Ustad Ghulam Ali was born 5 December 1940 is a Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala Gharana. He was also a prominent playback singer. Ghulam Ali was a disciple of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (elder Ghulam Ali Khan). Ali was also trained by Bade Ghulam Ali's younger brothers- Barkat Ali Khan and Mubarak Ali Khan.
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 US, 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, Chamakte Chand Ko, 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 Kiske Gham Ne Maara". His recent album "Hasratein" was nominated in the Best Ghazal Album category at Star GIMA Awards 2014. He was married to Afsana Ali and has a daughter Manjari Ghulam Ali.
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 Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. After this cancellation, he performed at Lucknow, India.,[3] 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.
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 Khan since childhood.
Ghulam Ali encountered Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, for the first time, when he was in his early teens. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan had toured Kabul, Afghanistan and, on the way back to India, Ghulam Ali's father requested the Ustad to take his son as a disciple. But Khan 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 Khan 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.
Ghulam Ali started singing for Radio Pakistan, Lahore in 1960. Along with singing ghazals, Ghulam Ali composes music for his ghazals. 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 sings Punjabi songs too. Many of his Punjabi songs have been popular and have been part of Punjab's own cultural diaspora. 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 tends to select the ghazals of famous poets.
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 in Hyderabad, 2007
Ghulam Ali has also sung some 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 at Trivandrum, Kerala, India. Ghulam Ali was also the singer of choice for His late Majesty the king of Nepal Mahendra Birbikram Shah Dev. Ghulam Ali sang number's of popular songs written by King Mahendra.
PTN-USA