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Updated August 18th, 2018 at 11:10 IST

When Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Poem Was Converted Into A Music Video Featuring Shah Rukh Khan

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only known for his oratory skills but also for his poetic flair. The impeccable ability to put thoughts into words in the form of poetry made him an inspiration for many including late filmmaker Yash Chopra.

Reported by: Lisha Dsouza
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On August 16, India lost one of its most respected and loved politicians of all time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The former Indian Prime Minister succumbed to respiratory and kidney ailments at 5:05 pm on Thursday as per a medical bulletin released by AIIMS. The BJP patriarch, however, was not only known for his oratory skills but also for his poetic flair. The impeccable ability to put thoughts into words in the form of poetry made him an inspiration for many including late filmmaker Yash Chopra.

A number of Vajpayee’s poems were published and in fact, one of them titled ‘Kya Khoya Kya Paaya’ was converted into a ghazal, the music video for which was directed by Yash Chopra. Jagdish Singh lent his soulful voice to the song and the video featured none other than Shah Rukh Khan. The ghazal was a part of Jagjit Singh's 2002 album ‘Samvedna’. In addition to this, the first verses of the song were penned by lyricist Javed Akhtar and voiced by Amitabh Bachchan.

In 2014, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar had released an album based on Vajpayee’s poems. Recalling the album launch, Mangeshkar told IANS, "I still remember the album was officially released in his home in Delhi. We had flown down for the occasion. All the poems in the album we entitled 'Antarnaad' were handpicked by me and my composer Mayuresh Pai. We then flew to Delhi to get his approval. When Atalji saw the poems we had selected he was very happy, especially with 'Geet naya gata hoon', which was among his personal favourites."

While speaking to Republic TV, when asked about which was of Vajpayee's poems was her favourite, the singer replied,"I like all of his poems, I have read them and sang them too. However, there was one song that was kept off the record which is 'Than Gayi Maut Se Than Gayi'. Let me tell you that this is the song that I like the most."

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was admitted to AIIMS on Monday, June 11, following complaints related to respiratory and kidney ailments, passed away at 5:05 pm as per a medical bulletin released by AIIMS. The bulletin issued by AIIMS stated that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been stable under the care of the team of AIIMS doctors, but his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours, requiring him to be placed on life-support systems.

Former PM Vajpayee had assumed his first cabinet role as the Minister of External Affairs way back in 1977 in the Morarji Desai-led government. He received The Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, in 2015. A number of schemes namely the Atal Pension Yojana as well as the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation have been named after him.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated in a state funeral at Smriti Sthal on August 17.

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Published August 18th, 2018 at 11:10 IST

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