A multi-performance show in the Capital on Friday will serve as a befitting tribute in remembrance of singer Talat Mahmood. Curated by legendary singer’s grand-niece and journalist Sahar Zaman, the show will have live performances on Talat’s song by ghazal vocalist Rashmi Agarwal, a special dance piece by Padma Shri kathak exponent Shovana Narayan with live narration on Mahmood’s life by veteran theatre actor Sohaila Kapur. The special surprise for the audience, however, will be a portrait of the legend being painted by Anubhav Som, on stage in their presence, which will be an image from the Commemorative Stamp that has been released in his honour by the India Postal Service.
Giving a rundown of the events, Zaman says, “In this concert, one will get to see Kathak exponent Shovana Narayan in a never-before-seen performance on Talat Mahmood songs. It will be lyrical to watch her dance across the stage on his soft voice. I’m also very excited to have theatre veteran Sohaila Kapur do a live narration on his life, his journey from Lucknow to Kolkata and then Mumbai and till finally, the world was his stage, quite literally. And today’s popular ghazal singer Rashmi Agarwal has chosen some of his biggest filmi hits to sing on stage.”
The multi-performance concert was launched in 2017, and this year marks Mahmood’s 20th death anniversary. “It’s been a fabulous journey with Jashn-e-Talat. This show will be our sixth event. All the hard work and the generous contribution by the performers have certainly helped in recreating the magic of Talat Mahmood’s voice. We’ve taken this to Delhi, to Hyderabad and efforts are on to make this a multi-city tribute show,” says Zaman.
Kapur whose uncle Dev Anand had several songs sung by Talat Mahmood in his career seemed quite excited at this association. “I have grown up listening to him. I am very excited to be narrating his life on stage for this show,” she says.Narayan who will trace Mahmood’s journey from Lucknow to Calcutta and then to Bombay and across the world, says, “His life experiences of meeting his partner, the global adulation — it all makes for a very touching story. It is a delight to bring his life and times alive through my dance.”
Agarwal will be rendering her voice to some of his most famous film songs on the stage that day. Talking about his immense contribution, she says, “His unique voice and soft singing style took romantic and tragic songs to another level. His songs never fail to warm the heart.”
The author writes on food and entertainment among other things.