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Though it was the first time I met classical vocalist Akbar Ali, it felt like meeting a long-lost friend, with whom one could talk to about anything for hours and it seemed like just a few minutes had gone by. It was during my recent visit to Lahore that I had the pleasure of meeting a son of Jalandhar's Naalan Gharana. Enjoying kebabs and mutton karahi with rumali roti at a Mughlai restaurant in the walled city we talked about Akbar's love for music and his on going journey as a musician. "Our entire family would sing in a setting filled with love, and honesty," Akbar said reminiscing his childhood. A qawwal by training and tradition, Akbar fondly spoke about his musical lineage and how the tradition of qawwali was an integral part of his upbringing. His real interest, however, is in performing khayal, thumri and kafi. These he learned from him uncle, Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan, a student of the venerated Sham Chaurasi gharana and follower of Ustad Amir Khan's style of singing. Despite his strong classical roots in Pakistan, Akbar didn't gain recognition as a musical artist till his appearance in an Indian talent show, Junoon Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka. Producers of the show found a video of Akbar on YouTube, now banned in Pakistan, through which he was selected. The show was just the platform the young artist needed. "The success and popularity that I was able to achieve while being in India is priceless. I grew both as a person and an artist. The people in India were extremely warm, accommodating, and loving.
My success will always be attributable in large part to my time in India.
Read more here:
Akbar Ali - another tale of Pakistani talent shining in India - Blogs - DAWN.COM
My success will always be attributable in large part to my time in India.
Read more here:
Akbar Ali - another tale of Pakistani talent shining in India - Blogs - DAWN.COM