About
Penaz Masani, born in Navsari, Gujarat, into a Parsi family of classical musicians, is one of India's foremost ghazal singers. Her father Doli Masani was a disciple of Ustad Faiyaz Khan of the Agra gharana, and she trained under Ustad Amanat Hussain Khan and the ghazal maestro Madhurani. Beginning her career in 1981, she was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2009 and holds the title Shehzadi-e-Tarannum.
Masani has released more than twenty albums and sung playback in over fifty Hindi films in more than ten languages, earning a Platinum and three Gold discs. Discovered by the composer Jaidev, she became a rare woman to reach the top of the male-dominated ghazal world. She has toured widely under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and continues to nurture the form, serving on the jury of the Khazana Ghazal Festival's talent hunt.
The artistry
Masani sings with a mellifluous voice, impeccable Urdu diction and Agra-gharana grounding, rendering a wide repertoire from traditional to modern ghazals. She is known for emotional nuance and melodic fluidity that make classical shers accessible.
Masani brings a polished, richly trained ghazal voice with national honours and mass recall. A host can programme a classic ghazal evening or a themed Urdu-poetry concert, with strong appeal across audiences. [Atlas Assessment]
A trailblazing woman ghazal singer who opened the form to a new generation and carried it across the world.