The Legacy (III)- Asad Amanat Ali Khan

The Man, the Music, the Memories...

25^th September, 1955 – 8^th April, 2007

My fascination with Asad Amanat Ali began with this particular video, in which he sings probably his most popular song- 'Umran Langiyan'

I am always captivated by the whole aura of his personality as he renders it... Here is a singer who is aware of his mastery over his singing, yet sings without arrogance. He wields a magical power over his audience… hypnotizes them, and indulges them with little treats that he knows will delight them. He playfully engages with the accompanying musicians, his handsome countenance glowing with joy as he sings and displays his mastery over the rhythm  Occasionally he dives deep into his artistic repertoire and pulls out enchanting little nuances … like a diver who explores the depth of the ocean and brings out the beautiful pearls hidden in it…

The song is written by Mazhar Tirmazi, who remembers Asad in an interview as-Khush Mijaaz and Khush Shakal… of a happy attitude and a happy demeanor  In the same interview he mentions the special connection that Asad had with this song- “He sung many songs,” says Tirmazi, “but his soul lay in this song.” He also laments the fact that the potential and the promise that Asad’s talent had could never be  fully fulfilled

Asad died young…he was only 52 when he passed away on this very day, 6 years ago in London.

Always missed by fans and family… “Ghar waapas jab Aaogey tum, Kaun tumhe Pehchaney ga, Kaun Kahega….Tum bin Ye nagari sunsaan”

Shafqat remembers his elder brother very fondly, as a very caring, loving brother, someone who valued relationships; a person who provided not just for his own but also the extended family, someone who kept everyone together.

In an interview on Asad’s first death anniversary Shafqat mentions how in their family the youngsters always maintain a respectful distance from the elders. Asad was almost 13 years older than Shafqat but he was always approachable- “There was a bridge which could always be crossed to reach to him in case of any problem or need.” He recalls a particular incident where he was was short of some money to buy a place for a studio. Asad sensed this and sent him the money even without his asking. When the very grateful Shafqat went to return some of the money back after sometime, Asad refused to accept it and reprimanded him lovingly - “Have you made too much money? Have you become that big?”

Shafqat and Asad came together only once to sing. It was a song of their father, Amanat Ali, that they sang together for album, which was a tribute to the late ustaad.

Shafqat had immense respect for his elder brother as a singer but the fact that they both very heavily influenced by their father’s singing and had similar singing styles is what prevented them from collaborating more often. Shafqat admits, though, that he learnt a lot from his brother. He always looked up to him as a role model and tried to emulate the way he dressed, the way he did his riyaaz,  and even the way he dealt with people.

Asad’s formal debut as a singer happened for a PTV program called Nikhar where he teamed up with his uncle, Hamid Ali (more of a peer and friend as they were of the same age group) and sang Raag Malkauns. It was Ustad Fateh Ali Khan who had suggested that they get together and sing as a Jodi. Asad reminiscences in a mehfil, “It was because he felt that I resembled Baba (Ustad Amanat Ali Khan) and Hamid resembled him (Fateh Ali Khan) and he wanted us to recreate the magic that they had spun as a musical team.”

And this pair too, wove magic. Hamid Ali recalls one of their early performances where they sang with the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in the audience. She was impressed and is said to have complimented them by saying that the duo looked like a Ram –Laxman Jodi.

The Jodi was however not meant to be forever and due to differences the two had to part ways. Asad went solo and also began to foray more into the lighter forms of singing because he felt that they were more appreciated by the new generation audiences who neither had the taste nor the patience to appreciate the classical music in its purest forms. But he felt hurt if he was considered a lesser singer just because of the fact that he was singing other genres. In an interview with Ally Adnan he says…

“It is true that I have trained in classical music, but that is the only type of training a singer can have.You cannot train someone in light music.I have very sound training in classical music and I use that to sing all types of music….If I am to be judged I should be judged on the quality of my singing, not by the genre I choose to sing”

He sang Ghazals and his uniquely textured voice- slightly grainy, slightly nasal with a melodious tinkle, made them memorable. He loved films and Shafqat remembers his fondness for them and how he would sometimes bunk his riyaaz to watch a movie. So it was a sweet coincidence that he sang several songs for Pakistani films and was quite a popular playback singer through the 80’s, but in his own words “the charm (to sing in films) wore off very soon”

One of his favorite Ghazals, and mine too…

And another favorite in Punjabi…

A song from from a Pakistani film

His singing training, which began with his often “cursing himself for being born into a family of musicians who didn't let him do anything but sing” when as a child he had to wake up at 6 in the morning for his riyaaz, progressed to practicing for up to 18 hours a day so that he could “live up to the expectations of everyone and deserve being called the son of Amanat Ali Khan” and culminated in music becoming the “most important thing in his life”. He was awarded the “Pride of Performance” the highest civilian- award in Pakistan for his contribution to music just a couple of weeks before his death.

He often ended performances with this song written by the poet Ibn-e-Insha and originally sung and popularized by his father. He saved it for the last because he would be so emotional after singing it that he couldn't carry on. He died young, just like the poet, and his own father, and thus, became a part of a legend and also a superstition associated with the song…

For me, Asad is, and shall always be, the joy of music, personified. I am pretty sure he must be busy singing happily in mehfils in the heavens above with the angels applauding.

……

Special thanks to Ally Adnan who shared an interview that he had done with Asad in 1989, from which I have quoted extensively J