Mehdi Hassan Khan (Urdu: مہدی حسن خاں; 18 July 1927 – 13 June 2012), known as Mehdi Hassan, was a Pakistani ghazal singer and playback singer of great renown. Known as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal (شہنشاہِ غزل, "Emperor of Ghazal"), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of ghazal singing. Known for his "haunting" baritone voice, Hassan is credited with bringing ghazal singing to a worldwide audience. He is unique for his melodic patterns and maintaining integrity of the ragas in an innovative way.
Born into a family of Kalawant musicians, Hassan was naturally inclined towards music from a young age. He influenced generations of singers from diverse genres, from Jagjit Singh to Parvez Mehdi. He earned numerous awards and accolades during his lifetime and remained a leading singer of Pakistani film industry, along with contemporary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi; it is estimated that Hassan sang for over 300 films during his career. For his contributions to the arts, Hassan was awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.
Hassan was born on 18 July 1927 into a mixed Pathan-Mughal family in the village of Luna, then located in the Jaipur State of the Rajputana Agency in British India but now in the Indian state of Rajasthan, into a family of traditional musicians. He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians who have been ustads and teachers to royal families, including the kings of Nepal. Hassan started singing at the age of 4-5 and writing lyrics and composing music at the age of 6 but began his formal musical training in Hindustani classical music at the age of 8, completing it with his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional dhrupad singers. Hassan started performing at a young age, his first professional performance being before the Maharaja of Baroda at the age of 8; by the time he was 18 years old, Hassan is said to have mastered the classical singing forms of dhrupad, dadra, thumri, and khayal, and started performing at royal courts with his brother Ghulam Qadir. Hassan started his career primarily as a thumri exponent. His first concert of dhrupad and khayal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla, near present DC House (1935) of undivided Punjab. His elder brother Pandit Ghulam Qadir also was instrumental in sharpening his skills. Instruments he would master include the harmonium as well the jal tarang.
Hassan credited his aristocratic upbringing and early training with instilling discipline and physical stamina that shaped his musical career. He stated that, despite not completing formal education due to the demands of music, his daily routine involved rigorous physical exercise, religious observance, and extended hours of vocal practice. Hassan recalled that his father emphasized physical fitness and discipline as essential to becoming a successful singer, and he attributed this regimen to his ability to sing continuously for up to 52 hours without experiencing breathlessness.
After the partition of India in 1947, the 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan, carrying little with them by way of material belongings. The family proceeded to his paternal aunt's house who lived in a village, Chak No 111/7R, near Chichawatni. They suffered severe financial hardships in their new country. Hassan initially started working in the nearby city of Chichawatni, in a bicycle shop, Mughal Cycle House, and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the financial hardships, he kept up his singing practice on a daily basis.
In 1957, Hassan was again given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan, primarily as a thumri singer and later as a ghazal performer, which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. He had a passion for Urdu poetry, and therefore, he began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer. He first sang on Radio Pakistan in 1952. His first film song was "Nazar Milte Hi Dil Ki Bat Ka Charcha Na Ho Jaye" for the film Shikhar (1956). This song was written by poet Yazdani Jalandhari and its music was composed by Asghar Ali M. Husain. However, his true breakthrough in Pakistani film industry came in 1964, with his ghazal "Gulon mein rang bharay, baad-e-naubahar chale" from the film Farangi. Written by renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and composed by Rasheed Attre, so immense was the popularity of Hassan's rendition of the ghazal that Faiz stopped reciting it in his 'mushairas' (poetry reciting events) and, instead, recommended that the audience ask Hassan to sing it for them, because the ghazal now belonged to Hassan.
In October 2010, Saregama, an Indian record label, released "Sarhadein" in which his first and last duet song Tera Milna featuring Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released. This song was composed by Hassan and written by Farhat Shahzad. Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, and Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010, and the song was later mixed for a duet. The same duet was also sung by Hassan and Noor Jehan.
Following a severe illness in the late 1980s, Hassan cut back on his singing, eventually stepping down from playback singing altogether. Later, due to the severity of his illness, he completely departed from music.
Hassan suffered from a serious chronic lung condition for a few years before his death. He also received treatment for lung, urinary tract, and chest ailments at several hospitals in Pakistan for about 12 years prior to his death. Towards the end of 2000, he suffered his first stroke while in Kerala, India. In 2005, he was taken to India for ayurvedic treatment where he was welcomed by A.B. Vajpayee, Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar and many of his Indian fans. He suffered his second stroke soon after he returned from India which left him with speech impairments and limited his physical mobility. Hassan developed a severe chest infection and breathing difficulties in the days preceding his death. He died of multiple organ failure on 13 June 2012 at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi.
Hassan is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the sub-continent and is said to have revolutionized the way ghazals were sung. In 1977, Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar was so moved by his dulcet vocals during a New Delhi concert that she reportedly said, "Aisa lagta hai ke unke gale mein bhagwan boltein hain" (it seems as though like God is singing through his voice). On 18 July 2018, the day of his 91st birthday, Google featured Hassan on its homepage doodle. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani paid tribute to Hassan, calling him "an icon who mesmerized music lovers" for decades. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated that Hassan "brought the sub-continental Sufi sensibilities to life through his songs," and that "the influence of his passion for Urdu poetry and initial grooming in Dhrupad tradition earned for him a special place in the world of music."
Musicians and his students worldwide
Some of the musicians who are associated with him :
Ustad Pir Bakhsh, Tabla player
Mehdi Hassan had 14 children. As many as 8 of his sons were active in the field of music. Unfortunately two of his sons died.
Tariq Mehdi Hassan (Versatile Playback Singer)
Arif Mehdi Hassan (Deceased) was Classical Tabla Player
Asif Mehdi Hassan (Deceased) was a Playback & Ghazal Singer
Kamran Mehdi Hassan Playback & Ghazal Singer)