That was the voice that united many hearts on and off the screen. That was the voice that echoed the pangs of separation and the longing for a union. That was the voice that could turn a hero of macho image like Sunny Deol into a quixotic romantic. So this Thursday when this evergreen voice reverberated through the auditorium of Al-Salam Holiday Inn in Jeddah, the audience burst into an instant applause. This was Anwar's first live performance in Saudi Arabia. He came to the stage with “Koi pardesi aya…,” and touched an instant chord with the audience. In this age of remixes, pop numbers and flash-in-the-pan reality show wonder kids, Anwar's soft melodies once again brought back memories of good old music and meaningful lyrics. Anwar started by singing the ghazal which brought him recognition, “Qasmen hum apni jaan ki khayay chalay gayay…” Then came the turn of the hit numbers from the film Janta Hawaldar which shot him on the terra firma of the Indian film industry. The songs were “Humm se ka bhool hoi jo yeh saza hum ka mili…” and “Teri aankhon ki chat…” The Grand Musical Evening organized by Indian Cultural Society Jeddah and Bazm-e-Osmania continued till well past into the night. Earlier Anwar was presented a memorial plaque and shawl by Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed. Welcoming the guests ICSJ president Arif Quraishi said that he had been organizing functions in celebration of Indian Republic Day and Independence Day for the past 30 years. “I did not forget my nation in the past and I will not forget my nation in the future,” he said. Appreciating the efforts of Arif Quraishi Indian consul general said that he had been organizing these functions singlehanded. “He is a one-man army,” Dr. Sayeed said. Shams Ahsan, Managing Editor of Saudi Gazette, said functions like these provide a platform to express one's patriotic feelings away from the nation. __
