A Jagjit Singh sized void stays now and forever
'Hothon se chuu lo tum, mera geet amar kar do'. When Jagjit Singh crooned for this 1981 movie 'Prem Geet', little did he know that the song would get immortalized, much like his other works. The legendary singer would have turned 77 today, but on 10 October 2011, he left for the heavenly abode creating a void in the world of music. Here's more about him.
Jagjit Singh was born in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar in the house of a government officer. He developed his love for music at an early age, and spent his teenage years composing music. Though his father wanted him to become an engineer, Singh moved to Mumbai in 1965, without the knowledge of his family. After composing a few jingles, Singh moved towards playback singing.
Even a talent like Jagjit Singh got recognition only after incredible struggle. But, when he got his due, there was no looking back. In 1976, Jagjit Singh and his wife Chitra released an album called 'The Unforgettables', which was a huge hit. Back then, competing with the likes of Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar, wasn't easy but Singh carved a niche of his own.
In 1990, Jagjit Singh and Chitra's 20-year-old son Vivek died in a car crash. This irreparable loss left the couple devastated, and Singh went silent for six months. When he came back, Jagjit Singh mostly sang heartbreaking songs, and it is believed his work was a reflection of the pain in his heart.
Without Jagjit Singh, ghazals would not have seen the same popularity. In his 46-year-long career, Singh released around 50 albums. Singh's catchy rhythms, soulful music breathed a new life to ghazals, and his albums sold instantly, a testimony that India accepted his style. Songs like 'Tum ko dekha to ye khayal aaya', 'Jhuki jhuki si nazar' mesmerised music connoisseurs, then and now.
