Md Aziz who is also known as Munna Aziz has ruled Bollywood for over a decade.He has sung more than 4000 songs in Hindi , Bengali and Oriya films apart from religious albums and quawwalis.Kolkatabuzz caught up with him for a chit-chat .Excerpts:

KB:Aziz bhai, when did you start singing?
Aziz :Initially, my father wanted me to become a hafiz( one who learns the whole Quran by heart) and I had already learnt 12 out of the 30 parts of Quran but the destiny has something else in store for me.
I was fond of singing from my childhood and as my voice resembled Md Rafi’s, I started singing on stage and became popular gradually.My father did not like my singing but when people started praising me before him, he relented.

KB:Which was you first film as a singer?
Aziz:My first film as a singer was “Phaansi ke baad”.But I gained popularity with songs in Mard starring Amitabh Bachchan.The song ‘Mard tange wala’ was a hit.

KB:Which of the songs you have sung are close to your heart?

Aziz :There are dozens of songs which are very close to my heart like the songs ‘Mard tange wala’ in Mard, ‘Jane do jane do mujhe jana hai’ in ‘Shaheshah’, ‘Gori ka sajan’ in Akhri Raasta, ‘Tu mujhe kubool, mai tujhe kubool’ in Khuda Gawah and ‘E jee O jee lo jee suno jee’ in Ram Lakhan. But the one which I like the most is ‘Ek andhera lakh sitare’in the film ‘Akhir Kyon’ because the song has a strong message.It is inspiring.

KB:Which great music directors have you worked with?
Aziz:I have worked with the greast music directors of our time like Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, Lakshmikant Pyarelal,Usha Khanna, Nadeem Sharavan and Annu Malik.

KB:Which of the music directors impressed you most?
Aziz : Lakshmikant Pyarelal, of course.

KB:What is your opinion about the poetry in our film songs these days?
Aziz :I am very disappointed with the kind of poetry that is produced in Bollywood these days.I believe poetry is to music what clothes are to the body.As beautiful clothes make a person appear beautiful, good poetry enhaces the appeal of good music.Music without good lyrics is hollow.

It is a pity that the industry is not producing great poets and lyricists like Sahir, Kaifi,Shakil and Majrooh.That is why the standard of film lyrics has been going down day by day.Music directors of today are also to blame for this situation.They do not have the ability to recognize good poetry.
As told to Kolkatabuzz.