Quick Facts
Biography
Ustad Ghulam Ali (born 5 December 1940) is a Pakistani ghazal and playback singer of the Patiala Gharana . Ghulam Ali was a disciple ("shagird") of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Chhote Ghulam Ali, who is another Pakistani singer in the "Qawwal Bachhon ka Gharana".
Ghulam Ali is considered to be one of the best ghazal singers of his era. His style and variations in singing Ghazals has been noted as unique, as he blends Hindustani classical music with ghazals, unlike any other ghazal singer. Highly popular in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, as well as among South Asian diaspora in the USA, the UK and the Middle Eastern countries. Many of his hit ghazals have been used in Bollywood movies. His famous ghazals are Chupke Chupke Raat Din, Kal Chaudhvin Ki Raat Thi, Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa, Kiya Hai Pyar Jisé, May Nazar Sé Pee Raha Hoon, Mastana Peeyé, Yé dil yé pagal dil, Apni Dhun Mein Rehta Hoon a ghazal by Nasir Kazmi, "Ham ko kis k gham ne mara". His recent album "Hasratein" was nominated in the Best Ghazal Album category at Gima 2014.
In 2015, due to protest by Shiv Sena at Mumbai, his concert was cancelled. After this, he received invitations from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. After this cancellation, he performed at Lucknow, India., New Delhi And in Trivandrum, and Kozhikode, Kerala, India.
In a news item reported in 2015, Ghulam Ali has said that he won't perform in India in the future. He said that he does not want to be used for political mileage.
Childhood
His name 'Ghulam Ali' was given by his father, a great fan of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan who, in the past, used to live in Lahore, British India. Ghulam Ali had always been listening to Khansahib since childhood.
Ghulam Ali encountered Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khansahib, a big name in classical music, for the first time, when he was in his early teens. When Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khansahib had come to Kabul, Afghanistan and, on the way back to India, Ghulam Ali's father requested the Ustad to take his son as a disciple. But the maestro insisted that since he was hardly in town, regular training wouldn't be possible. But after repeated requests from Ghulam Ali's father, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khansahib asked the young Ghulam Ali to sing something. It wasn't easy to have the courage to sing before him. He mustered the courage to sing the Thumri "Saiyyan Bolo Tanik Mose Rahiyo Na Jaye..". After he finished, Ustad hugged him and made him his disciple.
Career
Ghulam Ali started singing for Radio Pakistan, Lahore in 1960. Along with singing ghazals, Ghulam Ali composes music for his bhajans. His compositions are raga-based and sometimes include a scientific mixture of ragas. He is known for blending gharana-gaayaki into ghazal and this gives his singing the capability to touch people's hearts. He beautifully sings Punjabi songs too. Most of his Punjabi songs have been extremely popular. Though from Pakistan, Ghulam Ali remains as popular in India as in Pakistan. Asha Bhosle has done joint music albums with him.
He was introduced to Hindi cinema with a Hindi film song Chupke Chupke Raat Din written by the poet Hasrat Mohani in B. R. Chopra's film, Nikaah (1982). Other popular ghazals include Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa and Awaargi. He has always selected the ghazals of famous poets. One of his ghazal Hum ko kis ke gham ne mara written by Masroor Anwar was a top hit.
On being questioned about Pakistani pop groups, Ghulam Ali replied, "Frankly, I am really bewildered at their style of singing. How can you sing a song by running and jumping around the stage? The stage is meant for performing not for acrobatics."
Ghulam Ali has also sung some beautiful Nepali ghazals like Kina kina timro tasveer, Gajalu tee thula thula aankha, Lolaaeka tee thula and Ke chha ra diun in Nepali language with Narayan Gopal, a well known Nepali singer, and composer Deepak Jangam. Those songs were written by King Mahendra of Nepal. These songs were compiled in an album entitled Narayan Gopal, Ghulam Ali Ra Ma, and are popular among Nepali music lovers to this day.
One of his memorable concerts was at the Taj Mahal. On being asked about the future of ghazal singers, he said he enjoyed popular ghazal singer Adithya Srinivasan's ghazals, who performed the opening act at his concert in 2012 at Bangalore. Recently, in February 2013, the maestro became the first person to receive the Bade Ghulam Ali Khan award. Commenting on this, he said," I am indebted to the indian government for giving me this award. For me, it is the greatest award I have received because it is named after my guru."
