Before Nusarat Fateh Ali Khan or even Ali Haider, there was……

Hassan Jehangir….

No I am not trying to compare their singing prowess its just that Hassan Jehangir was most probably the first Pakistani Singer to take the Indian Music scene by a storm. He was not good, in fact if one listens to him now he would sound horrible. But then way back in late 80s Hawa Hawa somehow caught fancy of the whole nation.

Now I wonder why Hawa Hawa became such a big hit in India. Maybe because this music was different from the regular filmi music, not the sound just a concept of pop artist or maybe it just benefited from the success of Pakistani entertainment industry on the back of some excellent serials like Ankahee, Tanhhaiyan, Bakraa Qishton Pe etc. Goodwill towards most of things Pakistani, Javed Miandad’s last ball six in Sharjah notwithstanding. The music was so popular that a producer even made a movie to ride on the popularity of some of Hassan Jehangir’s songs. A series of painful events woven around Hawa Hawa songs and called Don2. No Farhan Akhtar was not responsible for the second coming of movie called DON though he could be credited for second coming of “THE DON”. This movie was original Don 2 and had some really faltu story which even my mind, full of lots of useless stuff for eternity, refused to remember. The songs however ensured that there was decent enough circulation on the video circuit.

And to top it all there was a duo who came up with an English Version of this song and few other songs as well. I think they were called Ashley Beverley or something sounding similar to that.

All the Cool Dudes in the school used to hum this song while I, in my effort to be cool, tried to learn the lyrics while walking past various paan-beedi shop in a non-chalant way but listening very intently to the blaring sound coming out of the old music systems. In case you ask why, like any good middle class family this was a low brow music to my parents and I was supposed to be a good boy, a geek in present day terms, preparing for the most important thing in life – IIT JEE. So no allowance for buying the audio cassette featuring the ultimate signing sensation from across the border. This lack of proper exposure to the path breaking music still makes me feel bit culturally retarded. If not for paan beedi shops and autos, many good middle class kids would have been completely bereft of appreciating real good music when they hear it.

Those were the times when “Pepsi’s Generation X” was about to take wings. Some really funny fashion trends were evolving – baggy pants with leg room enough to fit in five people, fluorescent shirts, Action shoes if one could not afford the expensive foreign brands and soon to emerge Rahul Roy hair style. Even here I got left behind. Aargh !!!! A retard in fashion too. What a deprived teenage existence I had. Before I deviate any further from my take on one of the greatest singer of 80s let me close this post.

By the way some equally talented (?) Indian pop artists were also trying to make an impact around the same time – Sharon Prabhakar, Parvati Khan, Malkit Singh of “Tootak Tootak Tutiya” fame. Maybe a topic for another nostalgic post some other time.

Confession : While I may not appreciate Hassan Jehangir’s voice anymore, I still enjoyed Hawa Hawa and few other songs for the memories they brought back.