Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, (3 May 1944 – 2 April 2021) was a Pakistani
folk singer
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...
.
Early life and career
Born on 3 May 1944, into a family of artists in
Malakwal
Malakwal ( ur, ) is a city in Mandi Bahauddin District, Punjab, Pakistan.
History
In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005, he conquered the Shahis in Ka ...
, a town in District Gujrat (now falls in new District Mandi Bahauddin
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, Pakistan), Shaukat Ali began singing, while at college in the 1960s, receiving help from his elder brother Inayat Ali Khan. He was introduced into the Pakistani film world as a playback singer by the renowned film music director
M Ashraf
M. Ashraf or Muhammad Ashraf (1 February 1942 – 4 February 2007) was a Pakistani film composer. In the early 1960s, he first started as one member of the ''music directors duo'' of ''Manzoor - Ashraf'' in the Pakistan film industry.
By t ...
in the Punjabi film ''Tees Maar Khan'' (1963).
From the late 1960s, he performed
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s and Punjabi folk songs. As a folk singer, he was not only popular in
Punjab, Pakistan
Punjab (; , ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in central-eastern region of the country, Punjab is the second-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the largest province by population. It shares land borders with the P ...
but also in
Punjab, India
Punjab (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Himachal ...
. Shaukat Ali also toured and performed overseas wherever there were significant population centers of Punjabi immigrants like in the UK,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...
Sufi poetry
Sufi literature consists of works in various languages that express and advocate the ideas of Sufism.
Sufism had an important influence on medieval literature, especially poetry, that was written in Arabic, New Persian, Persian, Turkic languages ...
with great vigor and a wide vocal range, for example Heer Waris Shah and Saif ul Maluk.
Shaukat Ali received the 'Voice of Punjab' award in 1976. In July 2013, he was honored with the 'Pride of Punjab' award by the Pakistan Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC). He gave a live performance at the
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games ( hi, 1982 एशियाई खेल) were held from 19 November to 4 December 1982, in Delhi, India. 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken at the event. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of t ...
in New Delhi, and was awarded the highest Pakistani civilian Presidential award
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...
in 1990. His song "Kadi Te Hass Bol Vey" was used in the 2009 Indian movie ''
Love Aaj Kal Love Aaj Kal may refer to:
* Love Aaj Kal (2009 film), an Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy-drama film
* Love Aaj Kal (2020 film)
''Love Aaj Kal'' () is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy-drama film directed by Imtiaz Ali and ...
''. He also released a track titled "Jagga". Shaukat Ali has also given performances at the
All Pakistan Music Conference
The All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) is a volunteer organization founded in 1959 for the promotion of classical arts in Pakistan and continues to preserve and promote Pakistani classical and folk music and dance. It hosts a concert of musi ...
events and also appeared frequently on Pakistani television shows.
He is the father of Pakistani singers Imran Shaukat Ali, Ameer Shaukat Ali and Mohsin Shaukat Ali.
Documentary on his life
In 2017, a Canadian company with the help of his son Mohsin Shaukat Ali, produced a one-hour-long documentary to commemorate his contributions to the Pakistani music industry. This documentary shows the struggles Shaukat Ali faced throughout his career and also includes some of his past performances as well as interviews with many singers, including
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
. It documents his journey from a young aspiring singer who later becomes a popular folk singer of Pakistan.
Songs
*"Saif-ul-Malook--Awwal Hamd Sana-e-Elahi", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Sufi poet
Mian Muhammad Bakhsh
Mīān Muhammad Bakhsh (میاں محمد بخش) was a Punjabi Muslim Sufi and poet. Born in the city of Mirpur to a Gujjar family of Paswal tribe, he is renowned as a great poet and Sufi scholar by the people of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Wr ...
, music by Wajahat Attre, film '' Chan Varyam'' (1981)
*"Sathio Mujahido, Jaag Uthha Hai Sara Watan", a 'Qaumi Naghma' song, sung by Shaukat Ali,
Masood Rana
Masood Rana
( ur, , 6 August 1941 – 4 October 1995) was a Pakistani film playback singer. He began his singing career in 1962 with the film ''Inqalab'', became one of the top male singers in both Urdu and Punjabi films for more than t ...
, lyrics by
Himayat Ali Shair
Himayat Ali Shair ( ur, ; July 14, 1926 – July 15, 2019) was an Urdu poet, writer, film songwriter, actor and radio drama artist from Pakistan. He received the 2002 Pride of Performance Award for his literary services in Urdu literature from ...
, music by
Khalil Ahmed
Khalil Ahmed (3 March 1936 – 22 July 1997) was a Pakistani composer for radio, television, and films. He started his career with film ''Aanchal (1962)'' and remained one of the leading music directors in Pakistan in the 1960s. He compos ...
