Begum Akthar: Of heartbreaks and high notes

In the aesthetic setting of Sabhablr, on a recent evening in Bengaluru, Kafeel Jafri sat down to tell the life story of a woman, whose journey was nothing short of extraordinary. Known as the Mallika-e-Ghazal, Begum Akhtar navigated the path of social marginalisation to become one of the most celebrated voices of the country. Her life was marked by love, heartbreak, fame, friendship, loneliness and rebellion. Amidst all this, music remained her steadfast companion.

Kafeel unfolded the story through the tradition of Dastangoi, a centuries-old art form of storytelling that relies on voice, imagination, and direct interaction between the storyteller and the audience. ‘Dastan’ means story and ‘goi’ means telling.

Dastan-e- Akhtari embodies this tradition. Kafeel’s narration, interspersed with songs sung by Yusra Naqvi, gives Begum Akhtar’s music another dimension. They were accompanied by live tabla, harmonium, and sarangi.