Adil Najam
Abida Parveen is a legend in her own times. A most amazing voice. A mesmerizing talent.This video, found on YouTube, claims to be of Abida Parveen singing as a child. But is it?
We know that Abida Parveen was a child prodigy. The Sindhi song being sung here could well be by Abida Parveen as a child. But is the child in the video Abida Parveen. I do not know. It does seem like lip-syncing and the very end with tears streaming down the child’s face did feel overdone. But, then, it could be an old PTV recording, although I seem to remember that her talent was first “discovered” by her future husband when she performed at Hyderabad radio station. If so, the child here would be too young for this to be Abida Parveen.
But let me not over-think this. The fact is that I am posting this video not because I am really interested in solving this mystery. It is because the Sindhi song in the video is indeed mesmerizing. Is indeed amazing. Whether this is Abida Parveen or not, the song is a fitting tribute to her talent.
So, lets just sit back. Let this sink in. Enjoy.
P.S. See Abida Parveen at her very best, here.
Can’t be:
Abida Parveen was born in 1954, and this girl is about 10-12 years old, so if it were her, the year would be around 1964/1966.
1. The acrylic stand holding up the lyrics sheet, on top of an aluminum tripod. That seem to be of a more modern construction and wasn’t in use in those times. People used wooden “dais” and still do.
2. Nobody used ad-hoc acrylic stands in studios. The microphones had to be right in your face to get good sound, and this sound is way too clear.
3. The video is way too clear. If it is film, it would have to be 35 mm and that was too expensive at the time. Video Recorders were not that great either.
4. To get a sense of the type of white-balance on PTV programs, search Youtube.
This looks like a very modern video. The child has some superficial resemblance to the singer, however it can’t be her.
Wow, if it is Abida Parveen, she had better vanity habits as kid then now. Would it harm her if she fixes up herself – it is embarrasing to watch her on TV. She looks like a creepy younger brother of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.