, film ''Mujahid'' (1965)
*"Mein Puttar Pakistan Da", sung by Shaukat Ali,
Inayat Hussain Bhatti
Inayat Hussain Bhatti
( ur, ),
(12 January 1928 – 31 May 1999) was a Pakistani film playback singer, film actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a promoter of the development of the Punj ...
,
Naheed Akhtar
Naheed Akhtar (also spelled Nahid Akhtar) is a Pakistani playback singer. She is tagged as the "''Nightingale of Pakistan''". She was the top Lollywood playback singer during the second half of 70s and 80s. She won 3 Nigar Awards and a Pride ...
, lyrics by Hazeen Qadri and music by Wajahat Attre, film '' Athra Puttar'' (1981)
*"Nabi Dey Ghulam Asseen", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Sahil Siddiqi, music by Salim Iqbal, film '' Behram Daku'' (1980)
*"Ae Tay Wailea Aap Dessay Ga, Kaun Maarda Ae Maidan Pei Nay Hullay", sung by Alam Lohar, Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Nasim Fazal and music by Master Inayat Hussain, film '' Maula Jat'' (1979)
*"Mein Walait Kahnu Aa Gaya", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Taslim Fazli, music by
M Ashraf
M. Ashraf or Muhammad Ashraf (1 February 1942 – 4 February 2007) was a Pakistani film composer. In the early 1960s, he first started as one member of the ''music directors duo'' of ''Manzoor - Ashraf'' in the Pakistan film industry.
By t ...
, film ''Playboy'' (1978)
*"Lal Meri Patt Rakhio Bala, Jhoolay Lalan Dey", a traditional folk song, sung by
Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan (Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Press ...
, Shaukat Ali,
Masood Rana
Masood Rana
( ur, , 6 August 1941 – 4 October 1995) was a Pakistani film playback singer. He began his singing career in 1962 with the film ''Inqalab'', became one of the top male singers in both Urdu and Punjabi films for more than t ...
Nashad
Nashad ( ur, ) (11 July 1923 – 14 January 1981) was a film composer and music director of Indian and Pakistani film industry. He composed music for Hindi films in the 1940s and 1950s, credited on-screen under the names Nashad and then la ...
, film ''Parchhaen'' (1974)
*"Har Dam Yahi Mere Lab Pe Sada Hai, Murshid Mera Nadir Ali Shah Hai", a devotional Sufi song or
Qawwali
Qawwali (Punjabi: (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); Urdu: (Nasta'liq); Hindi: क़व्वाली (Devanagari); Bengali: কাওয়ালি ( Bengali)) is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontine ...
sung by Shaukat Ali (1975)
*"Tu Wi Haq Da Wali", a devotional Sufi song or
Qawwali
Qawwali (Punjabi: (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); Urdu: (Nasta'liq); Hindi: क़व्वाली (Devanagari); Bengali: কাওয়ালি ( Bengali)) is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontine ...
sung by Shaukat Ali (1975)
*"Saaday Yaar Nay Banh Laiy Sehray", sung by Shaukat Ali,
Inayat Hussain Bhatti
Inayat Hussain Bhatti
( ur, ),
(12 January 1928 – 31 May 1999) was a Pakistani film playback singer, film actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a promoter of the development of the Punj ...
, lyrics by
Khawaja Pervez
Khawaja Pervez ( ur, ),
(28 December 1930 – 20 June 2011) was a prominent Pakistani film composer- lyricist and film songwriter for both Urdu and Punjabi language films. His real name was Khawaja Ghulam Mohiuddin. His professional car ...
, music by
Ustad Tafu
Altaf Hussain Tafu Khan (born 1945), better known as Ustad Tafu or simply Tafoo, is a Pakistani musician from Lahore, Pakistan known as a 'master tabla player'. Ustad Tafu is especially adept at playing the musical instrument ''Tabla'' . Usta ...
, film ''Charhda Suraj'' (1982)
*"Teri Meri Aey Azlaan Di Yaari", a bhangra song sung by Shaukat Ali and Mehnaz Begum, lyrics by Saeed Gillani, music by Kamal Ahmad, film ''
Angara
The Angara ( Buryat and mn, Ангар, ''Angar'', "Cleft"; russian: Ангара́, ''Angará'') is a major river in Siberia, which traces a course through Russia's Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It drains out of Lake Baikal and is ...
'' (1985)
Shaukat Ali's folk song hits include "Kyun Door Door Reindey Au", "Kaddi Te Hass Bol Vey", "Jab Bahaar Aaii Tau Sehra Ki Taraf Chal Para", and many Punjabi folk songs including "Chhalla", "Jagga", "Kanwan, Maan Jannat Da Parchaavan".
Awards and recognition
*
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...
Award in 1990 by the
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.CMH Lahore where he was getting treatment for liver failure. His funeral prayers were offered (2 April 2021) between Maghrib and Isha at Samsani Johar Town in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest ...