Shehnai icon's daughter vows to fulfill Rani Mukherjee's dream

Varanasi, Aug 19 (UNI) Noted classical singer of Banaras Gharana Soma Ghosh, who is also the foster daughter of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, today vowed to fulfill the dream of bubbly Bollywood queen Rani Mukherjee of dancing to the signature melody of the late shehnai maestro.

''Baba (Khan Sahib) may no longer be physically alive, but his signature melody still remains alive in me, my foster brothers Ustad Naiyar Hussain Khan, Zamin Hussain and Nazim Hussain, besides his nephew-cum-disciple Mumtaz Hussain Khan. It is the duty of all of us to now actualise the unfulfilled dream of Bollywood actor Rani Mukherjee of dancing to the melody of Khan Sahib's music,'' Dr Ghosh told newspersons here today.

In the city for 'Yade-e-Bismillah,' a special programme to mark the first death anniversary of the music legend on August 21 next, Dr Ghosh claimed ''Aati Kya Khandala-lasse Rani Mukherjee in 2002 had wished to dance to the shehnai of Baba.'' ''I still remember Rani sending one of her friends Krishnendu Sen to convey her strong wish. When I hooked Rani's message to Baba, citing old age and illness, he expressed inability to help the bubbly actor actualise her dream,'' Dr Ghosh maintained.

''Now that Baba is no more with us, it is the duty of his sons and foster daughter to fulfill the dream of an actor, which remained unfulfilled due to unavoidable reasons,'' she added.

''We are ready to hold a special concert, where I will render voice and my foster brothers will shower their rich musical legacy for dancing queen Rani Mukherjee.'' ''Rani is a good dancer and her wish will be fulfilled by us, but let the offer be revived from her side,'' Dr Ghosh who was declared a foster daughter by Khan Sahib in 2001 maintained.

''May be the next project in the memory of Baba could be memorable rendezvous between Rani's dancing prowess and the musical legacy of Khan Sahib still alive in the art of his sons and foster daughter.'' UNI