Pankaj Udhas funeral live updates: The musical maestro receives state honors

Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas passed away on February 26 in Mumbai, after battling prolonged illness. The celebrated musician was 72 years old and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai.

Saira Banu fondly remembers Pankaj Udhas as an exceptionally gentle person

In a heartfelt note, Saira Banu expressed deep sadness over the passing of Pankaj Udhas. She shared, "I am saddened to learn of the passing of Pankaj Udhas Ji. He and his wife frequently visited Dilip Sahib and me at our home. Pankaj Ji was exceptionally gentle by nature and full of old-world charm. He always spoke in a poetic language and had utmost preciosity. I fondly recall Sahib's enjoyment of his ghazals during evenings; Pankaj Ji's voice flowed like the soothing sound of a river, offering solace to all who listened. May he rest in peace, his memory cherished in our hearts forever."

Pankaj Udhas' final journey began with state honors

Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan and Ayaan Ali Bangash attend Pankaj Udhas's funeral

The music industry mourns the loss of legendary ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, who passed away on Monday after battling pancreatic cancer. As preparations for his funeral in Worli, Mumbai, are underway, heart-wrenching visuals emerge of the singer's daughter, Reva Udhas, breaking down in inconsolable grief as she arrives to bid a final farewell to her father.

Pt. Somesh, who had known Pankaj Udhas for more than three decades, used to consider him as his senior. “Shri Pankaj Udhas ji was already a star when I started my innings as a professional singer and I used to look up to him. He brought a certain freshness to the sound of Ghazal poetry and the overall packaging was brilliant and completely new and trend-setting,” he said.

Pankaj Udhas's hearse has been decorated with flowers

Shankar Mahadevan at Pankaj Udhas's residence

Pankaj, who holds a deep affection for the song, expressed in an old interview with ETimes, "The song is timeless. Even after over three decades, its popularity remains undiminished. I vividly recall a chance encounter with Raj Kapoor on a flight, where he praised the song, saying, ‘Pankaj tu amar ho gaya'. Remarkably, the song was recorded in a single take."

Shatrughan Sinha mourns the demise of family friend Pankaj Udhas

Shratrughan Snha tweeted, " Grief-stricken by the demise of our very close, dear family friend, well known, most loved, a genius artist, ghazal singer/king #PankajUdhas. He won hearts with his mesmerizing voice & as I said about the late & great #JagjitSingh Pankaj Udhas also could be called rarest of the rare human beings. His best compositions were 'Chitthi Ayee Hai' 'Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein' & 'Ashita Ahista'....His sudden demise comes as a shock. We will miss him, as he will continue to live in our hearts through his everlasting melodies. Heartfelt condolences & prayers to his entire family, friends, fans, well wishers & loved ones in these tough times. ????️Shanti????????" .

John Abraham calls Pankaj Udhas his 'mentor'

In a heartfelt conversation, Aziz shared his fond memories with Udhas and paid tribute to the late ghazal maestro. "Yes, it's a sad day for me personally also because we started a career together almost the same year, 1980, and it's been almost 44 years now. And we have had some amazing times, great times, spent some lovely evenings together, a lot of memories. And all I can say is that farewell, my friend. It was a good journey while it lasted. See you on the other side," Aziz expressed.

The music maestro was fairly guarded about his personal life, but he had tied the knot with Farida in 1982 and the couple have two daughters–Nayab and Reva. Pankaj in an earlier interview, had revealed that he had met Farida in 1979 and dated her for three years, before tying the knot, despite some resistance from both sides. In the same interview, Pankaj said that Farida has been a true life partner in the real sense of the world. He reminisced about the time when he was launching his first album and did not have the required funds. He said that, Farida didn’t have money either, and they were not married. However, the next day she handed over the sum to to him, after borrowing it from somewhere. He further added that the two made a pact that no matter what happens, they will never fight over religion (While Pankaj was a Gujarati, Farida is a Parsi)

Anu Malik shares his thoughts on Pakaj Udhas

In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Anu Malik shared his thoughts on Udhas, stating, "If you ask any composer or actor, they will tell you that Pankaj ji was a very jovial, lovable, and talented musician. When I first met him, I played the song 'Kitaben bahut se padi hogi tune' from 'Baazigar' for him, and he remarked, 'Anu, tumne itne ghazal numa gaane ko itna commercial kaise bana diya?' (How did you turn such a ghazal-like song into such a commercial hit?) He hugged me and appreciated my work. He was one of those singers who embraced Bollywood without hesitation, despite being known for ghazals. Today, the industry has lost a shining star."

When Pankaj Udhas spoke about 'competition' in Bollywood

Pankaj Udhas, in an interview some years back, recalled that there was a lot of competition in Bollywood with Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi still at their prime and as a newcomer, it would not be easy for him to make headway, and as he had already been singing ghazals, he decided to shift his focus entirely to them, especially learning Urdu for the purpose.

