Ghazal maestro and playback singer Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday (Feb 26) after a prolonged illness. He was 72 years old.
The late singer was widely known for his soulful renditions and ghazals.
In his career spanning over decades, the singer sang several melodies like “Chitthi Aayi Hai”, “Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein”, which went on to become cult classics.
Born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat, Udhas hailed from a family of musicians.
He began his career in 1980 when he released his first ghazal album Aahat.
He followed up with ghazal albums that became instant hits, like “Mukarrar” in 1981, “Tarrannum” in 1982, “Mehfil” in 1983, and “Aafreen” in 1986.
After immense success in the world of ghazals, he was offered to sing in the movies, which took his career to new heights.
In 1986, the maestro sang “Chitthi Aayee Hai” in Mahesh Bhatt’s movie Naam starring Sanjay Dutt. The emotional song with heartfelt lyrics and Udhas’ melodious voice continues to be a public favourite to date.