Pankaj Udhas passed away at the age of 72. He was a well-known ghazal and playback singer. The Udhas family announced on Monday that a protracted illness was the cause of his death.
The Udhas family’s assertion
“With a heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on February 26, 2024, due to a prolonged illness,” wrote Nayaab, Pankaj Udhas’ daughter, in a message posted to Instagram.
As soon as Nayaab announced the singer’s passing, his fans left a flood of condolences in the comment section. “May his soul rest in peace,” a fan remarked. “I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. Stay strong and please accept my condolences,” a different person remarked. One more person commented, “Deepest condolences and prayers.”
As per a family source, he passed away at the Breach Candy Hospital at 11 am. The funeral services will take place on Tuesday. The vocalists Nirmal and Manhar Udhas, as well as wife Farida Udhas and daughters Nayaab and Reva Udhas, survive Pankaj.
The career of Pankaj Udhas
Pankaj Udhas is most known for providing the voice of iconic songs like Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise from Lawrence D’Souza’s 1991 romantic film Saajan, Abbas-Mustan’s 1993 revenge thriller Baazigar, Aaj Phir Tumpe from Feroz Khan’s 1988 action thriller Dayavan, Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai from Pravin Bhatt’s 1998 film Ek Hi Maqsad, and Chitthi Aayi Hai from Mahesh Bhatt’s 1986 crime thriller Naam, among others.
Well-known albums like Aahat (1980) and songs like Na Kajre Ki Dhaar, Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein, Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, and Thodi Thodi Piya Karo are among his ghazal accomplishments.
Pankaj discussed returning to the stage after a break in an interview with the Hindustan Times. “I used to have a lot of confidence before any show, before the pandemic. However, the epidemic era was difficult—even mentally. There wasn’t much exposure to the stage and audience, even though I attempted to stay up-to-date and not get rusted while performing my riyaaz regularly. I was therefore quite anxious to perform on stage for the first time in two years at a performance in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. However, I was crying when I stepped up on stage and saw 6,000 people supporting me. I had been denied the stage for a very long time, so it was an extremely emotional event,” he remarked.
