Adil Najam
About a year ago, I had posted one of the funniest comedy performances I have ever seen – Khalid Abbas Dar and friends at the 1987 PTV Awards singing ‘Mein naeen khedna Korea dey naal.’ But I had premised it by saying that this was “not the best work of Khalid Abbas Dar” because “Khalid sahib’s all-time greatest performance is the ‘classical’ singing he does with made up words – it is side-splitting funny – originally recorded during the 1971 election transmission and recorded multiple times later.”
I had been looking for a recording of that performance ever since. Finally, I have found a version based more on ‘folk’ than a ‘classical’ sensibility (I think from one of the 1990s election transmission).
This itself may not be the best version of this performance, but it shows the versatility and command of Khalid Abbas Dar. Especially the first half where he does his singing is hilarious not for what it is, but for what Khalid Abbas Dar does with it. I stand by what I had written in my earlier piece on Khalid Abbas Dar: “for my money [he is] the most brilliant stand-up comic Pakistan has ever produced.” Do check out his hockey commentary skit once you have watched this one.
Great post, loved his stand up comedy too, so simple, direct and funny.
Shabbir
It took almost 40 years to unravel this mystery.
Folks, this is jinn-speak.
The jinns of I-slammed-everyone-else-abad, Lahore and Karachi respond in this language when people raise issues about clean water, sanitation, electric power and literacy.
This is exactly why there is injustice and inequity in Pakistan. This is exactly why people cannot register FIRs. This is exactly why people never get court hearings to get justice.
This is exactly why Shazia Masih and Mohammad Bashir Kacha did not get basic medical services. This is exactly why Mai Jori Jamali has to “travel” 2 miles to get water.
Thank you Khalid Abbas Dar!
I am grateful to Mr. Dar for demonstrating how the three jinns speak back to us.
‘maaaa nnnnnna maaaaa na ….. tar bar, balay nalah, tar bar balay nall …. aey rey bannaaaal… hoooooooooooooooooo’
Wow this is amazing. I did remember seeing Khalid Abbas Dar from TV, but I had no idea of his amazing talents and versatility. What was particularly surprising was the bit between 1:20 to about 2:05 is done in a folk style from Balochistan, used in tribal oral traditions, which requires breathless singing (or something pretty close to it). I saw it on a DVD which had two documentaries, The Religious Music of Pakistan and The Music of Balochistan. The first part of that DVD is available here: http://www.documen.tv/asset/Music_of_Pakistan.html
So it wasn’t just silly stuff made on the spot. Dar was actually singing in a particular style, and a very difficult one at that!
@ Yasir Imran …. that drama was “Parchi” …. what an amazing performer he is !
Khalid Abbas Dar is truly a legend. Not just for his comedy which is most original. But his contribution to theatre in Pakistan, which he revived single handedly, is tremendous.