HAI O RABBA NAHIO LAGDA DIL MERA- RESHMA SINGS SWANSONG

Obituary

HAI O RABBA NAHIO LAGDA DIL MERA

RESHMA SINGS SWANSONG

MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

+92 333 5363248

ISLAMABAD: For many the legendary folksinger Reshma was ‘A Voice of Cuckoo’ or ‘A Queen of a Desert’ but for me she was one rare breed of artists par excellence who refused to leave her identity and patriotism despite having fame and money.

Always clad in a trade mark Rajhasthani gharara and colourful Chunri, Reshma became an instant hit in a realm of folk singing at the age of around 10 after she was spotted singing Sufiana kalam at the shrine of Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar where a Radio producer Saleem Gillani (also close friend of my father) arranged her for make a recording of ‘Laal Meri’ at Radio Pakistan.

Born in Rajhasthan in a family of a Bajnara (Gypsy) in around 1947, she was migrated to Pakistani region after the partition took place- first in Sindh and later settled in Punjab province.   

Her fame, later, had crossed the border as she was able to perform live in India during the 1980s when India and Pakistan allowed exchange of artists. Subhash Ghai used her voice to great effect in the film ‘Hero’- which featured one of her most famous songs, ‘Lambi Judai’. At that point, Indian premiere Indira Gandhi being an avid fan of Reshman wished to meet this folksinger who had mesmerizing voice.  

In October 2002, Reshma performed at the Brunei Gallery in London to a packed hall of Pakistani expatriates. In 2004, she recorded ‘Ashkan Di Gali Vich Mukaam De Gaya’ which was used in the Bollywood film ‘Woh Tera Naam Tha’ and was also a hit record in India. In January 2006, she was one of the passengers on the inaugural Lahore-Amritsar bus- the first such service linking both parts of the Punjab since 1947. The bus had 26 passengers in total of which 15 were Pakistani officials.

Reshma was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 1980s. Later her health deteriorated. President Pervez Musharraf to come to her aid, giving her one million Rupees to help pay off a bank loan, as well as putting her on a secured assistance of 10,000 rupees per month. He also helped her secure a plot of land for herself, but that did not go through due to the change in government.

The vegetarian legend singer was hospitalized in Lahore in Doctors Hospital on 6th April 2013. The caretaker government elected to pay all her medical expenses. Reshma fell into a coma in October 2013 and died on 3rd November 2013.

Having earned various accolades including ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ by the government of Pakistan, Reshma sung a number of hit songs that later on hum by public at large. Few of her famous hit tracks include ‘Lambi Judai’, ‘Hai O Rabba nahion lagda dil mera’, ‘Akhian nu rehn de akhian de kol kol’, ‘Wei mein chori chori tere nal’, ‘Dama Dam Mastt Qalandar’, ‘Sun charkhe de’, etc.

This scribe has met the folk singing diva twice, first on July 28, 2009 and lastly on February 8, 2012 and found Reshma is deteriorating health. She was frail and exhausted but spoke highly about the love people gave her over the years and about the prosperity of Pakistan- who gave her the identity.

While having a dinner with Reshma at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) where the administration of PNCA invited her to give red carpet reception for her illustrious career in music, I asked her couple of quick questions but she was unable to answer because of her dwindling health. While dining, taking autographs and snaps, one of Reshma’s close relative asked me to pray for her health she might not be along you in future. I told him the whole nation and all over the world wherever Reshma’s voice is being heard - are praying for ‘Queen of Desert’ to recover soon.

Though illiterate academically, Reshma gave me autographs on the night writing her name in Urdu. I wanted to talk to her more but she was unable to … and asked me for a glass of water. The mild-spoken Reshma with the impression ‘Hai O Rabba Nahio Lagda Dil Mera’ sang her swansong on November 3, 2013. RIP Reshma!

Here are the links of two meetings with Reshman

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\07\29\story_29-7-2009_pg11_10

Daily Times (July 28, 2009)

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/09/city/islamabad/frail-reshma-still-has-young-voice/

Pakistan Today (February8, 2012)

Mahtab Bashir is a journalist based in Islamabad. He can be accessed at mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Hürrem Sultan says she hates her boy friend (Can Ateş)

Meryem Uzerli catapulted to fame due to her role as Hurrem Sultan in the Turkish soap Muhteşem Yüzyıl (Magnificent Century). An Urdu dubbing of the show “Maira Sultan (My King) has captivated the Pakistani audience, who remain glued to the TV screens when the soap is on air. Hurrem has become a household name here.

