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Economic Times
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
How Pakistan treated its music legends like Mehdi Hassan and Reshma: Adnan Sami reveals shocking sad truth about their final years
In a recent interview, Adnan Sami expressed deep sadness over how Pakistani music legends like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, and Reshma spent their final years in poverty and neglect despite their global fame. He criticized the Pakistani authorities for failing to support these artists, saying they were admired by the public but abandoned by the system. Sami, who gave up his Pakistani citizenship and moved to India for artistic growth, said his decision wasn't about money but about respect and opportunity. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Lack of Support from Authorities India Gave Him a New Beginning Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Not About Money, But Respect and Growth Renowned singer and composer Adnan Sami recently reflected on the tragic fate of several Pakistani music legends who, despite their international fame, spent their final years in poverty and neglect. Highlighting the painful ends of artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Mehdi Hassan , and Reshma, Sami called attention to how these icons were celebrated worldwide but abandoned by the very system that once took pride in their success.'These are just a few names,' he said in a recent interview, pointing out that many more in the arts went through similar neglect. Sami emphasized that while these artists were immensely loved by audiences, they never received the kind of institutional support or dignity they deserved from the authorities, especially when it mattered who became an Indian citizen in 2016, was critical of the lack of respect and backing these cultural icons received in their own country. He observed that while Pakistanis celebrated these artists' music, their welfare was ignored. 'The audience has always praised them,' he stated, 'but the authorities have never offered any help.'He recalled how ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan and folk singer Reshma suffered through painful final years, without access to adequate healthcare or support. Even someone as widely revered as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who brought Qawwali to international platforms, died with minimal state Sami's own journey offers a sharp contrast. Once sidelined by the Pakistani music industry, he found himself welcomed in India after legendary singer Asha Bhosle encouraged him to shift base to Mumbai. Despite releasing hit songs in 1998, he shared that the Pakistani industry gave no support or marketing push to his work. Feeling isolated, he considered recording in London but was advised by Bhosle to move to India her advice, he arrived in Mumbai with little more than determination. 'She made me stay in RD Burman's house,' he recalled, expressing gratitude for the warmth and encouragement he received. Songs like 'Kabhi To Nazar Milao' and 'Lift Karadey,' which didn't perform well in Pakistan, were embraced in India, turning into massive has consistently dismissed claims that his shift to India was financially motivated. He emphasized that he left behind properties worth crores in Pakistan and started from scratch. 'Money wasn't my driving force,' he clarified. 'An artist's nourishment is his audience.'He stated that India offered him not just success, but dignity and respect for his craft—something he felt was lacking in his homeland. The warm reception and recognition he received in India, including being awarded the Padma Shri, confirmed for him that his decision was not just artistic but also deeply strained relationship with Pakistan became even more evident when he was denied a visa to attend his mother's funeral in 2024. Despite obtaining clearance from Indian authorities and making an emotional appeal to the Pakistani embassy, his request was rejected. Left with no choice, Sami had to watch her final rites over a video call. 'I had to witness the janaza on WhatsApp,' he said, calling it one of the most painful moments of his life.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How Pakistan treated its music legends like Mehdi Hassan and Reshma: Adnan Sami reveals shocking sad truth about their final years
In a recent interview, Adnan Sami expressed deep sadness over how Pakistani music legends like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, and Reshma spent their final years in poverty and neglect despite their global fame. He criticized the Pakistani authorities for failing to support these artists, saying they were admired by the public but abandoned by the system. Sami, who gave up his Pakistani citizenship and moved to India for artistic growth, said his decision wasn't about money but about respect and opportunity. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Lack of Support from Authorities India Gave Him a New Beginning Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Not About Money, But Respect and Growth Renowned singer and composer Adnan Sami recently reflected on the tragic fate of several Pakistani music legends who, despite their international fame, spent their final years in poverty and neglect. Highlighting the painful ends of artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Mehdi Hassan , and Reshma, Sami called attention to how these icons were celebrated worldwide but abandoned by the very system that once took pride in their success.'These are just a few names,' he said in a recent interview, pointing out that many more in the arts went through similar neglect. Sami emphasized that while these artists were immensely loved by audiences, they never received the kind of institutional support or dignity they deserved from the authorities, especially when it mattered who became an Indian citizen in 2016, was critical of the lack of respect and backing these cultural icons received in their own country. He observed that while Pakistanis celebrated these artists' music, their welfare was ignored. 