Farida Khanum Explained

Honorific Prefix:HI PP
Farida Khanum
Birth Name:Farida Khanum
Alias:Queen of Ghazal[1]
Birth Date:16 May 1929
Birth Place:Amritsar, British India
Known For:GhazalDadraKhyalThumri
Years Active:1948 - present
Children:6
Credits:Coke Studio Pakistan
Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV)
Radio Pakistan
Relatives:Agha Hashar Kashmiri (brother-in-law)
Mukhtar Begum (sister)
Sheeba Hassan (niece)
Awards:Pride of Performance (1970)
Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2005)

Farida Khanum (Urdu:) is a Pakistani classical singer from the city of Amritsar, Punjab. She is also known by her honorific title Malika-e-Ghazal (The Queen of Ghazal) in both Pakistan and India[2] and is widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of the ghazal genre of singing.[3] [4] Khanum has been affectionately called Queen of Ghazal in Pakistan.

Early life

Khanum was born in 1929 in Amritsar, British India into a Punjabi Muslim family.[5] She had four siblings — a sister and three brothers. Her sister is the famous singer, Mukhtar Begum. Their entire family moved from Amritsar, Punjab to Lahore, Pakistan when she was 18 years old.[6]

She started learning Khayal, Thumri and Dadra from Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan of Patiala gharana. As a child, her sister Mukhtar Begum would take her to the Khan's place for regular riyaaz (practice of classical music).[7] Her family moved to Pakistan after the Partition of India in 1947.

Career

Farida Khanum gave her first public concert in 1950 at the very young age of 21, and then joined Radio Pakistan where she gained recognition for herself.[8] [7] She became a star when Pakistan's president Ayub Khan invited her to a public recital in the 1960s. Farida also acted in films and she also sang songs for films. She has been a frequent performer on Pakistan Television and other Pakistani TV channels.[7] The ghazal she is most associated with is Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Naa Karo written by the famous poet Fayyaz Hashmi.[7] [9] In 2015, at the age of 86, she sang this ghazal in Coke Studio Season 8.

Khanum's live concerts in India have been very popular. She visited Kabul, Afghanistan in the late 1960s and early 1970s for concerts where she collaborated with Afghan musicians and sang Persian-language ghazals.[10]

Personal life

Farida Khanum lives in Lahore, Pakistan. She has five daughters and one son. Her niece, Sheeba Hassan, is also an actress.

Filmography

Film

YearFilmLanguage
1953 Sailab Urdu
1961 Sher-e-Islam Urdu
1963 Baji Urdu
1967 Main Woh Nahin Urdu
1968 Pakeeza Urdu
1969 Qasm Us Waqt Ki Urdu
1970 Pardesi Punjabi
1972 Bazi Jit Lei Punjabi
1973 Pyasa Urdu
1973 Dukh Sajna Day Punjabi
1974 Rano Punjabi
1979 Nishani Urdu

Discography

Studio releases

YearTitleAlbum detailsTrack listing
1993Farida Khanum: Meri Pasand Vol 1Digital release date: 9 April 1993
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 829410843775
  1. Voh Ishq Jo Humse
  2. Sham-E-Firaq Ab Na
  3. Main Ne Pairon Mein Payal
  4. Raat Jo Tum Ne Deep
  5. Kuchh Ishq Tha Kuchh
  6. Voh Mujh Se Huwe
  7. Yun Saja Chand
  8. Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo
  9. Bairi More Nainan
1993Farida Khanum: Meri Pasand Vol 2Digital release date: 9 April 1993
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 829410843874
  1. Mangwa De Jhumka
  2. Be Chain Bohat Phirna
  3. Suey Maikade Na Jate
  4. Dil Pe Ik Turfa Qayamat
  5. Uzr Aane Main Bhi
  6. Chand Niklee Kisi Janib
  7. Naina Re Naina
  8. Na Rawa Kahiye
  9. Es Tarah Qissa Mera

