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Journalism of Courage
When Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee vacationed at Kumarkom (Kerala) for a week last year, he did more than just pen down his musings. He attended a ghazal concert by Talat Aziz, who was flown in from Mumbai to entreat the PM and his entourage. Rivetted to the stage for an hour or so, Vajpayee listened to Aziz’s rendition of Nida Fazli’s ghazal, Vrindavan ke Krishna Kanhaiya Allahu/Vanshi, Radha, geet gayya Allahu (God has many manifestations. He can be found also in Krishna’s flute and Radha’s songs). Vajpayee was so moved that he wanted to be photographed with him.
That photograph now occupies the pride of place among a dozen awards and trophies Aziz has won over the last 25 years. Having released his latest album Khubsoorat recently, the ghazal nawaz talks about his music at his Juhu residence over a cup of tea. To discuss the songs in the album, he sends his domestic help to fetch him a diary. Leafing through which, he stops at a couplet written long-hand in Urdu Chehra subah Benares, zulfein Awadh ki shaam/Kitni haseen hai tu, tujhko mera salam (the face is like morning in Benares, while the tresses resemble evenings in Awadh (Lucknow)/You look so beautiful, I salute you) the opening of Khoobsurat.
Anand Bakshi, who worked for the first time on an album and with Aziz, is all praise for the singer: “He has a different style in ghazal singing. He knows the nuances of ghazal and pitches his voice perfectlyâ€. The perfection didn’t come overnight. This Hyderabad lad trained under Ustad Samad Khan of the Kirana gharana and ghazal maestro Mehdi Hasan before he gave Bollywood a go. Success came slowly, but consistently. From the release of his first album Jagjit Singh presents Talat Aziz (1979) to Khubsoorat(2001), Aziz has been through many ups and downs. From Zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein latee hai hamein (Umrao Jaan) to Phir chhidi raat baat phoolon ki(Bazaar), he has sung a few classics for Hindi cinema.
And then there is a long list of hit albums including Ehsaas, Suroor, Saugaat, Tasavur and Irshaad that have worked quite well with ghazal connoisseurs. Amid all this, he has enthralled audiences at dozens of venues in India and abroad, including the Royal Thomson Auditorium in Toronto in 1986.
When offers from films dwindled and mehfils seemed too mundane, he turned to television and composed music for serials like Deewar, Baaz, Adhikar, Ghutan, Saahil, and Ashirwaad. His pleasing personality landed him roles in some serials as well Saahil and Noorjahan to name a few.
Ask him about his opinion on the music scene in the country today and Aziz launches into a tirade against “naive and unprofessional†singers and their patrons. “It disappoints me when I see people compromising quality for making fast buck. Anyone who can rhyme a few lines is cutting an album,†he says. “Music companies are more concerned about beautiful visuals than the contents in a video album.†He picks up a recent issue of a national magazine, and pointing to a new singer featured in its chatterati column. He says: “Look, what is her achievement which deserved her a place in this column? It is all a matter of connections. The media is also responsible for giving undue publicity to mediocrity.â€
Nida Fazli, who has closely watched Aziz’s rise from the day he cut his first album and has written songs for him in Sailaab, Saahil and Noorjahan, pays tribute to his voice in glowing words: “As Talat comes from an Urdu background, his pronunciation is perfect. There is clarity in verses when he sings. He understands the tender art of Urdu ghazal. His presentable personality has added to his popularity.â€
Popularity, thankfully, has not made Aziz complacent. “I am not satisfied with what I have achieved so far. I am planning a few new things.†And that includes a fusion with a classical singer. But why has he stopped singing for films? “I have not stopped. The filmwallas have trivialised everything. If there is a project which suits my voice, I will certainly do it. But the problem is that most producers and directors tread the beaten path. And I certainly don’t fit into their scheme of things,†he rationalises.
The boy has brought the second cup of tea. A girl from Star TV calls Aziz on his mobile and requests him to be at the studio for a chat at 8.00 am next morning. “It is too early, dear! Ok, I will make it. I like to chat,†he says.
Aziz doesn’t have a choice, does he? When one is in the entertainment business, one should never say no.