Meryem, 31, won the Best Actress Award in 2012 for her immaculate depiction of a woman who tried everything to win the heart of Suleiman The Magnificent, the Turk king. Despite the fame and massive appreciation, Meryem left the drama series in 2013 and went to Germany. Another Turkish actress played her role in the last 4 episodes of the series.

Meryem says she suffered from “Burnout Syndrome” and had to split up from Can Ateş, her boyfriend, a notorious Turkish playboy, after she became pregnant and he forced her for an abortion.

Meryem is currently expecting her baby and undergoing therapy while living a quiet life in Germany.

Meryem Uzerli (Meriem Sarah Userli) has become a worldwide star after being selected for the Hürrem Sultan (Roxelena) role.

She was a modest actress until fame knocked her door. A cast search led her to become one of the most popular actresses in recent years.

Meryem Uzerli was born in Kassel – Germany. She was the 4th child of her family. His family was formed by a Turkish father and a German mother.

In her early childhood the family was moved to Hamburg and Meryem Uzerli started to take acting lessons. From 2000 until 2003, she studied acting at the Frese acting studio in Hamburg and took part in minor parts in several German productions. Until the cast selection of Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl) she was working as an actress in Germany and she was far away from the fame when she has now.

The turning point of Meryem Uzerli’s life is the cast selection of the Turkish tv series “Muhteşem Yüzyıl - Magnificent Century”. The selection took eight long months.  Just like Hürrem Sultan’s challenge to be the one for Magnificent Süleyman, Meryem Uzerli worked hard to get the role by showing her talent over the other candidates.

After the announce of the results of this important selection. Meryem Uzerli was called from Turkey. With a brave decision, she left her life and family in Germany and moved to Turkey.

Besides having a Turkish father, Meryem Uzerli unfortunately could not speak Turkish very well. Just like Hürrem Sultan she started to learn Turkish. Her accent was a key point of the realism of her role. And she performed the role very well.

In the year of 2011, Meryem Uzerli won the best woman actress award for two times and in 2012 she won best woman drama actress award.

In her private life, she enjoys riding, swimming and basketball. Also she likes walking in the famous streets of İstanbul as Nişantaşı and Etiler. Her favorite sports team is Galatsaray, her favorite foods are sphagetti and kebab, deserts are sütlaç and muhallebi, her favorite colors are blue and red.

Meryem Uzerli, who plays Hürrem Sultan on the famous Turkish series “Magnificent Century”, has left the country to seek treatment at a clinic in Berlin for burnout.
The producer of the series, Timur Savcı, said they had decided to go on without Uzerli. Uzerli is having psychological problems and cannot solve them, Savcı said. Uzerli had said previously that she had burnout syndrome. However, the director’s assistant Burcu Alptekin said Uzerli worked only five days a week. Since Uzerli left the series and went to Berlin, many things have been written about her. 

While some of the reports said she had left the series for money, some said it was because she worked a lot. The only right thing about Uzerli is that she had psychological problems. According to the latest reports on Uzerli and the “Magnificent Century,” the series will continue with a new, older Hürrem Sultan. The series will continue the storyline 15 years later and Hürrem will be older, the producer said.
Uzerli’s boyfriend, Can Ateş, told daily Hürriyet that Uzerli had gone through very hard times. “For three months many bad things happened, and many people said Meryem Uzerli had left the series for money. However, she had health issues.” It is said that Uzerli earned less money than the rest of the leading actors in the series. Ateş said: “Uzerli not that kind of person. Money is not the issue here.” 

Can also added that Uzerli was currently undergoing treatment and had a doctor’s report. However, added Ateş, even the producer did not believe her situation and her health condition. The producer of the series said Uzerli would have to leave her hotel room by May 31.
Savcı could not reach Uzerli and asked the hotel to empty her room and the hotel team sent an email to Uzerli. “People thought that I do not pay her the money that she deserves, and this made me an unfair man. I do not know what Uzerli thinks, and I could not reach her. But I want to solve this problem as soon as possible.” The series will finish one week early because of the crisis, he added.