Pankaj Udhas' song 'Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise' from Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Dutt's 'Saajan' goes viral

In a tribute to the late ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas, fans around the world have taken to social media to celebrate his life, legacy and music. One of the musician's timeless classics, 'Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise,' from the iconic Bollywood film 'Saajan' quickly went viral on X. The song, which features the legendary trio of Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Sanjay Dutt, resurfaced on fan handles and brought with it a wave of nostalgia.

Pankaj Udhas initially wanted to be a tabla player

Seeing his father play the dilruba/esraj - which incidentally was the instrument on which famed Hindi music composer Roshan (the grandfather of Hrithik) had prowess - kindled the interest of Pankaj Udhas in music and it grew so ingrained in all the siblings that the father enrolled them at the Sangeet Academy in Rajkot, in addition to their usual studies.Pankaj Udhas initially wanted to play the tabla, but then plumped for learning Hindustani classical vocal from Ustaad Ghulam Qadir Khan, and then moved to Mumbai to train under Gwalior Gharana's Navrang Nagpurkar. Subsequently, he did his B.Sc from the Wilson College in Mumbai.Like many others, he had his sights set on Bollywood, but confessed later to having a "love-hate relationship" with the industry. He sang the first song for the film "Kamna" (1971), composed by Usha Khanna and written by Naqsh Lyallpur. While the film flopped, the song became very popular.

Did you know Pankaj Udhas sang his first Bollywood song for the 1972 film 'Kaamna'?

Primarily a singer of non-film ghazals and geets, Pankaj delivered Bollywood’s biggest 1987 chartbuster: ‘Chitthi aayee hai’ (lyrics, Anand Bakshi; music, Laxmikant-Pyarelal; film, Naam). The song, which topped Binaca Geetmala’s annual countdown show, touched an emotional chord, especially among NRIs and PIOs. For decades, the superhit track would make them both clap and weep.Some of Udhas’ finest numbers are located in the 1981 album, Muqarrar. ‘Tum na maano magar haqeekat hai’ (poet Qabil Ajmeri) and ‘Deewaron se milkar rona achcha lagta hai’ (poet Qaiser-ul-Jafferi) are tuneful melodies sung with feeling. Another popular track from the same album, Sabko maloom hai main sharabi nahi (poet Anwar Farook Habadi) spurred him to come out with Paimana (1983), a collection of ghazals centred around ‘drinking’: (Thodi thodi piya karo (poet S Rakesh) and La pila de saakiya (traditional). In his concerts, the audience would often demand these tracks.Not many know that Pankaj sang his first Bollywood song way back in 1972: Tum kanhi samney aa jao (lyrics Naqsh Lyallpuri, music Usha Khanna, film Kaamna).

Sunny Deol mourns the demise of Pankaj Udhas; says 'we have truly lost a gem'

Bllywood actor Sunny Deol took to his social media handle to share a post, remembering Pankaj Udhas. "Deeply saddened by Pankaj Ji’s sudden demise," he wrote in a post and went on to add, "We have truly lost a gem, his memories and ghazals will live on forever. My condolences to his family, friends and fans. Om shanti."

Randeep Hooda on Pankaj Udhas' demise: 'Aaj dil bohot udas hai'

Mrunal Thakur: Deeply disturbed after hearing about Pankaj Udhas

Ajay Devgn: 'I found solace in Pankaj Udhas' voice and music'

Sunny Deol mourns the loss of Pankaj Udhas: 'We have truly lost a gem'

Kajol mourns Pankaj Udhas' demise

Suniel Shetty expresses his deep sorrow over the passing of Pankaj Udhas

Renowned ghazal singer Talat Aziz was visibly moved by the loss of his old friend Pankaj Udhas who passed away on February 26 at the age of 72 due to prolonged illness. Aziz reminisced about the close bond he shared with Udhas, spanning over four decades. He also shared his last conversation with the late ghazal maestro.

Anupam Kher gets teary-eyed remembering Pankaj Udhas in his heartfelt video

Pankaj Udhas' funeral to take place on February 27

The celebrated musician's family shared in a statement, "With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of his demise on the 26th of February 2024 due to prolonged illness. The funeral will take place on Tuesday, February 27, from 3 to 5pm." The funeral will take place at the Hindu Crematorium in Worli, Mumbai.

Renowned Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, known for his timeless classics like 'Chitthi Aayi Hai' and 'Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai Tera', passed away at 72. He played a significant role in popularizing Ghazals in India.

Did you know Pankaj Udhas' father was a farmer?

Pankaj Udhas comes from a family of farmers in Jeetpur, Gujarat. He's the youngest of three brothers. His elder brothers, Manhar Udhas and Nirmal Udhas, are also ghazal singers like him. Pankaj was born on May 17, 1951. His father used to work as a farmer. He gained fame with his song 'Chitthi Aayi Hai' and many other melodious songs and ghazals. He had his first stage performance with Lata Mangeshkar.

