Bihar-based lawyer composes ‘Amitabh Chalisa’

PATNA - After “Lalu Chalisa” and “Nitish Chalisa”, now there is “Amitabh Chalisa”. A Bihar-based lawyer has composed a specially-structured hymn in praise of the Bollywood megastar, who turned 67 recently.

Sharad Kumar, an advocate practicising in Arrah civil court in Bhojpur district, about 60 km from here, has penned “Amitabh Chalisa”. A chalisa is traditionally a Hindu hymn invoking 40 names of the god being worshipped, but in recent years they have been written in praise of politicians as well.

“I have completed it after working for three months and now got it printed,” Sharad told IANS Monday on phone, speaking in chaste Hindi.

He claimed that “Amitabh Chalisa” is full of real stories from the megastar’s life including the highs and lows. “I was always impressed by Amitabh,” he said.

Sharad said early this year he decided to compose “Amitabh Chalisa” depicting the actor’s 40-year-long career in Bollywood. “I have a dream to meet Amitabh one day in my lifetime,” he said.

Sharad has collected information related to Amitabh from various websites, newspapers, magazines and books.

In Bihar, chalisas of political leaders are common. The first in recent history was written in praise of Lalu Prasad while he was the chief minister of the state in the 1990s.

It was followed by a chalisa for his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, and then one for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and another for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The “Lalu chalisa” sold 1,700 copies while the “Atal chalisa” sold 700.