HYDERABAD: Long before Adele started mending broken hearts, there was Jagjit Singh who not just soothed shattered souls but was also the much-needed company on those lonely evenings besides the glass of whiskey, singing Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya Bekhudi Kya Cheez Hai.
Popularly called the Ghazal Samrat, Jagjit Singh’s soothing, silken voice invariably finds place in playlists of youngsters even today. Nevermind, if you have a limited understanding of Urdu vocabulary, his evergreen songs and ghazals are enough to make you hum along.
A fighter, who lost his 18-year-old son in 1990, the ghazal maestro, defied the boundaries of language and region, making ‘shayari’ a household name.
His duets with his wife Chitra Singh ruled the hearts of cupid- stricken lovers in the 70s and 80s. With Hothon se choo lo tum, the couple sold the idea of romance with ghazals. But in 1999, when the couple lost their only son, Chitra stopped doing live shows – their kingdom of romance crumbled. While Jagjit continued to sing solo -- his ardent fans rued something was amiss. After a stint at Jalandhar All India Radio, Jagjit Singh came to Mumbai to make a mark in Bollywood. And at a time when success was measured by hit numbers that featured big Bollywood stars, this man carved a footing for himself via the unconventional route – ghazals.
On his 75th birth anniversary, Hyderabad Express, lists 15 classics that are a must-have on your playlist.