NAUSHAD- http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_print.asp?id=382522
Colleagues remember Naushad as an icon of composite culture
Mumbai, May 5 (PTI) A non-compromising votary of the traditional Indian music, veteran music composer Naushad Ali who died today was fondly remembered by the film fraternity as a champion of the country's composite culture. Known for his aversion to the fast-catching 'remix culture', Naushad was a master proponent of the Indian classical music in Hindi films in the 40s and 50s, when the movie industry was at a nascent stage, they said. "He was not just a music director, but a symbol of composite culture of the country, who brought dignity, class and refinement to the Indian film music, lyricist and noted script writer Javed Akhtar said. He said Naushad's contribution to the film industry has been awesome. "For years Naushad was the name of Indian film music....We will always remember him with great respect and reverence," he added. Renowned director Mahesh Bhatt said 86-year-old Naushad was a "symbol of secular India, a man who really lived out what the composite culture was all about in his daily life. His music has a resonance of that composite culture." "When he composed Bhajans it seemed he was a devout Hindu. He had the depth of India and the great civilisation really ran through his veins," he said and recollected that Naushad was heartbroken when the secular fabric of the nation was torn apart during communal riots. Naushad was saddened when the quality of the Indian music deteriorated due to mindless imitation of the West and he used to say that "we must change with the changing times, but should not lose connection with the roots," Bhatt said.
Remembering Naushad, melody queen Lata Mangeshkar said he used to experiment a lot with his music in his films and not only gave new faces a chance but also guided them in shaping their career. "Naushad launched Uma Devi with the hit song "afsana likh rahi hoon" and later advised her to make a career in films and re-christened her Tuntun, who went on to become very popular as a comedy artist," she said. He predominantly used classical music in his films but the compositions were relatively simple so that the common man could understand and enjoy them, she said. Music composer Uttam Singh said with Naushad's death curtains have come down on a generation of classical music in film industry. "He was a complete institution in classical music...His last work in Akbar Khan's Taj Mahal is a hit", he said adding Naushad's death was a personal loss to him. Noted actress of yesteryears, Saira Banu said she and her husband Dilip Kumar shared a lovely friendship with Naushad. "We were expecting to take him to Pakistan where two of his classics "Taj Mahal" and "Mughal-e-Azam" are being released," she added.In Mumbai, thespian Dilip Kumar described Naushad as "a very noble and delightful man" who contributed immensely to the Indian film industry and classical music. "He was very close to me. Unfortunately he was not keeping in good health in the recent past," he told reporters. "Part of Naushad's family was in the US and others were here in India and they took good care of him, providing him treatment by the best doctors in the US and India," he said. Asked if films like "Mughal-e-Azam" would have been possible without Naushad's music, Dilip Kumar replied in the negative. Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, who visited the late music director's residence in Mumbai to pay his tributes, said, "Naushad was unique in every way. He used western instruments to score music but gave it a Hindustani touch.
(Reopens DEL36) In Mumbai, thespian Dilip Kumar described Naushad as "a very noble and delightful man" who contributed immensely to the Indian film industry and classical music. "He was very close to me. Unfortunately he was not keeping in good health in the recent past," he told reporters. "Part of Naushad's family was in the US and others were here in India and they took good care of him, providing him treatment by the best doctors in the US and India," he said. Asked if films like "Mughal-e-Azam" would have been possible without Naushad's music, Dilip Kumar replied in the negative. Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, who visited the late music director's residence in Mumbai to pay his tributes, said, "Naushad was unique in every way. He used western instruments to score music but gave it a Hindustani touch." Music director Khayyam said, "Naushad was a great man but with simple habits. He presented the most intricate classical music in films in an easy to understand manner." Khayyam termed songs like "Uthaye Ja Unke Sitam" sung by Lata Mangeshkar and "Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki" sung by Mohammed Rafi as some of Naushad's best compositions. "He and his music are immortal. He may have left us physically, but whenever we will hear or hum his compositions, his picture will appear before us," he said. Describing Naushad as "a gem of a person", music director Ravindra Jain said, "His passing away is a personal loss to me. As a senior member of the fraternity and former office bearer of our Artistes' Association, he always strived for the welfare of the film industry," Jain said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who paid tributes to Naushad at his Bandra residence, said the state government had allotted a plot of land in the city to fulfil the composer's dream to start an academy for promoting Indian classical music. "Unfortunately, Naushadji is not amongst us to see his dream come true but the state will ensure that the academy starts functioning at the earliest," Deshmukh told reporters. The chief minister said Naushad had requested him to sanction a plot for the academy. Late actor Mahmood's brother Anwar Ali, who too visited Naushad's residence to offer condolences to the bereaved family, rendered a stanza from the song "Sainyaan ji utere ye paar" composed by Naushad but stopped half-way as he turned emotional. Describing Naushad's death as an irreparable loss to Bollywood, noted classical singer Ghulam Mustafa Khan said he was shocked to hear the news of his demise.
