It was with great diffidence that I approached the renowned folk singer Abida Parveen. She appears to be so deeply immersed in Sufi kalaam that she seems to be oblivious of worldly pleasures and exudes a distinct aura of a malang. It seemed almost impudent asking the great singer if she watches movies or listens to music that is not spiritual in content.
It came as no mean surprise then to learn from her that she is as fond of watching movies as the girl next door and even has favourite actors, what to speak of films.
Laughs Parveen: “Of course, I enjoy watching films. I feel you can learn so much from them, and they give me a lot of pleasure. My father used to say that we should watch movies for they are not just a source of entertainment, but education as well. I love movies like Mughal-i-Azam and Umrao Jan Ada. They have a timeless artistic element about them. Dilip Kumar was sensational in Mughal-i-Azam and I found his performance in Aan equally impressive.”
It’s not as if Parveen watches only vintage films. Says she: “I enjoy contemporary cinema as well. Amitabh Bachan is such an all-rounder and he has done kamaal in Baghban. Allah’s greatness is such that no one person can replace another no matter how good they may be. There is no radhobadal for either Amitabh or Dilip; both are giants in their own right.”
Parveen is profuse in her praise of the Indian film industry and raves about their wholeheartedness. Says she: “Indians have no qualms in embracing the beauty and talent of outsiders and accepting them as one of their own, no matter where they may hail from. They also know how to respect their elders and seniors and that is a gift indeed.”
Parveen says that the last Indian film she saw was Sathiya and admits with an embarrassed laugh that she is very fond of Shahrukh Khan. Having recently met the Indian delegation that had arrived for the Karafilm Festival, including Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt, Om Puri and Irfaan Khan, she claims festivals such as this one is excellent in bringing together our two peoples and bringing down barriers. “When they meet us, the Indians shower us with love without any restrain, and we reciprocate their affection with just as much enthusiasm. It feels like we are one, for genuine affection is not stemmed by borders.”
While it is surprising enough to learn that Parveen watches Indian movies, it was even more stunning, if not heartening to discover that she watches Pakistani movies as well, and unlike most celebrities, has seen the more recent ones too. She has seen the Punjabi flick Churiyan and describes it as a ‘good effort’ and has also seen the latest Pakistani hit, Salakhain which she thoroughly enjoyed. As for her favourite Pakistani and Indian actors, she says she was mesmerized by the performances of silver screen icons like Noor Jehan, Dilip Kumar and Waheed Murad. Says she: “They used to become the part they would play.”
Although Parveen enjoys books as well, her reading is mostly limited to Sufi kalaam. She reads writers like Hazrat Sultan-ar-Arafeen (RA), Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Roomi (RA), Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA), Hazrat Bulleh Shah (RA), Hazrat Maulana Moinuddin Chishti (RA), Hazrat Amir Khusro (RA), and many others. Claims Parveen: “I even read those books that are not related to my work, but am mostly into spiritual reading.”
Another pleasant surprise was Abida Parveen’s choice in music. She is fond of listening Sir Elton John among the western singers and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan among the local ones. About the latter she says: “He was a unique singer — such a singer has never been born, nor is likely to be. When he used to sing qawaali, there was no parallel. It is impossible to select just one of his qawaalis as my favourite for they are all excellent.”
With not a negative word for anyone, Parveen is also full of praise for our younger lot of singers and claims, “They are good too and I listen to them regularly when they appear on television.”
About the legendary Indian crooner Lata Mangeshkar she says: “I have no words to describe her. Her innocent and pure voice is a gift to the Indian film industry and they should really be grateful to God for giving them such a blessed voice. It is a dua to listen to a voice like that — after all, dua doesn’t mean just raising your hands in supplication, it can be said in any number of ways.”
Similarly, she raves about Madame Noor Jehan: “When she used to sing her voice would bounce off walls making them resonate. Practically all her life she sang memorable songs for the film industry.” Kishore Kumar is another singer she praises and says she has ‘liked his voice from childhood’. “He and Lata made a good pair and have sung some beautiful duets. The other day their song Tera mera sath rahay was being aired on TV, and it was so melodious that even the kids came out of their rooms to listen to it, and the ditty permeated the rooms.”
Parveen goes into raptures when she speaks of the great composers of the subcontinent. Claims she: “Laxmikant-Pyarelal were such brilliant composers that they would make the entire music of a film on just one raag, while simultaneously keeping in mind the different situations and emotions that would be depicted during the picturization of the songs, which is not an easy feat to accomplish. Naushad was another great composer. What great thinkers these people were! And they were willing to incorporate others thoughts in their works as well, polish them and then present them.”
It was with great diffidence that I approached the renowned folk singer Abida Parveen. She appears to be so deeply immersed in Sufi kalaam that she seems to be oblivious of worldly pleasures and exudes a distinct aura of a malang. It seemed almost impudent asking the great singer if she watches movies or listens to music that is not spiritual in content.
