Talat Aziz: No point living in the same old world

“In modern times I don’t see any lyricist (of their calibre) in the field of ghazal. It’s a very specialised form of poetry which has bandish, misra, beher, kafia. It’s said that do misre mein sari kainath sama jaati hai so writers who understand Urdu and ghazals to its best are very few now.” However, he adds that scope of ghazal singing is still there as some news singers are doing well in the field but most are singing cover versions and less original work is happening.

Quoting Badr’s couplet he says, “Mehboob ka ghar ho ya farishtoon ki ho zameen, jo chhut gaya usse peeche mud kar nahi dekha. It’s no point living in the same old-world when everything else is changing. The phase of physical album is over, everything is digital and online now.”

Aziz has come up with an album comprising ghazals by Badr. “I also did a show in Bhopal and met him. He is 88 now and suffering from Alzheimer’s. In last 40 years I must have recorded over 30 ghazals penned by him. So, I selected six of them and after re-recording will release them digitally titled Yaadein with Ujaley apeni yadon ke humesha saath rahe…as the title track. I am reprogramming them with the same melody but new age treatment and arrangement so that younger generation can relate with ghazals.”

He recalls, “I first met Badr saheb in a show in Meerut in 1980-81 and since then we became a family. He used to write a ghazal and post me with inland letter. My father used to cut those letters and paste them in my dairy. I have treasured them all. Then I used to compose and record them ‘Yun hi besabab na phira karo, koi shaam ghar bhi raha karo’. He (Badr) has made ghazal reach younger generation – zuban saral hoti hi, vichar gehra hote thhe (his thought used to be deep but words use to be easier to be understood by all).”

On his recent visit to Lucknow, Aziz says, “It has been over 40 years since I have been coming here and now, I have lost count of how many shows I have done in Lucknow. This one was special as it was to receive the Naushad Samman.” Besides singing, he will be seen doing a cameo in Gulmohar and Hansal Mehta’s new season of Scam.