'The audience has always praised them,' he stated, 'but the authorities have never offered any help.'He recalled how ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan and folk singer Reshma suffered through painful final years, without access to adequate healthcare or support. Even someone as widely revered as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who brought Qawwali to international platforms, died with minimal state Sami's own journey offers a sharp contrast. Once sidelined by the Pakistani music industry, he found himself welcomed in India after legendary singer Asha Bhosle encouraged him to shift base to Mumbai. Despite releasing hit songs in 1998, he shared that the Pakistani industry gave no support or marketing push to his work. Feeling isolated, he considered recording in London but was advised by Bhosle to move to India her advice, he arrived in Mumbai with little more than determination. 'She made me stay in RD Burman's house,' he recalled, expressing gratitude for the warmth and encouragement he received. Songs like 'Kabhi To Nazar Milao' and 'Lift Karadey,' which didn't perform well in Pakistan, were embraced in India, turning into massive has consistently dismissed claims that his shift to India was financially motivated. He emphasized that he left behind properties worth crores in Pakistan and started from scratch. 'Money wasn't my driving force,' he clarified. 'An artist's nourishment is his audience.'He stated that India offered him not just success, but dignity and respect for his craft—something he felt was lacking in his homeland. The warm reception and recognition he received in India, including being awarded the Padma Shri, confirmed for him that his decision was not just artistic but also deeply strained relationship with Pakistan became even more evident when he was denied a visa to attend his mother's funeral in 2024. Despite obtaining clearance from Indian authorities and making an emotional appeal to the Pakistani embassy, his request was rejected. Left with no choice, Sami had to watch her final rites over a video call. 'I had to witness the janaza on WhatsApp,' he said, calling it one of the most painful moments of his life.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor: Sindoor, Shakti, and Symbolism: How Pahalgam payback united almost every Indian against Pakistan
On May 7th, as the world woke up to the news of —a precise and devastating counter-terrorist operation that neutralised scores of terrorists—a tweet went viral that read: 'On principle, I object strongly to the name . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It reeks of patriarchy, ownership of women, 'honour' killings, chastity, sacralising the institution of marriage, and similar Hindutva obsessions.' The confused farrago of words masquerading as intelligent thought, which sounds like it was lifted from a Dismantle Global Hindutva conference, could've challenged Poe's Law if we didn't know the author's intent. What was strange, considering India's noisy landscape of a million mutinies, though, was the fact that there were very few such voices of 'dissent' against India's retaliation after the Pahalgam terror attack. Almost every member of the Indian commentariat—elite columnists, angsty fact-checkers, chairman-loving communists, and even the sort of chaps who would have been sipping champagne at a —is on the same page as the Government of India and no longer has any qualms about the Pakistani quom. There are no delusions of peace about our bloodthirsty neighbour's raison d'être—that is, the destruction of India—their version of the River-to-the-Sea 'circus' because they keep running out of 'bread.' This wasn't always the case. A Timeline Not So Long Ago Just two decades ago, the idea that Indians and Pakistanis are loving Biblical neighbours who want to just get along irrespective of the two countries' establishment view was the prevailing narrative. Most folks wanted Pakistani players to play in the IPL, Fawad Khan's immaculate jawline to grace movie screens, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to croon more. The aforementioned bonhomie was best captured by Farah Khan's debut movie Main Hoon Na , when the good guys wanted peace and bad ones advocated war. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Twenty-one years later, after numerous terror attacks—which included a few off-field trips by charming young men like Ajmal Kasab—the Chamberlain-like delusion is shattered. From the slums of Dharavi to the high-rises of Gurugram, the pernicious myth has no takers, no political backing—not even among India's Muslim populace. While Pakistan's actions over the years have chipped away at the goodwill, Pahalgam turned out to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Crossing the Rubicon Pahalgam wasn't the first time India has faced a terror attack originating from Pakistani soil, but it was perhaps the most indelible since 26/11—not just for its brutality, but for its horrifyingly intimate familiarity. People didn't die via a bomb left in a local train—they were killed up front when you could see the whites of the terrorists' eyes. The terrorists weren't indiscriminately spraying bullets—they were checking people's religion. Reciting the Kalma or proving one's religious ID became the litmus test for survival. Women were spared to send a message: 'Go back and tell Modi what happened there.' Something changed for almost every Indian, barring John Lennon fans. Until now, India had often responded with strategic ambiguity, restrained outrage, or backchannel pressure. But Pahalgam crossed an invisible red line—not of diplomacy, but of civilisation. The bards of war poured more salt on the wound, as e, calling the demons that had murdered innocents 'gunmen' or 'rebels' and making stock remarks about Hindu nationalism or Kashmir. And perhaps the most devastating was the image of a —her wrists still adorned with bridal bangles—sitting beside the lifeless body of her husband, Lt . In that single image, the tragedy of Pahalgam was distilled: love cut down, innocence violated, and a nation united in collective grief. The modern-day equivalent of Draupadi's cheerharan, where it would be almost impossible to move on without washing the sins with Dushasana's blood. And no one had any doubt about the identity of Dushasana. Sindoor, Shakti, and Symbolism To the uninitiated, like deracinated columnists for foreign publications, the sindoor might appear to be a cosmetic flourish, but in India's 5,000-year-old civilisational ethos, it is sacred—predating Hindutva, politics, or postcolonial lectures. One of the most enduring stories