Naushad Passed Away! - Page 10

Originally posted by: Kanta80

Oh my God! This is such a shocking news! (Inna-li-llahay wa inna ilai-hay raajay'oon).

Naushad sahab's name will be immortal not only in India but in the whole world for his wonderful work. May Allah provides him Jannat.

Yes Kanta80 it is a very sad day.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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MUMBAI, Saturday, May 06, 2006

Khayyam, Ravindra Jain Dilip Kumar Dil ki salaami le le Who's who of Mumbai's film industry turns up to bid adieu to legendary music director Naushad M S M Desai Thespian Dilip Kumar wept as he hugged the five daughters of veteran music director Naushad, who died on Friday morning. The actor, a close friend of the maestro, rushed to Naushad's house after hearing the news of his demise. Naushad, aged 86, passed away on Friday morning at Nanavati Hospital after doctors found it impossible to do bypass surgery on the ailing legend who had recently developed cardiac problems. He was brought home by his sons and son-in-laws. After consoling Naushad's daughters and sons, Dilip Kumar, bent and kissed Naushad on his shoulders and head. The body was placed on the floor in the middle of the drawing room, while Naushad's eldest son Rehman lay on a cot in the music room as he had recently undergone an operation in both knees. For the next two hours Dilip Kumar fondly recalled his long association with the maestro. He recounted various incidents and sound recordings that stood out in his memory. The duo had worked together on 14 films, for which Naushad had written haunting and everlasting music. However, the actor did not wish to talk to the electronic media that stood outside the house pleading for a quote. Scores of relatives and film industry personalities came to pay their last respects to the virtuoso. They included Nimmi, Asha Parekh, Tabassum, Raza Murad, Dharmendra, Govinda, Khayyam, his wife Jagjit Kaur, Ravindra Jain, Ismail Darbar, Javed Siddiqi, Mahesh Bhatt and Majid Memon. "Naushad is the only music director who used a combination of the flute and clarinet. All his songs were either based on classical or folk music from Uttar Pradesh from where he hailed. But he made classical music so simple to hear and easy for the common man hum, whether it was from Baiju Bawra, Kohinooor, Mughal-e-Azam or any other film for which he composed music," said music director Khayyam. He cited Naushad as his inspiration and said his wife Jagjit Kaur had even sung one of his songs. R K Munir, former head of ETV channel and a close friend of Naushad's said only three days ago the composer had expressed his inability to attend the Taj Mahal premiere in Pakistan due to his ill health. It was only after Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh arrived at 6 pm and paid homage, that the body was taken to Santa Cruz Kabarastan for a late evening burial. • His music has a stamp of its own. It is eternal and everlasting. He may have died but his music will linger on. — Khayyam, music director • Naushad elevated music. He belonged to the golden era of Hindi films and created golden music — Ravindra Jain, music director • Dilip Kumar a close friend of the maestro, rushed to Naushad's house. He wept as he hugged the maestro's children. He then bent and kissed Naushad on his shoulders and head. For the next two hours Dilip Kumar fondly recalled his long association with the maestro. He recounted various incidents and sound recordings that stood out in his memory. The duo had worked together on 14 films. -Dilip Kumar

Naushad - Mughal-E-Music
Filmfare Article
(July 1997)

As told to Sabir Masani

Eighty eight years ago, on December 25, I was born in Lucknow. Music was ingrained in me from childhood. As a kid, I would visit the annual fair at the Deva Sharif in Barabanki... all the great qawwals and musicians of those days would perform before the devotees.

There, I met a flute player from Bareilly. His tunes still reverberate in my memory. From morning till night, I would sit by his feet, listening to his wondrous melodies.

My interest in music evolved under the guidance of Ustad Baban Khan and Ustad Yusuf Khan. But my father was extremely orthodox. He felt that our Muslim community wouldn't appreciate the fact that his son had taken up music to earn a livelihood. I remember it was the day of Divali when my abba berated me and said that either I choose music or the house. Without hesitating for a minute, I said, "Aapko aap ka ghar mubarak, hume apna sangeet." I turned my back on my father and left for Bombay.

