A hall full of audience enjoyed the evergreen romantic songs of yesteryears of the late eminent singer Mahmud-un-Nabi in a commemorative programme at the TSC auditorium on Thursday.
The programme was organised by Bishwa Kalakendra to celebrate and observe the late singer’s 77th birth anniversary and 23rd death anniversary.
Mahmud-un-Nabi was born on December 16, 1936 and died on December 20, 1990. The programme held on Thursday, therefore, marked the late singer’s birth and death anniversary in a celebratory manner.
Daughters of the late singer Fahmida Nabi and Samina Chowdhury, both prominent singers in the music industry of the country, rendered their father’s songs. Besides, Nabi’s friends, fans and students also presented songs at the programme.
Syed Rezaur Rahman, registrar of Dhaka University who is also the general secretary of Bishwa Kalakendra, began the programme, accompanied by other artistes of the Kalakendra, with a patriotic song Ei Sei Din composed by Mahmud-un-Nabi.
The audience, however, was waiting for the famous romantic songs of Mahmud-un-Nabi. Evergreen songs like Gaaner-i Khatay Swaralipi Likhe, Tumi Khakhon Ese Dariye Achho, Aynate Oi Mukh Dekhbe Jakhan, Ami Saat Sagore Pari Diye, Tumi Je Amar Kabita, Surer Bhubane Ami Ajo Pathochari, Boro Eka Eka Lage, O Meyer Naam Debo Ki, Premer Naam Bedona, Ke Jeno Aj Amar Chokhe and a few others kept the audience wrapped in joy for more than two hours.
The programme, from the very beginning, seemed like a family reunion. Even two enthusiastic audience and fans of Nabi sang at the programme.
The main attraction of the programme was Fahmida Nabi and Samina Chowdhury’s presentations of songs of their father. They began with a patriotic song and captivated the audience with the evergreen romantic film song Tumi Khakhon Ese Dariye Achho. The delighted audience joined the singers by humming along with them.
Fahmida Nabi’s presentation of her father’s Ami Saat Sagore Pari Diye was also a resonant presentation. Another gripping performance was by Ali Mahmud, a singer and a fan of Mahmud-un-Nabi, who presented popular film song Aynate Oi Mukh at the programme.
Singer Mahiuzzaman Moyna sang another popular song Ke Jeno Aj Amar Chokhe, and young singer Luipa captivated the audience with Nabi’s Boro Eka Eka Lage.
‘There are many songs of Nabi Bhai that solely made films hit in the sixties and seventies. He had an enviable voice which was envied even by the eminent gazal singer Mehedi Hasan,’ recounted singer Khursid Alam, who was a close friend to Mahmud-un-Nabi.
‘Nabi Bhai was a very soft-speaking person, a very friendly man. I thank Bishwa Kalakendra for organising such a beautiful programme,’ said singer Hasina Mamtaz.
-With New Age input