He also got the first Swaralaya Global Legend Award (2016) at Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Notable ghazals/songs
- Aah ko chahiyye ek umr asar honey tak (Poet: The Great Mirza Ghalib)
- Ae husn-ae lala faam
- Ae husn-e-beparwah tujhe shola kahoon ya shabnam kahoon (Poet: Bashir Badr)
- Apni Dhun Mein Rehta Hun, Mai Bhi Tere Jaisa Hun (Poet: Nasir Kazmi)
- Apni Tasveer Ko Aankhon Se (Poet: Shahzad Ahmad)
- Arz-e-gham say bhi faaida tou nahin (Poet: Raees Warsi)
- Awaargi (Poet: Mohsin Naqvi)
- Saaqi Sharab Laa
- Baharon ko Chaman
- Barsan Lagi Sawan Bundiya Raja (Poet: Traditional)
- Bata do tum humein bedaad karna (Poet: Riaz Khairabadi)
- Bechain bahut phir na ghabraaye huye rehna (Poet: Munir Niazi)
- Chamakte Chand Ko Tuta Hua Tara Bana Dala (Poet: Anand Bakshi)
- Chhup Chhupa Ke Piyo
- Chupke Chupke Raat Din (Poet: Hasrat Mohani)
- Dard-e-dil dard aashna jaane (Poet: Bahadur Shah Zafar)
- Dareeche Be-sada Koi Nahin Hai (Poet: Sabir Zafar)
- Dil Buk Buk Ahro
- Dil Jala Ke Mera Muskuraate Hain Woh
- Dil dhadakne ka sabab yaad aaya (Poet: Nasir Kazmi)
- Dil Mein Ek Leher Si Uthi Hai Abhi (Poet: Nasir Kazmi)
- Fasle Aise Bhi Honge (Poet: Adeem Hashmi)
- Gajalu Ti Thula Thula Aankha" (Poet: Mahendra of Nepal)
- Hadaff-e-Gham na kiya sang-e-mallamat nay mujhay (Poet: Raees Warsi)
- Heer (Punjabi Traditional)
- Hum Tere Shahar Mein Aaye Hain Musafir Ki Tarha
- Hum To Kitnon Ko Mahzabeen Kehte Hain
- Humko Kiske Gham Ne Mara' (Poet: Masroor Anwar)
- Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa (Akbar Allahabadi)
- Itni muddat baad mile ho (Poet: Mohsin Naqvi)
- Jin ke honton pe hansi
- Kabhi aah labh pe machal gayee, kabhi ashq aankhon se dhal gye (Poet: Rashid Kamil)
- Kabhi neki mein mujhe
- Kachhi Deewar Hoon Thokar Na Lagana
- Kaisi Chali Hai Abke Hawa
- Kal Chaudhvin Ki Raat Thi (Poet: Ibn-e-Insha)
- Kal Raat Bazm mein jo mila
- Kehte Hain Mujhse Ishq Ka Afsana Chahiye (Qamar Jalalabadi)
- Khuli Jo Aankh (Poet: Farhat Shehzad)
- Khushboo Gunche Talash Karti Hain
- Khushboo Jaise Log Mile
- Ki Pucchde Ho Haal (Punjabi song)
- Kina Kina Timro Tasveer
- Kiya Hai Pyaar Jise (Poet: Qateel Shifai)
- koi humnafas nahi hai
- koi ummid nazar nahi aati (Poet: Ghalib)
- Main Nazar Se Pee Raha Hoon
- Mehfil Mein Baar Baar (Agha Bismil)
- Mera Kya Tha Tere Hisaab Mein
- Mere shoq da nai aitbar tenu Poet: Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum
- Niyat-e-shauq bhar na jaaye kahin (Poet: Nasir Kazmi)
- Ni Chambe Diye Bandh Kaliye (Punjabi song)
- Nit de vichore sada (Punjabi song)
- "Pata laga mainu hund ki judai" (Punjabi song)
- Patta Patta Boota Boota (Poet: Meer Taqi Meer)
- Paara Paara Hua Pairaahan-e-Jaan (Poet: Syed Razid-e-Ramzi)
- "pehli waari aj hona" (Punjabi song)