Silent Era

I used to watch silent films at the Royal theatre in Lucknow. Theatre owners would hire a team of musicians to play the tabla, harmonium, sitar and violin. The musicians would watch the film first, make notes, finalise the scales required. When the show began in the evening, they would sit in front of the screen and play music for the scenes. This was a great way to be entertained and learn music at the same time. It made me grasp the nuances required in composing a film's background music score.

The Bombay Experience

I reached Bombay in 1937. Initially, I stayed with an acquaintance from Lucknow at Colaba. After a while, I shifted to Dadar opposite the Broadway theatre. I would sleep on the footpath.

This suited me fine. Otherwise I would have had to walk in the hot sun to Dadar in search of work at the studios. My perseverance paid. I started assisting music director Ustad Jhande Khan who was at the peak of his success those days. I was paid a monthly salary of Rs 40. The producer was a Russian... he had set up a studio at Chembur, which was an extremely desolate place in those days. It wasn't accessible by bus or train. As it happened, all our hard work was in vain. The film didn't see the light of the day.

Again I was unemployed. Every day seemed longer than a year. Finally, I landed in Ranjit Studio, where I assisted Khemchand for the film Kanchan. But it was painful working at Ranjit. The musicians were haughty and indisciplined... they wouldn't take instructions from an assistant director.

So I left Ranjit, in disgust, swearing to myself that I would never return. After that I assisted various music directors on the films made by eminent directors like A.R. Kardar and P.N. Madhok. In 1941, I became a full-fledged music director with Prem Nagar. The story was set in Kutch. I did a lot of research into the folk music of the area.

Technical Glitches

Recordings were done in quiet parks and gardens after midnight. Because the studios did not have sound-proof recording rooms. In the gardens, there would be no echo and disturbances, unlike the studios where the sound reverberated because of the tin roofs.

Incidentally, the echo effect used by me in Ratan was achieved through a very crude but effective technique. I'd kept a microphone in a toilet which had ceramic tiles all over. Then I played the music... so the sound reverberated against those tiles, producing an echo effect.

Overlapping Technique

I used this special technique in films like Uran Khatola and Amar. We would record the voice of a particular artiste on a scale of 90... then we would record his voice on 70... then 50... and so on. After the complete recording, we would play it for the scene and the impact it created was terrific.

In the early '40s, only a single mike was used for the singers as well as musicians. The microphone called 'Fedler Tone' had to be heated on the fire before it could start. A violinist would first come to the mike, play his piece, move out, then the singer would sing his lines, then the tabla player would play his piece...

All this was very tedious, but it gave us immense pleasure because we were always trying to be technically innovative.

Baiju Bawra

In 1953, Baiju Bawra was released at the Broadway theatre in Dadar. It was a big hit.

And to think the proprietors of Prakash Pictures were thinking of closing shop. They had come to my house... they asked me to come with them to touch the keys of the studio with my hands since I was also a member of their company. They said that the studio has to be locked up since it had suffered a financial loss. I felt very sad. I asked them if they could make just one more effort to survive.

They had nothing to lose. They agreed, and I gave them the subject of Baiju Bawra. They wanted to sign Dilip Kumar and Nargis. But I was adamant. I said the film's highlights would be its story, music and lyrics. It shouldn't be overshadowed by stars. Fresh faces would be more appropriate. So Bharat Bhushan was finalised to play the part of Baiju Bawra. For the heroine, I contacted Ali Baksh (father of Meena Kumari) who was thrilled. It was Meena Kumari's first big break.

On the day of the premiere at Broadway, the producers asked me how I felt now that the public had loved the picture. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I looked on the other side of the footpath where I used to sleep. I said, "Us footpath se yahan aane tak 16 saal lag gaye."

Aan

I created a symphony for Aan on stage with a hundred musicians. I had a special tent... made of blankets... on the surface, I laid out coir carpets, so that the sound wouldn't echo.

