Malhaar, the UAE’s first Indian music ensemble, is commemorating the birth centenary of legendary Indian singer Begum Akhtar, who is known as the queen of ghazals, with a show that celebrates her life and musical legacy. The show, titled “Haaye Akhtari”, will be staged at the Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah on September 18 and 19.
More than 50 UAE-based artists from various fields have come together to create an innovative and contemporary blend of dance, music and theatre that tells the story of her personal and professional journey through her timeless music.
Malhaar is a non-profit group of more than 150 singers, musicians, theatre performers, painters and dance enthusiasts based in the UAE. Most of the members are professionals working in various fields, who take time out from their busy work schedules to pursue their passion for art.
The group was initiated six years ago by talented Dubai-based musician Jogiraj Sikidar, who has trained in Hindustani classical music under an illustrious list of gurus, and has been performing and teaching Indian classical and choral music for over two decades.
Since its inception, the group has presented several well-researched, homegrown shows, featuring classical Indian music and dance, woven into interesting narratives inspired by India’s rich cultural heritage. The themes they have chosen include the mystical world of Sufism, the artistic legacy of the Nawabs of Awadh, the cycle of life told through the journey of the River Ganges, and the story of the Indian epic “Mahabharata” as seen from Draupadi’s feminine perspective.
“We have always tried to find interesting themes and innovative ways of presenting Indian classical music in a contemporary context. But doing a tribute to Begum Akhtar is really special for me, because my guru Professor Rita Ganguly is her foremost disciple. My guru taught me many of Begum Akhtar’s memorable dadras, thumris and ghazals, and told me many interesting little-known stories about her life that have helped me to get a better understanding of her personality and her music. Although we are presenting the show in a contemporary style, we have retained the purity of her original compositions and style,” Sikidar says.
Begum Akhtar achieved immense fame and success, and was honoured with numerous awards, including a posthumous Padma Bhushan; but there were dramatic highs and lows in both her personal and professional life, which makes for a compelling story.
The show traces her journey from the small town of Faizabad, where she was born on October 7, 1914, in a family with no inclination towards music, till her death in 1974, after collapsing on stage during a concert. It delves into the pain and loneliness that was a part of her life, from being disowned by her father and losing her twin sister in early childhood to the depression of staying away from music while unsuccessfully trying to build a home and family.
It highlights her many achievements as she transformed from the naive music lover Bibbi Sayyed, to the alluring performer Akhtaribai Faizabadi, who gave her first concert at the age of 11, starred in several films and was among the first singers in India to record her music; and ultimately into the celebrated diva, Begum Akhtar, who channelled her melancholy into divine music and emerged from retirement and illness to reach the peak of her career.
Scripted by theatre enthusiast Sanjeev Dixit, the dramatic story is carried forward through some of her most popular dadras, thumris and ghazals such as “Hamri Atariya”, “Wo Jo Humme Tumme Karar Tha” and “Mere Humnafas Mere Humnawaz”. The show is embellished with Kathak performances, choreographed by Vaishali Mhaisalkar, elaborate sets, costumes, visual and sound effects.
Accomplished singer and Kathak dancer Somdatta Basu, the musical director of the show, also shares Begum Akhtar’s musical lineage through her guru, renowned musician Shipra Bose. “I first fell in love with thumri and ghazal when I heard Begum Akhtar’s Bengali recording of ‘Koyaliya Mat Kar Pukar’ that my father gifted me on my 12th birthday. After that I went out of my way to seek training in that style, and have focused on it in my performances around the world. So, this show is very close to my heart. Begum Akhtar composed and sang over 400 memorable numbers, so it was difficult to select just a few, but we have included her most famous compositions from various phases of her life,” she says.
Dixit adds, “We have tried to create a show where fans of Begum Akhtar can relive the magic of her music through renditions that are true to her original soulful compositions and style, and to learn about the events that shaped her persona and her music. By incorporating dance and theatre we want to recreate that era for younger audiences, so that they can understand the cultural environment of that time and the challenges a woman had to face to pursue her passion for music. But above all we want to convey her search for truth and simplicity in her music, which came from her soul and touched a chord in every listener.”
Jyoti Kalsi is an arts enthusiast based in Dubai.
Timeless legacy
The musical play “Haaye Akhtari” celebrates 100 years of Begum Akhtar’s musical legacy
Date: September 18 and 19 at 7.30pm
Venue: Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
Tickets: Available online from Madinat Theatre box office; or call +971 4 366-6546 / +971 55 1013652
Ticket prices: Platinum, Dh350; Gold, Dh200; Silver, Dh100, and Bronze (balcony), Dh75
Language: Hindi and Urdu
Duration: 90 minutes
For more information write to malhaar.choir@gmail.com
