Shubha Mudgal does her bit for Indo-Pak ties

A live link up programme by BBC has the singer showcasing her talent along with Pakistani vocalist Abida Parveen

On September 27, the BBC Hindi and BBC Urdu services will stage a live link up between Mumbai and Karachi with performances, an invited panel debating the role of arts and music to bridge the two nations and a studio audience.  In India, the panel will be represented by actor Kiron Kher, film director Govind Nihalani and writer/ poet Javed Akhtar.  The panellists in Pakistan include writers Anwer Maqsood and Noorul Huda Shah, and TV playwright and columnist Shoaib Hashmi. 

The joint BBC Hindi and BBC Urdu event is part of the 'Who Runs Your World?' season - biggest ever single-themed tri-media season of programmes of the BBC's international news division exploring different aspects of global power.     

Singers Shubha Mudgal from India and Abida Parveen from Pakistan will also perform simultaneously from the two countries. Says Indian vocalist Shubha Mudgal, "It is difficult to say how many hearts will change after this programme or how easy it will become to go across the borders for the citizens of both sides, but when a credible and prestigious organisation like the BBC is taking this initiative, it will be effective, I believe so."

She also commended the role of people in the arts who are maintaining the cultural exchange between the two nations and upholding the shared heritage, "Poets from both sides have worked as cultural ambassadors. So what if the political relations turn bad, people will continue to listen to each other. It doesn't matter if the singer is from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran etc, the main thing is how and what he/she is singing. People clap, appreciate and love their music."

Referring to her personal experience of crossing the borders between the two countries, Mudgal said, "Those who are doing well have fans all over the world.  The music lovers of India have always appreciated the singers of the other side.  It was never said that Indians would not listen to a musician because he/she is from Pakistan." 

Emphasising the relevance of the lyrics by poets like Kabir and Faiz, Mudgal says, "No one has the right to say that, because Faiz was a Pakistani poet, therefore an Indian artist like me can't sing his ghazals. He himself had said, 'Bol ke lab Aazaad hein tere' (Speak, as your lips are free)." Standing by this statement she describes the line up for this programme, "I will sing some great poems by Kabir, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. We have chosen the poems which reflect the message of peace and harmony.  The voice of BBC is a very strong medium. The decision to organise this programme itself spreads a big message among the people."

The live broadcast takes place at 20-22 IST, 19.30-21.30 Pakistan time.  It will be live on Aaj satellite TV and Mast FM in four cities in Pakistan and on Go FM in Mumbai.