Gauhar Jaan, who recorded her first song with the Gramophone Company of India in 1902, made history as the first Indian artist to do so. Songs included in the play delve into Gauhar’s love life and her professional milestones, presenting a well-rounded picture of her life and contributions to music.
Now comes a production, My Name Is Jaan, a solo musical play based on the life of the extraordinary Gauhar Jaan, India’s first recording artist, to the stage.
The production interweaves musical elements, showcasing Gauhar Jaan’s versatile talent in various Indian classical forms such as Khayal, Thumri, and Kirtan, along with her ability to sing in multiple languages – performed entirely by veteran thespian Arpita Chatterjee, who brings her magic on stage by live singing 11 songs in multiple languages.
The Artist of the show Arpita Chatterjee possesses the rare distinction of being a talented actress, a trained classical dancer, and a trained classical singer. The multitalented Arpita has been trained in Hindustani classical music by music maestro Rashid Khan, Arun Bhaduri and Shipra Basu. Trained in Bharatnatyam by Thankumuni Kutty. Arpita as an actress won multiple awards in Indian and International mainstream and festival circuits , most notably the film awards for Best Actor Female (Critics Choice) for her film ‘Abyakto’.
One of the most remarkable elements of ‘My Name is Jaan’ is the live singing, with Chatterjee performing Gauhar Jaan’s songs in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bengali, English, Gujarati, and Punjabi. Each song reflects a chapter in Gauhar’s life, from her humble beginnings to her status as a national sensation.
Gauhar Jaan, who recorded her first song with the Gramophone Company of India in 1902, made history as the first Indian artist to do so. Songs included in the play delve into Gauhar’s love life and her professional milestones, presenting a well-rounded picture of her life and contributions to music
An entrepreneur by nature, she currently heads Studio9, a production house supported by TV9 Network that is focused on creating world-class documentary features.
‘My Name is Jaan’ will be performed on 25 October at 7:30 PM and 27 October at 6:30 PM at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir in Bandra West, Mumbai. Tickets are available on BookMyShow, and early booking is recommended to secure your seat at this remarkable tribute to Gauhar Jaan.