Mehdi Hassan

Mehdi Hassan Khan (; 18 July 1927 – 13 June 2012), known as Mehdi Hassan, was a Pakistani ghazal singer and playback singer of great renown. Known as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal (, "Emperor of Ghazal"), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of ghazal singing.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]} Known for his "haunting" baritone voice,^[12] Hassan is credited with bringing ghazal singing to a worldwide audience. He is unique for his melodic patterns and maintaining integrity of the ragas in an innovative way.

Born into a family of Kalawant musicians, Hassan was naturally inclined towards music from a young age. He influenced generations of singers from diverse genres, from Jagjit Singh^[13] to Parvez Mehdi.^[14] He earned numerous awards and accolades during his lifetime and remained a leading singer of Pakistani film industry, along with contemporary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi; it is estimated that Hassan sang for over 300 films during his career.^[3] For his contributions to the arts, Hassan was awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.^[3]

Early life

Hassan was born on 18 July 1927 into a mixed Pathan-Mughal family^[1] in the village of Luna, then located in the Jaipur State of the Rajputana Agency in British India but now in the Indian state of Rajasthan, into a family of traditional musicians.^[12] He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians who have been ustads and teachers to royal families, including the kings of Nepal.^[15] Hassan started singing at the age of 4-5 and writing lyrics and composing music at the age of 6^[15] but began his formal musical training in Hindustani classical music at the age of 8,^[16] completing it with his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional dhrupad singers.^[17] Hassan started performing at a young age, his first professional performance being before the Maharaja of Baroda at the age of 8;^[15] by the time he was 18 years old, Hassan is said to have mastered the classical singing forms of dhrupad, dadra, thumri, and khayal, and started performing at royal courts with his brother Ghulam Qadir.^[18] Hassan started his career primarily as a thumri exponent.^[19] His first concert of dhrupad and khayal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla, near present DC House (1935) of undivided Punjab. His elder brother Pandit Ghulam Qadir also was instrumental in sharpening his skills.^[17] Instruments he would master include the harmonium as well the jal tarang.^[15]

Hassan credited his aristocratic upbringing and early training with instilling discipline and physical stamina that shaped his musical career. He stated that, despite not completing formal education due to the demands of music, his daily routine involved rigorous physical exercise, religious observance, and extended hours of vocal practice. Hassan recalled that his father emphasized physical fitness and discipline as essential to becoming a successful singer, and he attributed this regimen to his ability to sing continuously for up to 52 hours without experiencing breathlessness.^[15]

After the partition of India in 1947, the 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan, carrying little with them by way of material belongings. The family proceeded to his paternal aunt's house who lived in a village, Chak No 111/7R, near Chichawatni. They suffered severe financial hardships in their new country. Hassan initially started working in the nearby city of Chichawatni, in a bicycle shop, Mughal Cycle House, and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic.^[20] Despite the financial hardships, he kept up his singing practice on a daily basis.^[12]

Singing career

In 1957, Hassan was again given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan, primarily as a thumri singer and later as a ghazal performer,^[21] which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. He had a passion for Urdu poetry, and therefore, he began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer.^[22] He first sang on Radio Pakistan in 1952.^[12] His first film song was "Nazar Milte Hi Dil Ki Bat Ka Charcha Na Ho Jaye" for the film Shikhar (1956). This song was written by poet Yazdani Jalandhari and its music was composed by Asghar Ali M. Husain. However, his true breakthrough in Pakistani film industry came in 1964, with his ghazal "Gulon mein rang bharay, baad-e-naubahar chale" from the film Farangi. Written by renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and composed by Rasheed Attre,^[22][23] so immense was the popularity of Hassan's rendition of the ghazal that Faiz stopped reciting it in his 'mushairas' (poetry reciting events) and, instead, recommended that the audience ask Hassan to sing it for them, because the ghazal now belonged to Hassan.^[17]

In October 2010, Saregama, an Indian record label, released "Sarhadein" in which his first and last duet song Tera Milna featuring Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released. This song was composed by Hassan and written by Farhat Shahzad. Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, and Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010, and the song was later mixed for a duet. The same duet was also sung by Hassan and Noor Jehan.

Following a severe illness in the late 1980s, Hassan cut back on his singing, eventually stepping down from playback singing altogether.^[19] Later, due to the severity of his illness, he completely departed from music.