The world of music and cinema mourns the loss of the iconic ghazal maestro, Pankaj Udhas, who left an indelible mark on the industry. Among those grieving his demise is actress Sameera Reddy, whose cinematic journey was introduced to the world through Udhas's timeless song 'Aur Ahista.' In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Sameera Reddy shared her deep connection with Pankaj Udhas's music, particularly the song that marked the beginning of her illustrious career.

ETimes got in touch with Hariharan, who has been a colleague and a friend to Pankaj Udhas for years now. Reacting to the news of his demise, Hariharan said, "It is indeed a very sad day and a rude shock for all of us."

Sona Mohapatra mourns the demise of Pankaj Udhas

Sharing a throwback picture with the celebrated singer, Sona Mohapatra wrote, "Full of grace & a thorough gentleman, I met Pankaj Udhas’ jee when he had invited me to perform in his Khazana Ghazal Festival. While many of us know him as a singer, performer, he was also a composer par excellence with super hits like - Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, Chand Jaisa #OmShanti."

Madhushree: Pankaj Udhas introduced new talents to the music world

'Kabhi Neem Neem, Kabhi Shehed Shehed' singer Madhushree (Sujata Bhattacharya) was in deep shock as she mourned the demise of Indian gazal singer Pankaj Udhas. "I can’t believe. It’s a huge loss for our music industry. Pankaj Ji was a great singer, he was a great person, and he was the one who introduced Ghazals to every house. He presented Ghazal beautifully and ina simple way. Ghazal ki dunia me hamesh unko yaad Kia jayega," said Madhushree in an exclusive conversation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow at the passing of renowned ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, aged 79, after a prolonged illness. Confirming the news, Pankaj Udhas' daughter shared the sad news through social media.

Riteish Deshmukh bids goodbye to Pankaj Udhas

In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Anu Malik spoke about him and said, "If you ask any composer or actor, he will tell you that Pankaj ji was a very jovial, lovable and talented musician. When I first met him, I made him listen to the song Kitaben bahut se padi hogi tune, from Baazigar and he said, "Anu, tumne itne ghazal numa gaane ko itna commercial kaise bana diya?" He gave me a hug and appreciated me. He was also one of those singers who had no qualms about singing in Bollywood, despite being a ghazal singer. The industry has lost a shining star today."

"His creations have made my childhood and school days so special. I remember sitting at the dinner table and listening to his songs on tape recorder with my family. It was that golden cassette era," said Sachet. "He has given so much to us and all his die hard fans. He will always remain alive in our hearts. May his departed soul remain happy and peaceful. Om Shanti!" Sachet concluded.

Music legend and Padmashri winner Pankaj Udhas took his last breath today. The veteran ghazal singer who was knowns for his ghazals like Chitti Ayi Hai and Chandi Jai Rang passed away due to prolonged illness. As per Hindu, the veteran singer passed away at 11 Am at Breach Candy hospital.His daughter Nayaab Udhas took to Instagram to share the news, she wrote , " With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform of sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to prolonged illness."Pankaj Udhas was known for his contributions to Hindi cinema and Indian pop music. He gained fame with his ghazal album "Aahat" in 1980 and continued with hits like "Mukarar," "Tarrannum," and "Mehfil." His song "Chitthi Aayee Hai" from the film "Naam" became immensely popular. Udhas has received accolades including the Padma Shri in 2006. He passed away at the age of 72.In 1990, Pankaj Udhas collaborated with Lata Mangeshkar for the duet "Mahiya Teri Kasam" in the film Ghayal, which became a huge hit. In 1994, he sang "Na Kajre Ki Dhar" with Sadhana Sargam for the film Mohra, another popular song. Udhas also contributed as a playback singer in films like Saajan, Yeh Dillagi, Naam, and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee. In an old interview, he revealed that he first wanted to be be a doctor but life had other plans for him.

Last social media post

Music Maestro Pankaj Udhas took his last breath today at 11 AM at Breach Candy hospital, he has left behind a huge legacy of ghazals and songs which will live on for generations to come. The veteran musician's last post was during Diwali last year, sharing an image of diyas, he wrote , “ May the festival of lights bring you new hopes and new dreams. May the divine light of Diwali illuminate your life and banish all darkness. Wishing you a prosperous and healthy Diwali. May the festival of lights bring you peace and joy. Wishing you a Diwali filled with sweet treats and good memories.”

Madhuri Dixit on Pankaj Udhas

Lost a gem

Pankaj Udhas was known for his contributions to Hindi cinema and Indian pop music. He gained fame with his ghazal album "Aahat" in 1980 and continued with hits like "Mukarar," "Tarrannum," and "Mehfil." His song "Chitthi Aayee Hai" from the film "Naam" became immensely popular. Udhas has received accolades including the Padma Shri in 2006. He passed away at the age of 72.