
From "Begum Akhtar" to "Pankaj Udhas" Once domain of 'Baijis' and 'mujra' ghazal is now the most popular form of light music in the 1980s. Till a few years ago, traditional forms of light music, like 'thumri', 'dadra', 'kajri', 'Jhoola' and 'ghazal' were associated with 'professional' women. Society looked down upon these forms of music. Nawabs, Rajas and Jagirdars, however, encouraged such music. Singing sessions were held on special occasions, where the audience comprised only men. Tracing ghazal Asha Bhosle singing back to the Thirties, one can find some distinct phases in the growth of the ghazal. From the very beginning of the talkie era (1931), ghazals have been used in films. Kajjan, Jaddanbai, KL Saigal, Goharbai, Zohrabai Ambalewala and Ameerbai Karnataki, the singing stars of the Thirties, all sang a number of ghazals for films. But on the non-film front, there were few recordings. These were rendered by Akhtaribai Faizabadi (later known as Begum Akhtar), Kamla Jharia, Malika Pukhraj and Jankibai. During the Forties, Talat Mahmood emerged as a popular artiste of the light ghazal form, while Ustad Barkat Ali Khan (younger brother of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan) pioneered the semi-classical form of ghazal singing. While Talat came down to Bombay (from Calcutta) and, became a playback singer, .Barkat Ali Khan died a premature death. Begum Akhtar acted in a few films, sang a few film songs and finally opted for a career in ghazal singing outsidefilms. Towards the <b>...</b>
Mujaddad
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