Essentially a form of romantic poetry, the ghazal conveys emotions like no other form can. The format of the ghazal lends itself to being composed to music and presented as a ‘song’. Due to its potential to evoke myriad shades of human emotions, the genre has been patronised by artistes and audiences alike. The journey of the ghazal is a voyage through changing eras and trends; from classics to neo classical works, from Sufi to legendary poets, and from the salons of female dancers to the medium of celluloid and concert platforms. Born in a family of ghazal singers, Mohammed Vakil made his stage debut at the age of nine. Having trained with his uncles, the well-known pair of ghazal singers, Hussain brothers; Vakil went on to win the 1998 Sa Re Ga Ma Mega final. The concert will attempt to present a brief history of the ghazal from the classical era to the contemporary age. The presentation will trace its changing trends from the classics of Ghalib to the works of Allama Iqbal, from the works of Sufi poets like Siraj Aurangabadi to politically motivated progressive poets like Majrooh, Jan Nisar Akhtar, Faiz and such others whose poetry adorned the silver screen of Hindi cinema. Suhail Akhtar Warsi’s narration is woven around the ghazal rendition by Vakil.
