What happens when you hear the very voice you revered and listened to most of your life? You choke and struggle to focus on what is to be asked. This was the mood with which the barely 10-minute telephonic interview with the legendary Padma Bhushan awardee Begum Parween Sultana went.
It was a rough 10-minutes because on one hand, you are struggling to not get swayed by the beautiful voice on the other end of the call, and second, your eyes keep a stern watch on the clock ticking by as you listen to her speak.
The singer will be in Bengaluru on March 15 as part of Bhoomija and Prestige Centre for Performing Art’s Holi Re! – A Spectacular Evening of Music and Dance. Known for her exquisite voice range that oscillates flawlessly from the lowest to the highest octave, she leaves you mesmerised with her rendition of ‘Bhavani Dayani’ on one hand or leaves you haunted with ‘Hamen Tumse Pyar Kitna’ from the Hindi film Kudrat. And who can forget her soulful serenade in, ‘Kaun Gali Gayo Shyam’, composed by Naushad for Pakeezah?
Parween, starts the interview with many blessings and praising The Hindu for being a “wonderful newspaper that has always supported me”. The singer, who trained under her father, Ikramul Majid, guru Chinmoy Lahiri and Ustaad Dilshad Khan, describes them as “pillars of my life and music.”
“They are different individuals with their own identities and I took something from each of them and created my own identity. I learnt a lot from my father and my music life begins with my him. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. Lahiriji, was a great acharya, a music nayak. Unfortunately, he did not live long, but I was blessed to learn from him for five to six years. In fact, he was the one who suggested I continue my riyaz with Dilshadji and introduced me to him. The credit for what I am today goes to all three of them. They are the people who taught me the techniques and how to mobilise my voice,” says Parween.
She adds, “Even today Dilshad saab helps me. He has composed a beautiful Meera bhajan for me, which I will be presenting in Bengaluru for Holi Re. He is a highly qualified artiste and knows music and is himself a popular singer. Most of the time, I sing his compositions, and we have also sung together and have performed in Bengaluru over two dozen times.”
About her very first jugalbandi with her husband and guru Dilshad, Parween recalls: “That was ages ago in Pune at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival. Pt Bheemsen Joshiji, who was like a brother to me, was the one who suggested that Dilshadji and I sing together. There were over a lakh people who came to listen to us, because, those days there were jugalbandis between two singers and brothers, but we were the first husband-wife duo to do a jugalbandi, which was a rarity then.”
She also had her first playback singing break at the age of 15 for Pakeezah. The song, ‘Kaun Gali Gayo’ was so mature in its emotions that Parween says, “it is nothing but God’s gift. I was lucky to have worked with Naushadji. The song was a traditional thumri, taught by Dilshadji and was in raga Mishra Pilu.”
Irrespective of the many film songs, a handful such as, ‘Hamein Tumse Pyaar’ or Ustad Rashid Khan’s ‘Aaoge jab tum’ from Jab We Met, have stood the test of time and become evergreen tunes, loved by generations of music lovers. Yet, unlike the popular belief that classical singers do not get offered film songs, Parween says, “It is the other way round. We do not like to sing for films. Though I have sung for Madan Mohan, RD Burman, OP Nayyar, Adnan Sami and more, it was because they know my style of singing and were aware of what I would accept.”
“Hindi films songs do not have a long life. For instance, compare Lata Mangeshkar’s songs and today’s songs. There is a huge difference between the two. What melodies and emotions you get in Lataji’s songs are not found in today’s tunes. Just tossing your hair in all drama and flair and humming a tune is not singing. Classical music is divine and we feel the divinity in our music. Though most of my film songs have done well, I am a pure classical singer at heart.”
“Film music comes and goes, but, classical music stands like the Rock of Gibraltar. Classical music leads you to a supreme world — one of bhakti and love. That is the power of our Indian classical music,” says the legendary singer, who leaves you wishing that the 10-minutes would have lasted forever just so you could listen to that gorgeous voice over and over again.
Parween will be accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on the tabla, and Ravindra Katoti on the harmonium at the concert
Holi Re will be held on March 15, 6.30 pm at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Kanakpura Road. The evening will also feature a performance by the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. Tickets on BookMyShow
Published – March 14, 2025 11:07 am IST