The final recording was done in London. We worked day in and day out for three months. We were under enormous pressure when we received news that the Liberty cinema in Bombay would open with this film. People slept for days outside the theatre to book tickets in advance.

My symphony was widely appreciated in Britain, it was played on BBC. Orson Welles who was busy with his Othello also happened to see the rushes of Aan and loved the music.

Mughal-E-Azam

I had used a hundred chorus singers for the first time for the song Mohabbat zindabad, this music composition was one of my best. But sadly, my music for Mughal-e-Azam wasn't considered worthy of an award by the Filmfare editor. He told me that it was too refined and classical. So he gave his casting vote for Taxi Driver, because it had music which, he said, was more filmi.

Relationship With Dilip Kumar

I recommended Dilip Kumar for films like Andaz and Mela. I composed the music for several of his films. Later, some producers preferred to take on other musicians. I specifically told Dilip Kumar, "Never recommend my name! Let the music director be signed at the producer's discretion."

Today's Music

I feel lost. Film-makers don't work hard on their lyrics or music... for them music is business. They want quickie stuff with sex appeal. I sometimes wonder whether they know what sex is. For them, it's just a piece of flesh. Moreover, today's musicians do not know the s of sargam and yet they're on top of the charts.

The deterioration started in the early '80s. The Western music has been aped to such an extent that there is decadence all around us.

Lyrics like, Main to raste se jaa raha tha, bhel puri kha raha tha are hits, but that doesn't mean they are more valuable than Ghalib's poetry.

Perhaps all this is a passing phase. Maybe melody will return some day.

Importance of Radio

Radio was a strong force during my time and influenced the masses considerably. But I always felt that programmes like Binaca Geetmala had their prejudices and biases. Now the same thing is going on in the countdown programmes on television. It is very wrong to judge the merit of a song by its position on the charts.

Victimisation of Muslims

Because of Partition, several film-makers and artistes migrated to Pakistan. Some of those who had established themselves remained here... and weren't victimised as such.

But newcomers were victimised and deprived. Meetings held by some prominent artists, film-makers and journalists who were anti-Muslims. This was unfortunate. In a profession which thrives on creativity, the only religion is art.

Singers of that Era

I worked with K.L. Saigal on his last film Shah Jahan. It was very painful to see such a remarkable talent fall prey to alcohol. He would drink peg after peg on the sets, almost as many pegs as the retakes he gave. If he gave ten takes, he would end up drinking ten pegs... even though he was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver.

Once the industrialist, Panipat Singhania, visited the studio where Saigal was recording and offered him a sum of Rs 25,000 to sing at a get-together. Saigal agreed because the money was tempting.

Soon after, a coolie came up to him and said that he and his family were great fans of his. If he could grace their daughter's wedding... it was on the same day as Mr Singhania's party... they would be delighted. After a moment's thought, Saigal gave them the nod and went to their house in Bachubhai Ki Wadi. He didn't go to Singhania's get-together. You don't make singers like him anymore.

Naushad Ali still lives By MIO Team May 06, 2006, 10:08

It was not a rosy path for Naushad Ali to become one of the greatest music composers of Indian cinema. Born on Christmas Day in 1919 in Lucknow, he started listening to classical music at a tender age. His passion for music took him to Mumbai in the 1030s, where he spent several nights on the footpath. However, the music in his heart never let him down. He went on to composed music for 66 films during his 62 years stint in the film industry. He was a versatile composure with flair in Indian as well western classical music, and he learnt under Ustad Ghurbat Ali, Ustad Yusuf Ali and Ustad Babban Saheb. He got his first break in Hindi films with 'Prem Nagar' (1940) and then films like 'Sharda' (1942) and 'Rattan' (1944) pushed him to the top. After these films, he started charging Rs.25, 000 per film. He swifts from classical to folk to modern music with ease, and the music of 'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960), 'Ganga Jumna' (1961) and 'Saathi' (1968) are a good example. He was among the first to use the technology of sound mixing. He composed lots of unforgettable classics like 'Ganga-Jamuna' (1961), 'Mere Mehboob' (1963) and 'Pakeezah' (1972). He composed the music of Akbar Khan's 'Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story' last year' at the age of 86 and its indeed a feat. Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi are his favorite singers. He had once said that Lata Mangeshkar is nature's gift and that Mohammed Rafi is a redefined human being. He took great pleasure in composing music for these singers. In fact, it was he who gave a platform to these singers to make it big in film. One unique quality about this composer is that he visualized the situation and composed music only after seeing the clear picture in his mind. This great music composer also made use of distinguished classical vocalists like Amir Khan and D V Paluskar in 'Baiju Bawra' (1952) and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in 'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960). He was conferred Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1981 for his contribution to Indian cinema. The death of Naushad Ali is a great loss to Indian cinema, to the country and the world at large. However, his music will never die. It will live