Death

Hassan suffered from a serious chronic lung condition for a few years before his death.^[24] He also received treatment for lung, urinary tract, and chest ailments at several hospitals in Pakistan for about 12 years prior to his death.^[16][25] Towards the end of 2000, he suffered his first stroke while in Kerala, India.^[26] In 2005, he was taken to India for ayurvedic treatment where he was welcomed by A.B. Vajpayee, Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar and many of his Indian fans. He suffered his second stroke soon after he returned from India which left him with speech impairments^[27] and limited his physical mobility.^[24] Hassan developed a severe chest infection and breathing difficulties in the days preceding his death.^[16] He died of multiple organ failure^[28] on 13 June 2012 at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi.^[20]

Tributes

Hassan is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the sub-continent^[29][30] and is said to have revolutionized the way ghazals were sung.^[31] In 1977, Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar was so moved by his dulcet vocals during a New Delhi concert that she reportedly said, "Aisa lagta hai ke unke gale mein bhagwan boltein hain" (it seems as though like God is singing through his voice).^[17] On 18 July 2018, the day of his 91st birthday, Google featured Hassan on its homepage doodle.^[32] Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani paid tribute to Hassan, calling him "an icon who mesmerized music lovers" for decades.^[20] Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated that Hassan "brought the sub-continental Sufi sensibilities to life through his songs,"^[33][34] and that "the influence of his passion for Urdu poetry and initial grooming in Dhrupad tradition earned for him a special place in the world of music."^[28]

Musicians and his students worldwide

Some of the musicians who are associated with him :

• Ustad Pir Bakhsh, Tabla player
• Ustad Mohammed Hussain
• Ustad Tari Khan, Tabla player

Some of his students are:

• Pervaiz Mehdi
• Riaz Mehdi
• Talat Aziz
• Rajkumar Rizvi
• Salamat Ali
• Afzal, Munni Subhani
• Rehan Ahmed Khan
• Shamshad Husain Chanda
• Shahnaz Begum (Bangladesh)
• Yasmin Mushtari (Bangladesh)
• Irshad Ali Mehdi
• Hariharan
• Tari Khan
• Amir Yaseen
• Syed Zeeshan Ali (London UK)
• Alamgir Mir (London)
• Israr Chishti

Family

Mehdi Hassan had 14 children.^[35] As many as 8 of his sons were active in the field of music. Unfortunately two of his sons passed away. List of his sons.

• Tariq Mehdi Hassan (Versatile Playback Singer)
• Arif Mehdi Hassan (Deceased) was Classical Tabla Player
• Asif Mehdi Hassan (Deceased) was a Playback & Ghazal Singer
• Kamran Mehdi Hassan Playback & Ghazal Singer)
• Imran Mehdi Hassan (Classical Tabla Player & Versatile Singer)
• Faizan Mehdi Hassan (Versatile Ghazal Singer).
• Sajjad Mehdi Hassan (Deceased) (D.S.P Punjab Police)
• Shahzad Mehdi Hassan ( Ghazal Singer)
• Waris Hassan Mehdi ( Pop Singer)^[27]
• Sadiq Mehdi Hasan (Excise Officer)

Awards

Civilian honours

The following civilian honours have been conferred on him, in chronological order.^[36]

The Government of India

• 1979 - K. L. Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India^[17]

The Government of Nepal

• 1983–Gorkha Dakshina Bahu^[17]

The Government of Pakistan

• 1985–Pride of Performance^[22]
• Tamgha-e-Imtiaz^[22]
• 2010–Hilal-e-Imtiaz^[22]
• 2012–Nishan-e-Imtiaz^[37]

Nigar Awards

• 1964–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Farangi
• 1968–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Saiqa
• 1969–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Zarqa
• 1972–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Meri Zindagi Hai Naghma
• 1973–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Naya Rasta
• 1974–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Sharafat
• 1975–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Zeenat
• 1976–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Shabana
• 1977–Nigar Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Aaina
• 1999–Nigar Award Special Millennium Award

He had been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions: the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz granted to him by Gen Ayub Khan; the Pride of Performance bestowed on him by Gen Ziaul Haq; and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf. Besides the Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan, he was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979, whereas the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him in Nepal in 1983. Latterly, he travelled to Dubai to receive yet another award.

Albums

Some of his albums are:

• Kehna Usey
• Nazarana
• Live at Royal Albert Hall
• Andaz-e-Mastana
• Classical Ghazals vol. 1, 2, 3
• Dil Jo Rota Hai
• Ghalib Ghazals
• Ghazals For Ever Vol 1
• Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hassan Vol 1, 2
• Golden Greats
• In Concert
• Khuli Jo Aankh
• Life Story
• Live at Khambays
• Live Concert in India
• Mehdi Hassan
• Mehdi Hassan Ghazals Vol. 1
• Sada E Ishq
• Sarhadein
• Sur Ki Koi Seema Nahin
• The Finest Ghazals
• The Legend
• Yaadgar Ghazalen Vol. 1
• Tarz (with Shobha Gurtu)
• Naqsh-e-Faryadi
• Mehdi Hassan (EMI-Pakistan Released) VOLUME 1
• Mehdi Hassan Sings Punjabi Film Hits (EMI-Pakistan Released)
• Mehdi Hassan (EMI-Pakistan Released) VOLUME 2
• Mehdi Hassan & Ghulsm Ali Eternal Jewels Live At Ras Barse On Zee TV

