Bollywood rejected, yet Jagjit Singh became the unconcerned king of Ghazal.

Mumbai, October 9 (IANS). When talking about Ghazal, one name comes up spontaneously, it is Jagjit Singh. This great singer, who was born in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, not only gave Ghazal a new level with his velvety voice and depth of emotions, but also took it to every heart. Jagjit Singh, known as the ‘Ghazal King’, left such a mark in the world of music, which crossed the boundaries of the time and is just as fresh today. His journey begins from the ground of Rajasthan, where music was not just a hobby for him, but the voice of his soul. At an early age, he took training in classical music and shortly before his talent reached the brilliance of Mumbai. In the 1970s, when Ghazal was considered the music of a special class, Jagjit and his wife Chitra Singh made it the language of the ordinary people. Their duo gave a new identity to Ghazal with albums such as ‘The Undetgettables’, in which songs such as ‘Bela Niklegi to’ and ‘Raat Bhi Neend Bhi’ captivated the listeners. Jagjit Singh’s specialty was his simplicity and deep emotions hidden in his songs. Whether it is the celebration of love, the pain of separation or the feeling of volatility of life, his songs have expressed every color very well. From ‘Tumko Dekha to Ye Khayal Aaya’ to ‘Chiththi to Koi Sandesh’ and ‘Hosh Walon Ko Khabar Kya’, every song told a story. His voice also spreads magic in the Hindi cinema. His ghazals have been seen that many films are memorable. Jagjit Singh said goodbye to this world on October 10, 2011, but his ghazals still live in every heart. Very few people know that he is turning to Ghazal after his voice was rejected in Bollywood. This incident was mentioned in author Satya Saran’s book ‘Better Niklegi to Phir’. In this, author Satya Saran tells how rejection from the film industry inspired her to create a parallel music -rich, which finally forced Bollywood to bend. This story dates back to the late 1960s, when Jagjit Singh, who came from Jalandhar to Mumbai, struggles to establish himself in the world of film music. Jagjit Singh’s voice, which was perfect for conveying the deep emotions of the Ghazal, did not meet the popular standards of film music of that era. Great music directors often rejected his voice as “too heavy” or “too serious” for film songs. His dream was to become a singer, but he was constantly disappointed. After receiving ongoing rejections from Bollywood, Jagjit had to find Singh creative ways to finish in Mumbai. He and his wife Chitra Singh started making advertising buttons together. This jingles became its most important source of income during his struggling days. Jagjit Singh took the Bollywood boycott as an opportunity to change the direction of his art. He decided that if the film industry would not give him a place, he would take his ghazals among the general public. He and Chitra Singh made the Ghazal out of his classic and difficult boundaries, gave it simple melodies and used Western instruments in it. This was followed by the album ‘The Undetgettables’ in 1976, which became such a great commercial success that it became a ‘transformational milestone’ in the history of Ghazal in India. After this, Jagjit Singh stopped knocking on the doors of Bollywood and when he became the ‘Ghazal -Ekizer’, the film world not only accepted him, but also respected his style. -—IANS JP/ABM