On Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s 120th birth anniversary, how the Tansen of 20th century came to sing in Mughal-e-Azam-Entertainment News , Firstpost

One of the most eminent exponents of the Patiala Gharana, and known as the Tansen of the 20th Century, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was born in Kasur, Punjab (now in Pakistan) on 2 April 1902.

Today,2 April, marks the 120th birth anniversary of the legendary vocalist, and on this occasion, it is only right to rediscover his legacy. That is not to say that his craft has faded into oblivion, but only that the curse of time has made the generation of today blissfully ignorant of the subcontinent’s rich heritage and culture, of which Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan is a pivotal part. While millennials may not be aware of his stature, those who know their music are well aware of the fact that he is a maverick musician, and one of the greatest vocalists to ever walk this land.

After the Partition in 1947, he wished to move to Pakistan and even did so. However, finding the classical scene there to be unfit for his likings, the musician decided to move to India, and with the help of the then Bombay Chief Minister, Moraji Desai, as well as the former Prime Minister Jawarlal Nehru, he acquired Indian citizenship. 

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, for the longest time, stayed away from film music despite several requests and encouragement. However, after a lot of coercion by K Asif, he sung two songs, ‘Prem Jogan Ban Ke’ and ‘Shubh Din Aayo’ in the magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Although, how all this came to be is a story in itself, considering that Ghulam Ali Khan was a firm and unrelenting man, and Mughal-e-Azam, one of the greatest Indian films ever. 

In the film, the song ‘Prem Jogan Ban Ke’ is sung by Tansen, one of the nine jewels of Akbar’s court, and thus it was imperative to find someone worthy to give it voice. Director K Asif perplexedly asked his composer Naushad, to which the music director promptly replied that it was only fit for the Tansen of this era to sing the song, except that he did not sing for films. After this, Asif was sure that it would be Bade Ghulam Ali Khan who would give this song a playback, and no one else. Despite Naushad’s repeated attempts to deter him, a meeting with Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was set up. 

Naushad and K Asif went to meet the musician who firmly denied all requests, until Asif adamantly claimed that Bade Ghulam Ali Khan would sing for them, and he can name any price. The former quoted Rs 25,000 at a time when the likes of Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar were getting less than Rs 500. However, it is said that K Asif complied, and even paid him a Rs 10,000 advance. The vocalist had quoted this price hoping that the director would give up and leave, but that did not happen to Ghulam Ali Khan’s disappointment. 

Nevertheless, on the day of the recording, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan walked into Mehboob Studio only to be enraged by the absence of a baithak, which was instantly then arranged by K Asif. The song was then recorded, however, K Asif was not very happy with the rendition and told the singer to sing softly, given that it was a tender and romantic song. This upset the maestro, who stormed out of the studio, and claimed that he would only return when he was shown the scene on which the song is to be played. 

Naturally, the director had not shot the scene yet, and was compelled to shoot it hastily. It was then screened for the vocalist, who watched in grave silence and then nodded his head in approval. He also announced that he will sing, while the scene runs, and so the film ran, and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sang to it, which is why one can observe how during close-ups, there is a change in intonation, as compared to long shots, where the voice is different. 

Alas, this was the story of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and how he went on to give two of the most beautiful songs in one of the greatest Hindi films ever. This anecdote is a testament to his caliber and status as an artist, one that is too great for me to even comment on, but on his 120th birth anniversary, it is only right to celebrate him for his eccentricity, unparalleled flair, and repute. 

Takshi Mehta is a freelance journalist and writer. She firmly believes that we are what we stand up for, and thus you’ll always find her wielding a pen.

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