involves Hanuman asking Sita why she applied vermilion to her forehead for Rama's long life. When Hanuman learnt that, he smeared his entire body with it, which is why so many of . And it's Hanuman who also represents retribution. In naming its military response Operation Sindoor, India didn't just choose a title—it summoned a civilisational archetype. Because in Hindu cosmology, when the sacred feminine is violated, you don't awaken a victim. You awaken a goddess. Abrahamic traditions may reserve divine wrath for patriarchs, but in the Indic imagination, it is Shakti who rises. Durga was born of the gods' collective fury to slay Mahishasura. Kali emerged when Durga's rage could no longer be contained. Chamunda annihilated demons that even Ambika couldn't ignore. Draupadi, humiliated in court, became the moral ignition for a war of . Hell hath no fury like Shakti scorned. So when Himanshi Narwal sat beside her martyred husband's coffin, sindoor still streaked in her parting, India was way past mourning. It remembered. And it responded—not with vengeance, but with dharma. Everything that has followed has been an act of war of precise calibration. From the tipped jar of vermilion in the official Operation Sindoor graphic to the press conference flanked by two women officers, it wasn't just optics. The calm authority of Wing Commander and Colonel told the world: India's daughters don't just wear sindoor—they avenge it. The New Unity For once, we are not BJP, Congress, or Communist. We are not Left or Right. We have risen above internecine petty differences. We are simply Indian. No one is asking for proof of surgical strikes. No one is raising questions about satellite coordinates. Even the communists—who once opposed wars if the —stand aligned. India has never been the aggressor. It has never been an expansionist power, much to the confusion of the likes of Stalin. Not in 1947. Not in 1965. Not in 1971. Not in 1999. And not now. But make no mistake—hell hath no fury like Bharat Mata scorned. The same mother who writes the Gita can also roar the Rudram. Many years ago, TOI's masterful scribe Jug Suraiya had penned a delightful piece when a Siberian court wanted to ban the Gita, in which Arjuna tells Lord Krishna: 'Holy moly. Preach war? Me? Don't those guys know that I'm a conscientious objector, the original peacenik, the 'him' in the middle of ahimsa? Boy, talk about ignorance.' But there are times when even the warriors of enlightenment—those who forsake violence—must choose it. After all, the Gita came when Arjuna, seeing his brother and uncles across the battlefield, felt the urge to de-escalate. But, as Krishna told Arjuna on that ancient battlefield: follow your dharma without attachment. Justice must be done—not in anger, but in duty. Not with vengeance, but with resolve. India has never been the aggressor. Not in 1947. Not in 1965. Not in 1971. Not in 1999. And certainly not in 2025. But make no mistake—hell hath no fury like Bharat Mata scorned. The same mother who nurtures with one hand carries a trident in the other. The same civilisation that composed the Rigveda also gave us the Rudram. As Krishna told the original peacenik of the Mahabharata—the man who put the 'him' in Ahimsa—there comes a time when even the most reluctant warrior must pick up his bow. That time came with Pahalgam. Operation Sindoor wasn't launched in anger—it was launched in clarity. In that moment, India remembered that dharma is not fulfilled through retreat but through righteous resistance. The Gita doesn't call for escape; it demands engagement. Not with hatred. Not with greed. But with purpose. No one seeks war. But even Arjuna—the idealist, the philosopher, the dreamer—knew that when war comes knocking, you don't fold your hands. You draw your bow. And you aim true. For grief must be mourned. But justice? Justice must be delivered. Operation Sindoor isn't the end. It's a beginning. And much to the chagrin of a lot of think-tankies around the world: India is not seeking an off-ramp.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
White House Readies For Historic Third Trump Impeachment; 'Clarion Call To Republicans'
'We Are Pleasing Pak Army...' Says Javed Akhtar On Banning Pak Artists In India | Pahalgam Attack Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar weighed in on the contentious issue of allowing Pakistani artists to perform in India. He highlighted the historical context, noting that while India has warmly welcomed numerous Pakistani artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ghulam Ali, this generosity has not been reciprocated, citing the absence of a Lata Mangeshkar performance in Pakistan despite her immense popularity there. However, he also presented a counter-argument saying that such a ban on Pakistani artists might inadvertently please the Pakistani army and fundamentalists who desire distance between the two nations.#pakistaniartists #india #javedakhtar #music #culture #geopolitics #indiapakistan #art #culturalexchange #bollywood #artists #performingarts #southasia #toibharat #pakistaniactors #indianews #crossborderrelations #culturalboycott #indiapolitics #javedakhtarstatement #nationalsecurity #artandpolitics #pahalgamattack #toi #timesofindia 2.9K views | 3 hours ago
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'We Are Pleasing Pak Army...' Says Javed Akhtar On Banning Pak Artists In India
Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar weighed in on the contentious issue of allowing Pakistani artists to perform in India. He highlighted the historical context, noting that while India has warmly welcomed numerous Pakistani artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ghulam Ali, this generosity has not been reciprocated, citing the absence of a Lata Mangeshkar performance in Pakistan despite her immense popularity there. However, he also presented a counter-argument saying that such a ban on Pakistani artists might inadvertently please the Pakistani army and fundamentalists who desire distance between the two nations.#pakistaniartists #india #javedakhtar #music #culture #geopolitics #indiapakistan #art #culturalexchange #bollywood #artists #performingarts #southasia #toibharat #pakistaniactors #indianews #crossborderrelations #culturalboycott #indiapolitics #javedakhtarstatement #nationalsecurity #artandpolitics #pahalgamattack #toi #timesofindia Read More
