An Unforgettable Rewarding Evening with Literary and Gazal Celebrities at the launching of "TERA BAYAAN GHALIB”
Kudos to the triumvirate Gulzar, late Jagjit Singh and the dramatist–script writer Salim Arif for contributing their talents to the business –marketing acumen of saregama, India’s flagship Music company, in creating and launching of an unique amalgam of an album consisting of two CD packs, replete with prose, poetry, and melody–melancholic treat of the SHAIR–E-AZAM MIRZA GHALIB’S CHOCEST AND LESS KNOWN AND THUS RARE PIECES FROM GHALIB.
On the eve of 70th Birthday celebrations of the late Jagjit Singh in Dubai, where Gulzar was also present, the legendary Gazal singer had expressed his desire to Gulzar for creating a rare, but new glimpses of Ghalib’s literary and poetic works, other than what had already appeared in the movie versions and earlier serial version on Ghalib made by Gulzar and Jagjit Singh; or something more than a mere compilation of Ghalib Gazals . And for this, they just tapped the right talent in script writer- stage director Salim Arif who has been successfully staging his famous play ‘Ghalibnaama’.
Salim Arif was invited by them to conceive and script the album. Urdu letters of Ghalib written to his numerous friends, pupils and benefactors became a ready source to provide new glimpses into the personality of Mirza Ghalib. This heritage of Urdu literature constitutes a body of work that documents Ghalib’s times and concerns that leads to his poetic manifestations. All this has been included in this unique album. And Ghalib’s voice is given here by none else than his staunch follower and the ‘Sangam’ of Hindi and Urdu literature, disciple of Miraza Ghalib, Gulzaar saab – our present living legend. Now after the untimely sad demise of Jagjit Singh, this especially 70th birth day, commemorative concept of him, is now brought as a humble tribute to him.
Electrifying Launching
The launching event was set at 6.15 p.m at the 5 star Novotel Hotel Juhu. And before even the media could come, Gulzar and Salim Arif were already present. Soon followed the galaxy of celebrity singers Anup Jalota, Bhupinder and Chaitali Singh, Talat Aziz, Rekha Bharadwaj, Ghanshyam Vasvani with presence of celebrity film and playwright Javed Siddiqui and singer Raageshwari. The formal release was to be befittingly with the hands of Mrs. Chitra Singh (Who also sang a few duet of Ghalib Gazals in the album) while the Guest of Honour for the occasion was the glamorous star Vidya Balan.
However, each celebrity guest and the entire media was made to wait till 7-30 p.m. due to the famed late starry arrival (Here now Vidya Balan). It was like a proverbial case ‘Man proposes star disposes’. We can understand the absence of mournful and ailing Chitra Singh. And it is now an established fact that the word punctuality becomes redundant when a reigning film star’s presence is required, with a sole exception of Big Bachchan. But the long wait became worthwhile and rewarding by what followed between 7-30 and 8 p.m.
The mere soulful presence and live recitation by Gulzar was something out of this world. In his cystal clear and sonorous voice he not only touched our hearts but the whole flow of gangetic water flowed down our senses when he dedicated as tribute to Jagjit Singh; with an especially written poetic piece (also a part of the album) "EK Bauchhar Tha Woh”. With this original recital Gulzar also recited some gems of Ghalib’s Shairy; interspersed with his own reminisces of the legendary poet icon.
Both Gulzar and Saregama’s MD, Apurv Nagpal admitted that ‘The untimely and sad demise of Jagjit Singh who had conceived this as “Fresh and new” album; robbed us and all his fans of that freshness to some extent, since a few of the incomplete pieces were to be added from the archives. But the addition of Gulzar’s poetry and citations of Ghalib’s voice has kept this ‘freshness’ and the deft handling of the script by Salim Arif has added the cham’. Needless to say that after Gulzar’s live presentation, the glamour- filled formal launching of the album jointly by Vidya Balan with Gulzar and Salim was brief but apt climax.
If you are a die- hard fan of Jagjit- Gulzar and of the Iconic Ghalib; you have to wait for the review treat of the album , to be followed in the next instalment. Worth waiting promise for ‘Tera Bayaan Ghalib’.
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