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25 years of intoxication!
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Pankaj Udhas, the ghazal singer shares the highs and lows of his career
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Pankaj Udhas, the man who has made it to most shelves in the last 25 years, now has something to show for on his shelf too - a Padma Shri.
"I don't think the award has come too late . In fact, I have been grateful to the authorities for the timing. It gives a sense of relief and proves that 25 years of efforts haven't gone unnoticed," says Udhas.
An answer to the puritans, who have time and again accused him of fiddling with the ghazal form?
"I don't take ghazal as a classical form with which you can't experiment. It's not like raag Bhairavi or Malkauns where there have to be certain notes.
Pankaj agrees that there is limited scope to experiment with the ghazal form.
"I see it as an handicap. It's not only me; over the years people have taken liberties with ghazal in their own sweet ways. When Begum Akhtar sang ghazal in thumri andaaz, eyebrows were raised. When Mehdi Hasan introduced new instruments he was criticised . Jagjit Singh had to face the ire for incorporating guitar and saxophone. One is not vouching for making ghazal palatable to clubs but certain liberties are okay as long as they do not infringe with the lehja and metre of shers."
ANUJ KUMAR
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