Courtesy Hürriyet Daily News

DIARY OF A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

‘I think so,’ I said to Mulloo yesterday, ‘Allah Mian has stopped loving us Pakistanis’. ‘Why?’ she asked. ‘Bhai, just look. I don’t mean to make huge and cry about it, but first He sent us floods, then He sent us earthquakes. Then he gave us dengue. Then he sent bijli problem. And then He gave us Talibans. Azaab after azaab.’

‘But if Imran Khan…’ Mulloo began. ‘Forgot. Allah Mian gave us that nut case Imran Khan also. Ub how much more can a nation take?’ ‘No need to speak like that, ji!’ she snapped. ‘You’ve been brain washed by that lefty husband of yours.’ Mulloo is a dye hard PTI burger na.

Throughout elections she wore a green polyester kameez with Imran’s face plastered over her belly. ‘Talibans are not our enemies. Asal mein they’re heroes, fighting a war of liberation’. ‘From who? From Christians of Peshawar?’ ‘No baba. You don’t know anything. From Americans.’

‘So that’s why they’re killing us? Because they’re angry with Americans?’ ‘You know na, that America’s sending them drawns. So it’s badla for drawns. Talibans are very fair like that.’

‘So why they can’t take badla from Americans, then, if they’re so fair? Why, are they killing Christians? Killing Shias? Shooting Malala? Why they burnt schools in Dir? Beheaded singers in Swat? Haan? Badla from America?’

‘Tau aur kya? If we follow Imran and do sullah with them and give them a nice, cool sa office with split ACs and leather sofas, then they’ll start loving us. Even Christians and Shias and womens’. ‘Chalo let’s give them an office on that new island that’s come up off Balochistan’s coast after the earthquake, okay?’

‘Voh tau it’s full of mud and dirt and gives off smelly gases’. ‘But it’s Naya Pakistan, like your leader promised’. ‘No ji, they’ll want something more comfy.’

‘Idea aya, Mulloo. Why not make acchha spacy sa office inside Imran’s mention in Bani Gala? He lives all alone there. Must have so much of wastrel space. And getting lonely also’

‘No ji, he doesn’t live there alone. For your info he lives there with his dogs, okay?’ ‘Tau that’s good, no? He’ll have a few more animals to aliven things up.’

Courtesy TFT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Before I dedicate few words to my dear one, let me first offer a song to her titled ‘Tum Tak’ from an Indian recently released movie Raanjhnaa: A beautiful melodious love song ‘Tum Tak’ is composed by AR Rahman, written by Irshad Kamil and sung by Javed Ali, Pooja AV & Keerthi Sagathia.

Meri har man-maani bas tum tak
Baatein bachgaani bas tum tak
Meri nazar deewani bas tum tak
Mere sukh-dukh aate jaate saare-
Tum tak, tum tak, tum tak, sohne yar!
Tum tak, tum tak, tum tak, sohne yar!

Tum tak tum tak arzi meri
Phir aage jo marzi
Tum tak tum tak arzi meri
Phir teri jo marzi meri
Har dushwaari bas tum tak
Meri har hoshiyaari bas tum tak
Meri har taiyari bas tum tak
Tum tak, tum tak, tum tak, tum tak
Meri ishq khumaari bas tum tak.......!

The innocent smile. The mute story of beauty. The sacred look that does not chase worldly temptations. The voice that is uttered to praise the Creator and the birth envy that person who can stimulate the most sensitive part of your heart and mind. The chastity that is preverbal but the words cannot interpret it. The youth that is desirable. The character that is unparallel. Her beauty is not in her ivory neck but in the bow of her neck. Her beauty is not in her bewitching eyes but in the lashes that covers them from inducement. The captive of her beauty has to adore the bond, which is between two human beings.

The sweet fragrance, the seven colours, the splendor of sky and green forests, the precious gold and the mountain brook, the chirping birds and the playful kitten, the calm sea and the moonlight night, the smiling face and the mischief of a child, the power of pen and the magic of words, the sensitivity of a bubble and the conscience of a believer, the mercy of mother and the devotion of a soldier, the valor of a lion and the gentleness of a lamb, the sweetness of love and the determination of a freedom fighter, the heart of a woman and forgiveness for those who do her harm- all these qualities are a part and parcel of her character.

