In a contemporary era where music is being copied, remixed and created with zero emotion, Pankaj Udhas established himself as bright guiding light in classical music that enlightens the darkness with his voice. There was a very novel way in which Udhas sahab adored and described the beauty. His contribution to the music industry is no less than a treasure for budding singers.
Early Age:
Pankaj Udhas, the master of ghazals, was born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat. But he eventually relocated to Mumbai, where he finished his education at St. Xavier’s College. He also visited Gujarat’s Sir BPTI Bhavanagar.
Not only Pankaj Udhas but also his two brothers pursued singing as a career, with one of them finding great success. While his other brother Nirmal Udhas became a well-known Ghazal singer, his eldest brother Manhar Udhas rose to stardom doing Hindi playback singing in Bollywood films.
It was his brother that got Pankaj Udhas interested in singing at a very young age. The five-year-old Udhas sang the well-known song “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo” by Lata Mangeshkar during his first-ever theatrical performance. It was during the Sin-India War that he performed this. Feeling touched by his powerful performance, a member of the crowd gave him ₹51.
Career Growth:
His career started in 1980 when the ghazal album “Aahat” was released. He quickly came to be associated with ghazal music in India. The legendary song “Chitthi Aayee Hai” from the Bollywood picture “Naam,” which starred Sanjay Dutt, was voiced by the ghazal maestro.
He is also most known for his iconic songs, which include “Aaj Phir Tumpe” from Feroz Khan’s 1988 action thriller Dayavan, “Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai” from Pravin Bhatt’s 1998 film Ek Hi Maqsad, “Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise” from Lawrence D’Souza’s 1991 romantic film Saajan, and “Chhupana Bhi Nahi Aata” from Abbas-Mustan’s 1993 revenge thriller Baazigar, among others.
Well-known albums like Aahat (1980) and songs like Na Kajre Ki Dhaar, Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein, Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, and Thodi Thodi Piya Karo are among his ghazal accomplishments.
In addition, the renowned vocalist was bestowed with other honors for his services to the music industry, including the Padma Shri, India’s highest civilian honor, in 2006.
In an interview, Pankaj Udhas spoke about getting back on stage after long time “Before the pandemic, there used to be a lot of confidence in me before any concert. But the pandemic phase was tough, even psychologically. Though I did my riyaaz regularly and tried to keep up and not get rusted, there was a lack of exposure to the stage and audience. So, when I got back on stage after two years with a concert in Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), I was really nervous. But when I went up on stage and saw 6,000 people cheering for me, I had tears in my eyes. It was a very emotional moment, as I was deprived of the stage for so long,” he said.
Sonu Nigam expressed his heartfelt grief over Udhas’ passing, calling him an important part of his childhood and expressing his heartfelt condolences. I believe Udhas Sahab was an important part of everyone’s childhood and has some fond memories associated with his songs.
Taking to his Instagram handle, Sonu Nigam shared a picture of the late Pankaj Udhas and wrote, “One of the most important parts of my childhood is lost today.
It would be unfair to call him just a singer or remember just his voice but the great artist behind the voice was not just a man but a cultural icon.
His songs were the trendsetters of the age who very finely blended a classical touch in the contemporary age that made youth his fan and looked forward to having fine taste in music. He may have transcended from one space to another, but his voice remains immortal testament to the great power of melody and emotions.
27-02-2024
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