Most people know Gauhar Jaan as the courtesan from Kolkata who went on to become one of the first recorded artistes of Indian music industry. She recorded over 600 records in multiple languages, wrote ghazals and popularised Hindustani Classical music not just in India but abroad as well. While her work continues to live in re-recordings of old gramophone records, little is known about her personal life, and how fate forced Gauhar Jaan, once revered as the Jaan-e-Kalkata (life of Kolkata), to leave her beloved city and spend her last days nursing a heartbreak.

Stills from the play, Jaan-E-Kalkatta

Fame and tragedy
Inspired from the tragic story of the legendary singer, Jaan-e-Kalkatta, an original Bengali musical, will be making its debut in the city, this weekend. The play looks at the life of Gauhar Jaan, the male chauvinistic society of Kolkata in the early 20th century, as well as the artiste’s crisis. “Hers is a tragic depiction of the male chauvinism of our society. She could not only sing in many languages, but was also a very good dancer. Despite her artistic stature, society tortured her mentally, only because she was a woman. She was deprived of her health, her wealth as well as love,” says Asit Basu, the producer of the play.