About
Talat Aziz, born 11 November 1956 in Hyderabad, is a renowned ghazal singer, composer and actor. He took his classical training in the Kirana gharana under Ustad Samad Khan and Ustad Faiyyaz Ahmed Khan, then learned the ghazal from the maestro Mehdi Hassan, sharing the stage with him in India and abroad. His debut album, Jagjit Singh Presents Talat Aziz, released in 1980 under his mentor Jagjit Singh, launched a career of more than four decades.
Aziz sang for the film Umrao Jaan in 1981 and became known for a soulful, emotive style rooted in classical discipline. In 1987 he released Tasavvur, among the first ghazal music videos, and he later hosted the acclaimed radio show Caravan-e-Ghazal. He continues to record and tour, releasing new singles through 2025 and 2026, and received the Lokmat Sur Jyotsna Icon Award in 2025.
The artistry
Aziz sings in a classic ghazal idiom with a deep, resonant voice and careful attention to the poetry, blending the discipline of his classical training with the intimacy the form demands. He favours clear diction and unhurried phrasing that let the meaning of the sher come through, and has also explored theatrical and multimedia presentations of the ghazal. His singing keeps alive the refined, poetry-first tradition of the great ghazal exponents while reaching contemporary listeners.
Aziz is a purist's ghazal singer with a rich, resonant voice and a direct line to the Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh traditions. For a host he delivers an authentic ghazal mehfil, and his tribute concerts to the greats are a proven draw. [Atlas Assessment]
Talat Aziz is a custodian of the classic ghazal who carried the form forward after its golden age and helped modernise its presentation for new audiences. Emerging in the era of Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh, he sustained a poetry-centred style through decades of shifting tastes, co-founded the dedicated Khazaana Ghazal Festival, and mentored younger singers. His work has been important to the survival and continued dignity of the ghazal in India.