DIARY OF A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

I've come home to Lahore after three full months. Oho baba I was away na. In London only. Had such a fab time going to cinemas, street walking, park strolling - total heaven. Full bijli coming full time. Full gas coming full time. Na koi worry of abduction, na of kidnapping, na of hold-up at gun point. Kulchoo used to go out with friends at night, and that also on pubic transport and I swear I never even worried for one second. Banda jaa kay total relax ho jaata hai. You only realize then in how much of tension you were living over here. Of course, there was that little bit of rioting in London - and between you and me, it was quite scary with all those kaala goondas in hoodies roaming around - but then the guvmunt gave them all a good danda and it was back to normal in one week flat. But despite of that in the end I was missing home so much, so much that don't even ask.

I wanted to see Mummy, wake up in my own bed in my own room, wanted to meet all my friends and hear all their gup shup and see what what they'd done to their houses while I've been away, go buy paan and flowers from Main Market and new lawn prints from Liberty Market, eat aloo gosht with proper tandoor ki roti (salad shalads are fine for a while but nothing like your own khaana, baba), watch desi TV serials and new, new Indian films in my lounge while getting oil message done to my head.

Haan so bus I've been back ten days and already I'm so tired and depressed keh don't even ask. While I've been away apparently hundreds of people have been killed in Karachi. And not just shot, but burnt alive or chopped into little little bits and left in sacks on roads ki sides. Shahbaz Taaseer has been kidnapped in broad daytime. So has that American from Model Town. I think so his name was Waterstime. The maulvi who led Salman Taseer's funeral prayers has received so many threats that he's had to run away from the country. Bijli is still not coming. And despite of it not coming the bijli ka bill is huge. The servants have eaten three boris of atta and one of sugar and six large tins of ghee (fife kilos each) and I don't know how much of meat and sabzis. Our backside wall fell in the rains and next door neighbour had a big robbery in the middle of Ramzan. They lost their TV, DVD, computers, mobiles, cash, jewelry, silver and their car. But they are so happy that the robbers didn't rape their daughter and kidnap their son that tomorrow they are doing big shukraanay ka khatam. Also it is still very hot. But I don't think so I'm allowed to say in case I'm taken to be anti-Pakistan, American/Indian/Jews lover. 

Courtesy TFT

I've come home to Lahore after three full months. Oho baba I was away na. In London only. Had such a fab time going to cinemas, street walking, park strolling - total heaven. Full bijli coming full time. Full gas coming full time. Na koi worry of abduction, na of kidnapping, na of hold-up at gun point. Kulchoo used to go out with friends at night, and that also on pubic transport and I swear I never even worried for one second. Banda jaa kay total relax ho jaata hai. You only realize then in how much of tension you were living over here. Of course, there was that little bit of rioting in London - and between you and me, it was quite scary with all those kaala goondas in hoodies roaming around - but then the guvmunt gave them all a good danda and it was back to normal in one week flat. But despite of that in the end I was missing home so much, so much that don't even ask.

I wanted to see Mummy, wake up in my own bed in my own room, wanted to meet all my friends and hear all their gup shup and see what what they'd done to their houses while I've been away, go buy paan and flowers from Main Market and new lawn prints from Liberty Market, eat aloo gosht with proper tandoor ki roti (salad shalads are fine for a while but nothing like your own khaana, baba), watch desi TV serials and new, new Indian films in my lounge while getting oil message done to my head.

Haan so bus I've been back ten days and already I'm so tired and depressed keh don't even ask. While I've been away apparently hundreds of people have been killed in Karachi. And not just shot, but burnt alive or chopped into little little bits and left in sacks on roads ki sides. Shahbaz Taaseer has been kidnapped in broad daytime. So has that American from Model Town. I think so his name was Waterstime. The maulvi who led Salman Taseer's funeral prayers has received so many threats that he's had to run away from the country. Bijli is still not coming. And despite of it not coming the bijli ka bill is huge. The servants have eaten three boris of atta and one of sugar and six large tins of ghee (fife kilos each) and I don't know how much of meat and sabzis. Our backside wall fell in the rains and next door neighbour had a big robbery in the middle of Ramzan. They lost their TV, DVD, computers, mobiles, cash, jewelry, silver and their car. But they are so happy that the robbers didn't rape their daughter and kidnap their son that tomorrow they are doing big shukraanay ka khatam. Also it is still very hot. But I don't think so I'm allowed to say in case I'm taken to be anti-Pakistan, American/Indian/Jews lover. - See more at: http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta2/tft/article.php?issue=20110909&page=31#sthash.ZKhEjg7b.dpuf