Ghazals

See also

• Begum Akhtar
• Talat Mahmood
• Ghulam Ali
• Jagjit Singh
• Pankaj Udhas

References

1. ^ "Mehdi Hassan interview without ghazals". YouTube. 10 September 2022.
2. ^ "Mehdi Hassan obituary". the Guardian. 2006-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
3. ^ "Death anniversary of Shahenshah-e-Ghazal Mehdi Hassan being observed today". www.radio.gov.pk. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
4. ^ Ken Hunt (16 June 2012). "Mehdi Hassan: Musician hailed as the maestro of the 'ghazal'". INDEPENDENT (UK newspaper). Retrieved 4 August 2020.
5. ^ New Delhi – Volume 2, Part 2. Ananda Bazar Patrika. 1979. p. 35.
6. ^ Russell, Ralph (1992). The pursuit of Urdu literature: a select history. Zed Books. p. 242.
7. ^ "Mehdi Hassan - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music". BBC. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
8. ^ Dawn.com (2012-06-13). "End of an era as Mehdi Hassan passes away". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
9. ^ Khawaja, Mishal Abbas (July 18, 2019). "'Shehanshah-e-Ghazal' - Mehdi Hassan's 92nd Birthday". nation.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
10. ^ "Mehdi Hasan: A tribute to the Shahenshah-e-Ghazal". The Express Tribune. 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
11. ^ "Ghazal King Mehdi Hassan remembered". The News International. 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
12. ^ Mehdi Hassan profile on Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 31 March 2018
13. ^ Who was Mehdi Hassan NDTV website, Retrieved 31 March 2018
14. ^ Rafay Mahmood (13 June 2006). "Mehdi Hassan: A sun amongst the stars". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 31 March 2018.
15. ^ Chhibber, Kavita (14 June 2012). "Walking down memory lane with Mehdi Hassan". Archived 26 December 2025 at the Wayback Machine.
16. ^ Khan, Omer Farooq (June 13, 2012). "Ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan passes away - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
17. ^ Devesh Sharma (10 August 2012). "Mehdi Hassan: The Master of Melodies". Retrieved 31 March 2018.
18. ^ Pandya, Haresh (2012-06-14). "Mehdi Hassan, Who Sang Urdu Lyric Verse, Dies at 84". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
19. ^ "Mehdi Hassan passes away in Karachi - Times of India". The Times of India. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
20. ^ "Pakistani singer Mehdi Hassan dies". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
21. ^ "A tribute to Ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan". Hindustan Times. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
22. ^ King of Ghazal Mehdi Hassan remembered The News International (newspaper), Published 13 June 2016, Retrieved 31 March 2018
23. ^ "Why ghazals owe their life to Mehdi Hassan". www.dailyo.in. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
24. ^ "Mehdi Hassan to be discharged, family unable to pay bills". The Economic Times. Mar 22, 2004. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
25. ^ "Ghazal king Mehdi Hassan dies in Karachi". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
26. ^ Noorani, Asif (2012-06-13). "Who killed Mehdi Hassan?". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
27. ^ Asif Noorani (13 June 2012). "Mehdi Hassan: 1927 – 2012 – the passing of a legend". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 31 March 2018.
28. ^ "Mehdi Hassan brought Sufi sensibilities to life: PM". DNA India. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
29. ^ "Remembering Mehdi Hassan - the Pakistani maestro who captured hearts on both sides of the border". DNA India. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
30. ^ "Mehdi Hasan: A State of Perpetual Melody". Daily Times. 2018-07-18. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
31. ^ "Mehdi Hassan's death anniversary goes unnoticed". The Express Tribune. 2016-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
32. ^ Mehdi Hassan's 91st Birthday Google Homepage Doodle, Published 18 July 2018, Retrieved 11 February 2019
33. ^ "Mehdi Hassan changed ghazal singing to become its undisputed shahenshah". The Indian Express. 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
34. ^ Raina, Pamposh (2012-06-13). "Singer Mehdi Hassan Dies At 84". india.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
35. ^ "Mehdi Hassan". www.mehdihassan.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
36. ^ "Mehdi Hassan- A legend passes away". Dawn (newspaper). 14 August 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
37. ^ Mehdi Hassan's Nishan-e-Imtiaz Award info on Dawn (newspaper) Retrieved 31 March 2018

External links

• Mehdi Hassan at IMDb
• Official website of Mehdi Hassan
• India-born Ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan Died