Singer-composer Papon has finally brought to life a dream that has stayed with him for nearly two decades. His latest musical project, Mehfilz with Papon, is more than just an album it is an attempt to reintroduce the timeless beauty of ghazals to a younger generation while preserving the essence of poetic storytelling. Although the idea first took shape 20 years ago, the project itself took eight years to complete, with Papon working closely with lyricist Irshad Kamil to create songs that offer a fresh interpretation of the classic genre.

Papon on his passion project ‘Mehfilz’ and reviving ghazals for a new era: “Sound has to change in every generation”

With three tracks from the album already released, Papon shared that his love for ghazals dates back to his childhood. Recalling the inspiration behind the project, he said, “This idea has been with me for the past 20 years. Ghazals have been a childhood love for me. I wanted to [create] this vibe of mehfil —in a mehfil, you do not sing to an audience alone; you also sing to yourself and friends. You sit in a circle, with a friend playing the guitar, somebody playing the tabla, and so on. I wanted to bring that to life.”

The singer also explained why he chose close friends like Pankaj Tripathi, Saumya Tandon, and Meiyang Chang to feature in the album instead of influencers or celebrities chosen purely for popularity. “When we started developing the album, many ideas were thrown by people to make the video popular. I was told to get influencers or actors. I was not comfortable with inviting people because I was not sure how it was going to shape up. So, I thought of inviting friends, who would come to the moon with me if I called them. Pankaj Tripathi is like a brother. When I spoke to him about this, he said, ‘I am coming’.”

For Papon, Mehfilz is also an effort to redefine how ghazals are perceived in today’s musical landscape. While he remains deeply respectful of legendary artistes who shaped the genre, he believes every generation deserves a sound that speaks to it.

“It’s my attempt to change the sound of ghazals while keeping the ethos of good poetry alive. Sound has to change in every generation and era. You cannot have one sound [throughout] because then it goes into the archive. We have had great ghazals from Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhasji, Talat Azizji, and Hariharan. But now, it has to go to the newer generation. For that, the sound needs to stay relevant to the times. The poetry also has to change and reflect the language of the youth today. I first tried to change the sound of ghazals in MTV Unplugged in 2012. Since it got an encouraging response, I now wanted to take it one step further.”

Reflecting on his musical journey, Papon also stressed the importance of creating original independent music alongside playback singing. “Creating your own music is the way. I’ve always been doing it. Singing for films happened on the side, but I didn’t stop making independent music. An artiste has to make music to their aesthetics, philosophies, and ideas. I’m glad people in India are understanding that now,” he said.

With Mehfilz, Papon hopes to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, ensuring that the timeless appeal of ghazals continues to find a place in the playlists of today’s listeners.

Also Read : Papon celebrates wife Shweta Mishra’s 50th birthday at 13,000 feet, calls her “The rockstar of my life”

Tags : Album, Bollywood, Bollywood Features, Features, ghazals, Mehfilz, Music, New Era, Papon, Passion Project, Reviving, Song, Sound, Track