Shafqat Amanat Ali is a Pakistani classical singer. He is the lead singer of the Pakistani rock band “Fuzön”.
Wiki/Biography
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan was born on February 26, 1965 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan (age 54 in 2019). His zodiac sign is Pisces. He graduated from Government College University, Lahore.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′7″
Weight (approximately): 85kg
Body measurements (approximately): Chest 41″, Waist 33″, Biceps 13″
Eye color: dark brown
Hair color: black
family, caste and wife
He belongs to Patiala Gharana and is the ninth generation of the family. His father, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, was a classical and ghazal singer.
Shafqat Amanat Ali’s father Ustad Amanat Ali
His mother’s name was Almas Amanat Ali Khan. He has two elder brothers, the eldest son is Amjad Amanat Ali Khan and Asad Amanat Ali Khan. Both of them are singers.
Shafqat Amanat Ali and his brother Asad Amanat Ali Khan
He is married and has a son named Sadaat Shafqat Amanat Ali, who is a singer.
Sadat Shafqat Amanat Ali’s son
Profession
He started his career as a band member of the band “Fuzön” which was formed in 2001. He is the lead singer of the band, whose first album released was “Saagar (2002)”.
The first album of Shafqat Amanat Ali’s band Fuzön
Shafqat left the band in 2006 to pursue his solo career. Debut Album In 2006, he made his debut as a solo singer with the title song “Rog Jog” from the TV series “Makan”. In 2008, he released his debut album “Tabeer”.
Shafqat Amanat Ali’s debut album ‘Tabeer’
In 2006, he made his film debut as a singer, singing the song “Mitwa” for the Bollywood movie “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”, which became very famous.
He is widely appreciated for his song “Yeh Hosla” from the movie “Dor (2006)”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z089cvQhHqI
In 2008, he made his debut as a singer in the Pakistani movie “Ramchand Pakistan” and sang 3 songs in the movie.
Chronicle of the “Cursed” Song
Pakistan has a cursed ghazal and Shafqat’s family and those associated with it are facing his wrath. Even today, his family and Pakistani singers are afraid to sing the song. The ghazal song “Insha Ji Utho (Get Up, Insha)” was composed by Pakistani poet Ibn-e-Insha.
poet ibn insha
Someone sent this poem to Shafqat’s father, Amanat Ali Khan, who immediately expressed his desire to sing it. Amanat met Ibn Insha and explained how he planned to sing the ghazal. In January 1974, he sang the song “Ghazal” for the first time on Pakistan Television (PTV). Soon the demand for the song increased and it became his biggest hit. Unfortunately, he died a few months later. Soon after, producer Khalil Ahmed also died. Four years later, Ibn-e-Insha also died in January 1978, the same day the song was first played on PTV. Shafqat’s brother Asad Amanat Ali Khan also performed the song at a PTV concert in 2006. The concert became his last, as he also died a few months later. Shafqat’s eldest brother Amzad Amanat Ali Khan, who had sung the song, also passed away. When Ibn Insa was about to die, he wrote many letters to his close friends from his hospital bed. In one such letter, he said: “Yeh Manhoos Ghazal Kitno Ki Jaan Ley Gi…? (How many more lives will this cursed ghazal take away?)”
Insha Ji Uso by Ibn-e-Insha
Shafqat, however, did not believe in this superstition but still did not sing the song as his family insisted that he not sing it.
dispute
- In 2016, he faced the wrath of Pakistanis when he got the lyrics of Pakistan’s national anthem wrong during a WT20 match between Pakistan and India at the Eden Gardens. He was elected to represent Pakistan. Clarifying all the accusations, he said he did not sing wrong but had some technical errors that made it difficult for him to sing.
- Shafqat explained his breakup from the band as “insecurities.” In an interview, members of his band “Fuzön”, keyboardist Emu (Imran Momina) and guitarist Shallum Asher Xavier stated that Shafqat has taken control of the band’s finances and is also performing solo in India. Shafqat clarified that he started performing in India only after leaving the band. He further added that the band members had said somewhere that they wrote the album and in fact, he sang, composed and wrote the lyrics but did not receive any credit.
Awards and Honors
- On March 23, 2008, he received the President’s Award for Outstanding Performance (awarded to Pakistani civilians by the Government of Pakistan).
- Most Wanted Male at the 2008 Music Awards
favorite thing
- Musicians: RD Burman, SD Burman, Beethoven Van, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Boy George and The Bangles
- Poets: Bull Shah, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mirza Ghalib
fact
- He enjoys photography in his spare time.
- Although Shafqat comes from a family of classical singers, he focuses on fusion music.
- He once revealed that his first salary was only 3,000 rupees, which he got as a teacher in school. Due to family tradition, he gave all his money to his grandfather.
- Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan, the singer and leading exponent of Patiala Gharana, was his uncle.
Shafqat Amanat Ali’s uncle Bader Fateh Ali Khan and his father Amanat Ali Khan
- He was deeply influenced by his father Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, uncles Ustad Bader Fateh Ali Khan and Roshan Ala Begum.
- He received the honorary title from the University Music Association, Government College, Lahore.
- He has even appeared in shows like Coke Studio (Pakistan) and The Deewarist (Indian MTV reality show).
- In 2008, he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Service, becoming the sixth person to receive this honor.
- His nickname “Rockstar Ustad” was given to him by Salim Merchant. They met for the first time during the recording of “Yeh Honsla”. Salim thought Shafqat would be the one who showed up wearing a kurta pajama and a shawl. But when Shafqat arrived, he was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and his hair in a ponytail. To Salim’s surprise, the nickname just rolled out of his mouth when he heard him singing classical music.
- In an interview, Shafqat revealed that he faced rejection many times in the industry. He said that he went to many places, but was told that his voice was lacking and that he had to work harder; on the other hand, people with lower voice quality than him were chosen. He further added that the only difference between him and others is that they have connections in the industry while he does not.
- He started performing in India and was discovered by Shankar Mahadevan. Later, it was they who offered him ‘Mitwa’ in the film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).
Shafqat Amanat Ali and Shankar Mahadevan
- One of his most popular songs is “Khamaaj- Mora Saiyyan Mo Se Bole Na”, which was one of his singles when he was a member of the band “Fuzön”.
- In 2018, Shafqat sang “Vaishnav Jan To” on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The song was sent through the Indian High Commission in Pakistan as a gift and as a means of promoting unity between India and Pakistan.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education