- Phir Sawan Rut Ki Pawan Chali Tum Yaad Aaye (Poet: Nasir Kazmi)
- Rabba Mere Haal Da (Punjabi song)
- "Rahe ishq ki inteha chahata hoon"
- Ranj Ki Jab Guftagu Hone Lagi (Poet: Daag Dehlavi)
- Roya Karenge Aap Bhi (Poet: Momin Khan Momin)
- Shauq Har Rang Raqeeb- E-Sar - O - Samaan Nikla (Poet: Ghalib)
- Tak Patri Waaleya Lekh Mere (Punjabi song)
- Tamaam Umr Tera Intezar Kiya (Poet: Hafeez Hoshiarpuri)
- Tumhare Khat Mein Naya Ik Salaam (Poet: Daag Dehlavi)
- Ufri muhabat haye jawani, hijr ki rut
- Woh Kabhi Mil Jayen Tau (Poet: Akhtar Sheerani)
- Woh Jo Hum Mein Tum Mein Qarar Tha (Poet: Momin Khan Momin)
- Yeh Batein Jhooti Batein Hain Poet: Ibn-e-Insha
- Yeh Dil Yeh Pagal Dil (Poet: Mohsin Naqvi)
- Zakhm-e-Tanhai Mein Khusboo-e-Heena Kiski Thi
- Zehaal-e-miskin mukun taghaful (Poet: Amir Khusroo)
Discography
- Tere Shehar Mein - 1996
- Lamha Lamha - 1997
- Mahtab - 1997
- Madhosh - 1999
- Khushboo - 2000
- Rabba Yaar Milaade - 2000
- Passions - 2000
- Sajda - 2001
- Visaal - 2004
- Aabshaar - 2006
- Parchhaiyan - 2006
- Husn-E-Ghazal - 2007
- The Enchanter - 2010
- Anjuman Behtareen Ghazlen
- At His Very Best
- Aawargee
- Dillagee
- Ghazalain – Live at Islamabad
- Ghazals
- Great Ghazals
- Geet Aur Ghazals
- Hungama Live in Concert Vol.1
- Haseen Lamhe
- Khwahish
- Live in USA Vol 2 – Private Mehfil Series
- Live in USA Vol 1 – Private Mehfil Series
- Mast Nazren -Ecstatic Glances Live in London, 1984
- Narayan Gopal, Ghulam Ali Ra Ma (Nepali Ghazals)
- Once More
- Poems of Love
- Saadgi
- Suraag – In Concert
- Suno
- Soulful
- Saugaat
- The Golden Moments – Patta Patta Boota Boota
- The Finest Recordings of Ghulam Ali
- The Golden Collection
- With Love
- Kalaam-E-Mohabbat (Ghazals written by Sant Darshan Singh Ji)
- Chupke Chupke – Live in Concert, England
- Rang Tarang vol 1,2
- Janay Walay
- Heer
- Ghulam Ali – The Very Best
- Ghulam Ali – Mehfil – Collection From Live Concerts
- The Best of Ghulam Ali
- Lag Gaya Nain
- Awargi—Ghulam Ali – Vocal CDNF418/419 Live. Vol.3 & 4.
- Aitbaar
- Aadaab Ustad (Ghazals)
- Ghulam Ali Vol.1 and 2
- A Ghazal Treat – Ghulam Ali in Concert
- Ghulam Ali in Concert
- Awargi (Live) Vol 1 and 2
- Moods and Emotions
- Ek Ehsaas – A Confluence of the Finest Ghazal Voices
- Best of Ghulam Ali
- Greatest Hits Of Ghulam Ali
- The Golden Moments Ghulam Ali (Vol.1)
- A Live Concert
- The Best of Ghulam Ali
- Once More
- Mehraab
- Ghulam Ali Live at India Gate – Swar Utsav 2001 – Songs of the Wandering Soul
- Ghalib – Ghazals – Ghulam Ali – Mehdi Hassan
- The Latest, the best"\
- Meraj-E-Ghazal, Ghulam Ali & Asha Bhosle
Awards and recognition
- Pride of Performance Award in 1979 by the President of Pakistan
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award (Star of Excellence) in 2012 by the President of Pakistan