THROUGH THE EYES OF SUJIT MUSTAFA
Sujit Mustafa is a Nazrul Sangeet exponent and a contemporary singer who has branched out to modern songs as well. He is known as a wonderful voice trainer and an informative presenter on musical television programs. His writings on music are well-known and his experimental style on Nazrul Sangeet is unique and notable. He is the son of the late poet and lyricist Abu Hena Mustafa Kamal. He has received training in classical music from the gurus Pandit Vinod Kumar at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya of New Delhi and Pandit Amarnath of Indore Gharana at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra of New Delhi. He has completed a five-year certificate course in classical music from Chhayanaut, and has a diploma from Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. He has also performed in countries such as USA, UK, France, Australia, Japan, China, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He has released several albums such as 'Amar Gaaner Prothom Choronkhani', 'Abar Holo Dekha', 'Cheyona Shunoyona', 'Ogo Priyo Tobo Gaan (duet)', 'Onek Brishty Jhore' and 'Dure Bohudure'. Sujit Mustafa is also the General Secretary of Nazrul Sangeet Shilpi Parishad.
INSPIRATION
I am favored with an extremely cultural bloodline. Since childhood, I have been practicing songs of good quality and I try to spread the joy and glory of music. My parents are my lifetime inspirations. Undeniably, my wife and my daughter have always been very motivational in flourishing my potential. The love of my friends, well-wishers and audiences have also inspired me to get into music more.
PHILOSOPHY
Life is evanescent and has different dimensions. For instance, we live in a society, make connections and then someday we have to leave this wonderful earth. Hence, we are born to die. In another perspective, the thrill of the uncertain journey of life is the beauty of it. Therefore, technological advancement and all other things have made our lives easier and delightful. Yet, there are some negative sides too which should be kept in our minds to secure the coming generation. At this phase of life, I prefer to accord the happiness to others, more than getting the glee by myself. This is the thought from which I can feel spiritual blessedness.
VIEWS ON HIS PROFESSION
Music is like my oxygen. I start my day with music and it also ends with music. My passion for music is immeasurable and it is my profession too. My responsibility is to guide the students properly; and I always inspire them to listen and practice sterling music. To me, music is the best philosopher, guide and loyal companion. Currently, there are some very promising artists and their efforts are really appreciable. Conversely, there is some misguidance too. Music has been shifted from its innate appeal to a group of people who are focusing more on watching than listening to music. Music itself is a universe which can create divine images in the minds of the audiences. So, my message to the young generation is to focus more on music itself than the visual elements. It's to be kept in mind that nobody can sustain themselves without dedication. Hence, there is no alternative to learning and practicing music in a proper manner. The young generation should refrain themselves from choosing any shortcut path for attaining their goals. We should motivate them to learn and cultivate the core meaning of music so they can touch upon the luxury of it.
MUSIC
My thirst for music is incessant. I admire the songs of our honorable Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Manna Dey, Mehdi Hassan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Ustad Amir Khan and Lata Mangeshkar.
FILMS
Since childhood, I loved watching movies of different languages. Specifically, Kabuliwala, Sunflower, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., PK, 3 Idiots and Bela Seshe are some of my favorite movies.
BOOKS
In case of reading story books, every individual person has his own perception. Kobi by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, Parapar by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Sei Samay by Sunil Gangopadhyay, Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon, The Godfather by Mario Puzo, Jochna O Jononir Golpo, Nondito Noroke and some other novels by Humayun Ahmed are on the list of my top favorite books.
FUTURE PLANS
I grew up under the warm shelter of music and I always keep myself busy with it. I have a plan of organizing a competition among the high-school students of Bangladesh. This won't be a singing competition; rather, the students will have to listen to twelve specially selected selective songs of our rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. They should also learn the basic details and the story behind each specific song to appear in that competition. By having enough sponsorship and taking this step, students will have proper attachment with the root of our culture and I think it will act as a fight against terrorism in our country. Additionally, I have some academic plans too. Since four and a half years, we have been arranging a weekly program on behalf of Nazrul Sangeet Shilpi Parishad in Dhaka, and we have our branches in 61 districts. We are already done with 200 programs. The next step will be opening our branches in sub-districts of our country. We have planned to organize district-wise programs at least once a month. Overall, my salient ambition is to uplift the taste of our young generation.
IDOLS
I have so many idols in my musical life. Firstly, my father is my idol. I also admire the ideologies of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and of course, our beloved poet Kazi Nazrul Islam has left a deep impression on me.
By Shawreen Rahman