Ever heard former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee address a gathering? Whether it was in Parliament or at a rally in the hinterlands of the country, the oratory skills of the veteran leader left everyone spell bound. He had a natural affinity for poetry and on several occasions gave a glimpse of his poetic greatness.
But it was in 2002 that the work of this literary genius was given shape in the most beautiful way. Late ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Yash Chopra got together to portray a poem by the former prime minister.
The five of them came together for the song ‘Kya Khoya Kya Paya,’ from Singh’s album Samvedna – Sensitivity. Written by Vajpayee, it was sung and composed by Singh, the video was directed by Chopra, performed by Khan and narrated by Big B.
The song describing the journey of life and death was nothing less than magical. While the voice of the ghazal maestro stirs you up, the video featuring SRK brings a smile on your face. No parallels can be drawn when it comes to Big B’s narration. Like always, he gives the song a beginning which couldn’t have been better.
‘Kya Khoya Kya Paaya’ is not the only song in the album that strikes a chord with you. Narrated by Vajpayee himself, ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga’ talks about the time when he, Jayprakash Narayan and others had united during the Emergency. He also narrates the Emergency in another song ‘Ek Baras Beet Gaya,’ in the same album.
On Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 92nd birthday, let’s remember him in a role that he loved and treasured the most – A poet
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