Enthusiasts have said that an artiste’s worth is judged by the response of the audience. And needless to say, the music icon Shaukhat Ali’s career has been full of applause and accolades.
At Al-Hamra, the Cultural Journalist Foundation paid a tribute to the singer and poet, to celebrate his 50 years in music. As Ali approached the stage, there was a sense of anxiety which people around him didn’t notice, due to his natural composure and ability to make people feel at ease.
As he walked on stage he started to get teary-eyed, as the ripple of applause began to exasperate into a crescendo of appreciation. The stage was set with a large throne, where he was crowned with an ornate turban. Fifty years is a long-time — Ali has seen it all and despite his unconventional roots, people forget that he was one of the first Pakistani musician who developed a fan following abroad.
Unlike his folk contemporaries, his career started unconventionally. Despite belonging to a family of artistes, it was as a student that he first developed his local fan following at college functions and by 1970, he established himself as a well-known singer. Sporting edgy long sideburns and bell-bottoms, Ali had a dashing rock star persona going on for him back in the day. He churned several hits — in ghazals, folk music and playback songs for the film industry. He has also been a well-regarded singer of the coveted genre of national songs.
Ali told The Express Tribune that he consciously made sure his focus remained on music over the years. His life is filled with several anecdotes, including his collaborations with fellow artistes such as Mohammed Rafi.
“I managed to remain very grounded as an artiste, my mother always said the bigger an artiste gets, the more arrogant he gets; she had always hoped I maintained a humble personality,” said Ali.
“I have always taught my sons that they should treat culture and music as an art and not be distracted by other things,” he added.
Ali’s son, Imran Shaukhat Ali whose career has largely been connected to his father said: “I was very lucky to be born in the household of Shaukhat Ali; he was able to achieve a lot success through his struggle and hard work. Naturally, the expectations for me are even higher, so I have to try and work twice as hard.”
“Every four to five years, the trend in music changes; what I saw him do was that whenever there was a gap, he continued to write. He has written four books of poetry as well,” added Imran.
He said that his father had always worked with a sense of humanity and connected with less privileged people. The longevity and ability to adapt to the changing circumstances is what stood out in his career.
Ali’s poetry has also received great appreciation; he himself in his Pride of Performance award acknowledged that his work as a poet also gets credit for his achievements.
“My thinking has always been linked with culture and the betterment of the country as a whole. History has shown that artistes end up being remembered for generations, so if you are committed and loved, despite the generation gaps and passing times, the music lives on,” concluded Ali.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2014.
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