10 years later, Nazia Hassan’s music lives on

Pakistani celebrities reminisce about Nazia Hassan and their favourite songs by the iconic singer, who died 10 years ago today.

Ali Saleem:

Meeting Nazia: “I met her in 1998. I have listened to her songs; I grew up with her voice. As a person she was angelic.”

Favourite song: There are too many to name, but ‘Teri Yaad’ from Hotline is one of my favorites.”

As the legend goes, Ali Saleem has Nazia Hassan to thank for his trademark impersonation of Benazir Bhutto. The actor met the late prime minister at her house.

In a 2006 interview with Newsline magazine, Saleem recalled how he had impersonated Benazir in front of her: “It was Zoheb’s dholki, and Nazia had pre-warned me not to, even if requested, emphasising that Benazir had no sense of humour. However, Benazir requested that I impersonate her and Nazia gave me a silent nod of approval. When I started, there was pin-drop silence amongst the small group of people present – until she burst out laughing. She enjoyed the performance a lot and said, ‘You have made my day.’”

Bilal Maqsood:

Meeting Nazia: “I met Nazia Hassan a couple of times, since my parents were friends with their parents. The first time I met her was when her second album was released and my father said that he was going to pay them a visit, so I went along with him. The moment she entered the room, I was completely awestruck.

One of my most vivid memories of her is when her family paid us a visit at the time that Nazia and Zoheb’s third album had released. At the family get-together Zoheb suggested to Nazia that they should sing together, so they sang all the songs from their third album. It was a magical moment for my sister and me.”

Favorite song: “A few people have heard this song. It is called ‘Komal Komal’ and I personally really like it.”

Gumby:

Meeting Nazia: “I met her once briefly. It was at a hotel in Karachi where Zoheb would do a show, so she came there for a little while and I saw her.”

Favourite song: “Not one song, but there would only be three to four albums that would be launched during that time. On the forefront were Alamgir, Mohammad Ali Shehki, Nazia and Zoheb and Vital Signs, so I would listen to these people and their complete albums.”

Komal Rizvi:

Meeting Nazia: “Her husband was friends with my father and my parents knew her parents as well ... I didn’t know her that well because there was quite an age difference between us but I would see her socially at family picnics etc. What I knew of her was that she was really a mild, reserved and lovely lady ... she was classy and dignified. Her death was a tragic loss to the country.”

Favourite song: “‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ is my favourite song.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2010.