Compilations and live albums

YearTitleAlbum detailsTrack listing
1978Farida Khanum In Concert Vol. 1Digital release date: 1 December 1978
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 829410393676
  1. Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo
  2. Mohabbat Karne Wale
  3. Dil Jalane Ki Baat
  4. Uzr Aane Mein Bhi
  5. Mere Hamnafas Mere
  6. Tum Aur Faraib Khao
  7. Sajan Lago Toori
  8. Kuch Ishq Tha
1979Farida Khanum In Concert Vol. 2Digital release date: 1 October 1979
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 829410503570
  1. Chand Nikle Kisi Janib
  2. Wo Kabhi Mil Jayen To
  3. Chand Day Mora
  4. Na Aate Hamen
  5. Ashiq Ke Liye Yaksan
  6. Na Rawa Kahiye
  7. Mit Gaya Zoq-E-Yaqeen
  8. Tere Pyar Mein Ruswa
1980Farida Khanum In Concert Vol. 3Digital release date: 1 January 1980
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 829410503679
  1. Dayar-E-Dil Ki Raat Mein
  2. Yeh Kya Ke Ek Jahan Ko
  3. Ab Na Sahoon Tori
  4. Naina Re Naina
  5. Dil-E-Muztar Ko
  6. Ya Rab Gham-E-Hijran Mein
1985Taghazzul Farida Khanum Vol 1Digital release date: 1 July 1985
  • Label: EMI Pakistan
  • Genre: World Music
  • UPC: 884385348106
  1. Dil Pe Ik Turfa Qayamat
  2. Asar Us Ko Zara Nahin
  3. Voh Ehad Ehad Hi Kya
  4. So Raha Tha To Shor
  5. Voh Kabhi Mil Jaen To
  6. Garmi-E-Shauq-E-Nazara
  7. Le Ke Voh Teghe Jafa
  8. Dil Mein Hamare
  9. Kis Ko Dhoondne Ghar
  10. Ki Wafa Ham Se To
  11. Lutf Voh Ishq Mein
  12. Chand Meri Tarah

Awards and recognition

Year Award Category Result Title Ref.
1970 Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan Herself
1974 EMI Silver Disc Awards Best Ghazal Singer Herself
1980 Amir Khusrau Award Best Ghazal Singer Herself [11]
2000 PTV Award Best Singer Herself
2005 Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan Herself
2005 Hafiz Ali Khan Award Best Singer Herself
2007 The Times of India Malika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazal) Herself [12] [13]
2017 5th Hum Awards Hum Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award Herself [14]
2021 20th Lux Style Awards Unilever Chairman's Lifetime Achievement Award Herself [15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Farida Khanum: The Queen of Ghazal. Youlin Magazine. July 24, 2022.
  2. Web site: Khawaja Najamul Hassan Remembers Farida Khanum: The Queen of Ghazal: Part III. Youlin Magazine. February 4, 2022.
  3. Web site: Shuaib . Haroon . Feb 2, 2022 . Khawaja Najamul Hassan Remembers Farida Khanum: The Queen of Ghazal . 2023-01-30 . youlinmagazine.com . en.
  4. Web site: 2020-03-25 . Farida Khanum sings Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo on Instagram live . 2023-01-30 . The Indian Express . en.
  5. Web site: Farida Khanum loves coming to India. The Times of India. May 23, 2010.
  6. Web site: Farida Khanum: Memories New and Old . ALL THINGS PAKISTAN website . 12 December 2007 . 13 July 2021.
  7. Web site: Song Sung True (Farida Khanum interview) . Indian Express (newspaper) . 4 May 2010 . 13 July 2021.
  8. Book: Lahore : a musical companion. Lahore : Baber Ali Foundation. 75.
  9. News: When mood and melody merged . 3 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203053307/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/11/13/stories/2006111300340800.htm . 13 November 2006 . The Hindu (newspaper) . Anjana . Rajan . 13 July 2021.
  10. Web site: Farida Khanum: The Queen of Ghazal. Youlin Magazine. January 18, 2022.
  11. Book: Who's Who: Music in Pakistan. Xlibris Corporation. 87.
  12. News: Fareeda Khanum: Made in India, queen of Pak music . The Times of India . 14 December 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070610032403/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1331523.cms . 10 June 2007 . 13 July 2021.
  13. http://www.cokestudio.com.pk/season8/farida-khanum.html?WT.cl=1&WT.mn=Artists%20-%20Farida%20Khanum Profile of Farida Khanum on Coke Studio (Pakistan) website
  14. Web site: Farida Khanum given lifetime achievement award at 5th Hum Awards. Dunya News. December 23, 2021.
  15. Web site: 20th LSAs dazzle and reward stars in fashion, TV and music. Daily Times. October 17, 2021.