Which singer comes to your mind when you read chupke chupke raat din aaNsuu bahaanaa yaad hai? Ghulam Ali even though Jagjit Singh has also sung it. What about ranjish hi sahii, dil hii dukhaane ke liye aa? Mehdi Hassan obviously but there is a version by Runa Laila as well. And baat niklegii to phir duur talak jaayegi? Of course Jagjit. He has made that nazm his own.
There are quite a few Ghazals and Nazms that have been rendered by more than one singer. ‘roshan jamaal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam‘ has been sung by Abida Parveen, Jagjit Singh and Mehdi Hassan, each version unique. But there is one Ghazal that has been sung by no less that 6 singers. You would think that such honour would be given to ustaad shaoraa (master poets). Wrong. It actually is by Saleem Kausar, a young Pakistani poet. The Ghazal in question is ‘maiN Khayaal huuN kisii aur kaa‘. I have listened to Mehdi Hassan, Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Raees Khan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing this beautiful Ghazal.
To start with, first listen to the poet himself reciting the Ghazal in a Mushaira. For complete lyrics and meaning of difficult Urdu words, please click here.
Here are all the other versions I have.
Mehdi Hassan version:
Jagjit Singh version:
Raees Khan version:
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan version:
Munni Begum version:
I don’t have Hariharan and Ghulam Ali versions with me but they are also worth listening to. Please do tell me which one do you like the most (I would tell my preference after some days so as not to bias anyone’s judgement).
Update: The video of Munni Begum version added.
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll take Mehdi Hassan on this one.
It’s an interesting idea to compile and compare versions of the same ghazal sung by several artists…worth pursuing more…
As much as I like MH, I don’t prefer his version of the Ghazal.
I would surely post more of these.
After waiting much for the downloads and giving them all the audience that they more than deserved I found myself wanting to go back to Nusrat. So that’s certainly my choice
. Athough Raees Khan’s was interesting too. Now to get to business, how can I have the Nusrat version on my hard disk? 
I like Raees Khan’s version the best out of all these. It has a ver different feel to it than the rest.
Interesting question. I think we become biased by whom we had heard before. So in this case I opt for JS. Though the Raees Khan version was good too.
But chupke Chupke will always be Gulaam Ali, no one coms even close.
Will you e-mail me the audios of Raees Khan as mp3 attachment,what ever you have, including the above?
I’ll be thankful.
Raees Khan’s version is the ULTIMATE. This ghazal can’t be sung in any other tone and with any other composition.
I too liked the Raees Khan version. btw u can download it from channeldosti too
http://www.channeldosti.com/ghazlein.php?folder=/Raees-Khan
I already have a copy
mehdi hassan is ultimate and no one in this can sing
it like that . and no gazal singer will compare mehdi hassan.he has sung gazals that no one can get those feelings in the voice.
Jagjit Singh is my choice.
-Amit
http://www.ipatrons.com
There is also q version sung by Hariharan and he has sung it beautifully.
i prefer jagjit singh ….i have all version …jagjit voice makes in this gazal smooth without those time waisting aaaaaaa, sa re ma pa etc etc ..:D
Excellent work
How do I get a downloadable version of the Saleem Kausar recitation?
Has to be Raees Khan !
Thanks for posting the different versions, its an amazing effort
I totally fell in love with the MH version of this ghazal when I first heard it. Over time, I came across other versions of which I liked some, and hated the others. After numerous listenings, I have settled my choice of preferred versions to the following three, in this order:
1. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, 2. Mehdi Hassan, 3. Raees Khan.
I do have the Hariharan and Jagjit Singh versions, if you want to add them to this page.
Vaibhav
I liked the poet himself reciting it. I listened to that first and then the music just killed it for me.
I like Rais Khan the most.
U.Mehdi Hassan is the best signer I love his songs.
From Kabul
very recently I heard mehdi Hasan saab’s version – have not heard any other version ..and I have completely fallen in love with the way he sings
“sar-e-aa’iinaa meraa aks hai pas-e-aa’iinaa ko’ii aur hai”
Simply out of this world ..
And I must also say that you have done an exceptional job in bringing it all together here in one platform…
Big Thank you from me ..Mohib bhai ..keep up the good work..
PS : I would be extremely pleased if you can mail all these versions ..at your convinient time..
I am a ardent fan of these great ghazals singers – Mehandi Hassan , Jagjitsingh and Nusrat Fateh ali Khan but I am sure that nobody can excel Mehandi hassan in this Ghazal.
Any idea why Mehdi Hasan repeated “Zindgi” so many times.
Great singing by him!
When I hear, I feel, I am in another world.
In this song, I can only say one the best_Jagji Singh
‘One ghazal having so many singers’ reminds me of “YE NA THI HAMARI QISMAT KI VISALE YAR HOTA” by Ghalib. I have heard Mohammad Rafi, Habib Wali Mohammad, Usha Mangeshkar, Suraiya and Begam Akhtar singing it. May be others too would have attempted.
Marhaba,Marhaba what a Ghazal and very Beautiful Compotion By Mehdi hassan, subhan Allah
In my opinion Mehdi Hassan is a great ghazal singer and his version is the best.
I Like Raees Khan Sahab & Mehndi Hassan Sahab Version
hellow friend
I like the RAEES KHAN`S version
it was very great.
this is only Medhi Hassan who sung it most beautifully and heart touching,hariharan and jagjeet singh didnt sing it so well, and fath ali shab just copied the tune of mendhi hassan shab and made it noisy.
I want ghazal sung by Abida parveen ‘aaj jane ki zidd na karo’. If u have plz send me at my mail id plzzz
Will you e-mail me the audios of Raees Khan as mp3 attachment,what ever you have.
I’ll be thankful.