj) to contribute suitably. And who could have been better lyricist for such venture than the Javed Akhtar for the songs besides the historic Mehdi- Lata duet written by Farhat? Icing on the top, of course was added by an innovation, involving the “Musi-wonder” legacy kids Nevaan Nigam (Son of Sonu Nigam) and Saanjali Khadikar- the grand niece of Lata Di) .
All singers with the music composer of the album (Mayuresh Pai) were present on stage, except Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Sonu Nigam and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Celebrities in audience spotted were Kiran Shantaram, Music maestro Ravi, Vishal Bharadwaj, Ameen Sayani, and actor Rajeev Khandelwal, amongst others.
(To be Contd. Part II with album review)
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