A MEETING OF MUSICAL MINDS

AS Mahmud Hall of The Daily Star Centre became the rendezvous of renowned singers who gathered on October 8 evening and performed their favourite songs in an informal, interactive event. Unlike Star Melodies, the regular Bangla music programme, organised by The Daily Star, it was quite different, and the presence and participation of renowned singers outnumbered the music-loving audience.

Rowshan Ara Shoma and Rahat Ara Geeti, the daughters of eminent Bangladeshi singer Sohrab Hossain, first took the stage and rendered “Chaiti Phuler” and “Gaan Gaorey Modhur Sur-e” respectively. Shelu Barua evoked an air of romance singing the song “Ei Raat Tomar Amar” while Zannat E Ferdousi Lucky hinted childhood nostalgia through “Ami Mela Theke”. Fahim Hossain Chowdhury performed “Amar Swapne Dekha Rajkonna” and a Tagore song “Amar Ei Poth Chawatei Ananda”.

Iffat Ara Nargis beautifully performed the song “Tumi Je Amar” while Nasima Shaheen Fancy rendered “Ek Boroshar Brishtitey Bhijey”. Professor Nashid Kamal sang “Rohi Rohi Keno”, Parveen Sultana took the audience to the golden era of Bangla cinema as she rendered “Na Hoy Rohitey Kachhey”.

Shaheed Kabir Polash presented a Nazrul Ghazal “Cheyona Sunayona” while Sabbir Zaman performed a Kishore Kumar song “Aj Hridoye Bhalobeshey”. Tanveer Alam Shawjeeb impressed with a Jnan Prakash Ghosh song “Phul-e Phul-e Bhromora”, popularised by Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty.

Dalia Nausheen superbly performed “Srijono Chhonde Anande”, while sharing some childhood memories of hers. 

Ghazal artiste Aloke Kumar Sen mesmerised the audience with a Mehdi Hassan number “Pyar Bhare Do Sharmile Nain”. Yasmin Mushtari also rendered two ghazals -- “Ranjish Hi Sahi” and “Duniya Kisi ki Pyar Mein”, originally recorded by Mehdi Hassan.

Another Ghazal artiste Sheikh Jashim won hearts with his soothing presentation of “Kare Kare Boli Ami”, written and composed by eminent musicologist M Asafuddowla. Ekushey Padak-winning singer Shaheen Samad was the showstopper of the event. She couldn't resist her temptation to render a Ghazal “Chupi Chupi Chole Na Giye”, originally recorded by Begum Akhtar.      

Music buff Iftekharul Islam on behalf of Simantic Creative Concern and Chalachchitram organised the event in association with The Daily Star to congratulate eminent singer, Nazrul exponent and Editor of Arts and Entertainment of The Daily Star Sadya Afreen Mallick on her receiving the Nazrul Padak, conferred by Nazrul Institute, Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The participating artistes paid their musical homage to Sadya Afreen Mallick while noted singer Khairul Anam Shakil, Khilkhil Kazi, Granddaughter of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and Poet and deputy director of the Nazrul Institute Rezauddin Stalin spoke highly of Sadya Afreen Mallick elaborating her five-decade versatile career on music and journalism. Professor Dr.

SS Andaleeb, the Vice Chancellor of BRAC University and Faruq Hasan Mallick, advisor of GMG Industrial Corporation and Founding CEO of GMG Stainless Steel, shared anecdotes on the artiste's life.

Bapi Mandal on tabla and Robins on keyboard assisted the singers instrumentally. Iftekharul Islam and Zahangir Alom hosted the programme under the artistic direction of Selim SH Chowdhury.