Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Shafqat Amanat Ali- MTV ishtyle!

That a man who has given us gems like "Mora sainya mose bole na..." should be reduced to background music for a dozen models on the ramp...sheer talent makes him deserve the dais all to himself. And for a lot longer than the thirty seconds MTV so graciously blessed him with during the annual MTV Lycra Style Awards.
He's no new comer, nor is he just one of the many milling around in the world of music. He is in a class of his own- his voice and the range he commands are more than enough to ensure that.
A channel that happily and volubly boasts of a name like 'Music TV' is supposed to have greater appreciation for really talented musicians and certainly much better ways of showing that appreciation.
I am not claiming that it was a calculated insult- I am pretty sure that MTV, drunk on its own success and popularity, must in fact, be of the opinion that it did him a great honour by including him at all.
But Shafqat Amanat Ali deserves a lot more- even if it was an occassion celebrating style.
Inasmuch as MTV does set trends- and in more than just the world of music- it could have made a definite statement on how the best singers of today deserve to be treated. By the best music channels of today.
Since the focus had to be on models and the various styles they sported, the channel could simply have played recorded music or invited newcomers for whom the occassion might really have been an opportunity.
Instead of designing for Mr. Ali the perfect and unquestionably well-deserved foil, that would best allow him to present to an appreciative audience, his musical talents- that supposed connoisseur of contemporary music tried to tailor his talents to fit into the background for ramp-walks.
And just for those with a mathematicla turn of mind, the treat that this man could provide for your ears would, anyday, be more than enough value for both- your time and your money.
One would think that MTV would know it best that models like Carol Gracias and singers like Shafqat Amanat Ali do not need each other to justify their share of the lime light for an evening. Or their claim to the length and breadth of any podium.
Or is the question not that of MTV's error in judgement at all??
And would it end up arguing that such an arrangement is now unavoidable?
Simply because a wonderful voice, a beautifully written song or great music does not penetrate our consciousness any more-without enough glitter and glamour to package and peresent its fashionable face to us?
In that case i am afraid, our ears have to be pronounced as having become pretty badly short-sighted.

(for those who want to know a bit more about Mr. Ali here are some recommended sites-)
http://bigbangbong.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/shafqat-amanat-ali-khan-and-rahat-fateh-ali-khan/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafqat_Amanat_Ali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuz%C3%B6n_(band)


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