Tauseef Akhtar & Rachel Dwyer: Poetry, Playback and the Magic of Hindi Cinema

Cerys is joined by ghazal singer Tauseef Akhtar, in session, sharing the elegance of Urdu poetry and his musical lineage as a disciple of Jagjit Singh.

She’s also joined by film scholar Rachel Dwyer, who unpacks the lyricists, voices and cinematic traditions that shaped Bollywood’s most enduring songs.

Cerys weaves their stories with highlights from the Nightingales of India archive, featuring reflections on Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and the power of Hindi film soundtracks.

Plus, hand‑picked selections from Cerys's classic shelves and new discoveries inspired by the poetry, lyricism and storytelling at the heart of Indian cinema.

Produced by BBC Audio for BBC Radio 6 Music.