Urban values define contemporary culture: Shah

PNCA DG says film music has defining impact on South Asian society

ISLAMABAD: Music lovers of the twin cities had a treat of nostalgia at Film Music Night featuring songs from 1960s hosted by Pakistan National Academy of Arts (PNCA) on Tuesday night.

Maestros sang evergreen numbers of iconic music directors that had been rendered by legendary singers of Pakistani film music.

“The power of film and film music in South Asian society can hardly be overstated,” said PNCA Director General Jamal Shah while speaking at the well-attended event.

“Urban environments are cluttered with its signs, filled with its sounds. Its tastes and values spill out to define the very texture of contemporary mass and middle-class culture,” he said.

Film music is the most widely listened to genre of music in South Asia, and since 1931 it has become the dominant force in the construction of musical taste.

Shah reminded the audience that in 1960s Pakistani film music enjoyed robust creative activity with a great number of songs acquiring popularity across the sub-continent. The major music directors of that era were Master Inayat Hussain, GA Chishti, Rashid Attre, Master Tasadduq, Master Abdullah, Firoze Nizami, Tufail Farooqi and Ustad Nazar.



The legendary voices of that era which made the film music famous were Madam Noor Jahan, Mehdi Hassan, Anayat Hussain Bhatti, Masood Rana, Mala, Roona Laila, Mehnaz, Naheed Akhter, Nayara Noor and many more. Film music night at PNCA is a tribute to those legendary music directors, composers and singers who made the film music and film industry an iconic medium in Pakistan and India.

Anwar Rafi who has won more than 5,000 awards globally on national and international events, a versatile singer of classical and pop from Lahore mesmerised listeners with classic film songs paying tribute to music legends Mehdi Hassan and Masood Rana. Shafaq Ali enthralled the audience with rich Pakistani film songs. Saira Tahir Noor performed “Dil Dharke Mein Tumsay Yeh Kaisay Kahoon”. She sings Punjabi and Urdu songs and ghazals and semi classical and has done Masters in Musicology from University of the Punjab.

Farukh Mehdi, a very talented disciple of Mehdi Hassan, performed “Eik Hussun Ki Devi” and “Yeh Safar Tere Mere Piyar Ka” touched the souls of listeners.

Mehmooda Qamar famous for rendering ghazals, bhangra, and folk songs treated the audience with “Aaj Haay Mehfil Deed Kaay Qabil”. The singer has command on Punjabi, Pushto, Seraiki Kashmiri, Sindhi, Balochi, Gojr, Pothohari and Urdu languages.

Rizwana Khan performed “Waay Saab Tun Soniya”. Sadia Batool performed “Kisay Awaz Doon”, “Jadoon Holi Jae”. Saira Peter performed “Barray Be Murawat Hein Yeh Husun Walay” and “Wanjali Walaryia”. Nagina Sadaf performed “Piyar Naloon Piyary Sajna” and “Jaa Aaaj Tuun Maay Tere”. Nouman Lashari and Jia Lashari also enchanted the film music lovers with their duet performance.

Film music lovers enjoyed the performance of these music mentors reviving and reliving the old melodious era in their hearts.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2019.