By Mahendra Ved, IANS

In Naushad's career spanning 60 years, film "Saathi" came roughly halfway, but it was a landmark that the legendary musician did not relish recalling.

Reminded of how two "Saathi" songs had become hits at a news conference in New Delhi in 1981, where he was presented the year's Dadasaheb Phalke Award, a slightly embarrassed Naushad said: "Mat yaad dilaiye woh baaten...(Do not remind me of those things)".

He conceded that he had given in to the wishes of "Saathi"'s makers, but insisted that he had not compromised.

Now that he is no more, it can be said, without meaning any disrespect to the man who has been aptly described as the "Mughal-e-Azam" of Indian film music.

By the late 1960s, many film makers found Naushad's compositions "slow" and difficult to market. They would ask him to use fast-paced tunes, but he was reluctant.

But he did come up with fast-paced, albeit classical-based compositions like "Kya Rangin Mehfil Hai Dil Daaram" and "O jaan-e-Alam", picturised as a party song on Waheeda Rahman in "Dil Diya Dard Liya".

The song got pushed behind by the soulful numbers like "Guzre hain aaj ishq ke" filmed on a lovelorn, hurt Dilip Kumar.

The makers of "Saathi" too urged Naushad to compose fast-paced numbers. Naushad was not too keen, but he agreed to two of his numbers being re-recorded.

The task was given to Lord brothers, Kavas and Kersi, who had made a name for themselves in Bollywood. Thus were born "Yeh Kaun Aaya Roshan Ho Gayi Mehfil", song picturised on Simi Garewal and a somewhat slower "Main To Pyar Se Piya Maang Sazaoongi" that Vyjayantimala sings to Rajendra Kumar.

The songs were hits and made "Saathi" memorable. But, it is said Naushad did not want to experiment further. He chose to stick to complete Ghulam Mohammed's work in "Pakeezah" and move on to compositions that were closer to his heart.

That he composed for only 67 films in a career of six decades, perhaps, indicates his struggle to stay 'pure' in the face of changing public tastes and commercialisation in Bollywood.

But that his last film, "Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story", was released this year - when he was 86, making him one the world's oldest practising composers -- and is currently a hit in Pakistan, also shows that there is a select audience for Naushad's type of music and would miss him.

IS IT THE END?

Today as I wake up to the same routine of my life, I do not hear his music which has a stamp of its own. It is eternal and everlasting. He may have died but his music will linger on him at my usual place, I wanted to stop and ask about him, but I was scared, of knowing a truth why this denial. I got the news from Anol Da yesterday which I don't want to hear again, So I just walked off, without turning back, Just hoping and wishing and living in a world where I believed all is well and the old man but how I can deny the truth. I see Dilip ji is crying holding hands and Javed Akhter Sahab standing still, why all these people are crying today why but I do want to go there to find the truth "O" God what had happened to that old man. Please dont tell me the moment of truth of life. "O" God he still have some work left to do he was supposed to go to Pakistan.

Bas ek Chup Sii laagi hai nahii.n Udas nahii.n, kahiiN pe saaNs rookie hai nahiiN Udas nahiiN, bas ek Chup Sii Laagi hai.

Music still forms a part of rest of the day I find for myself and past two days these two songs go on and on in my head, and also in my PC and in my room while I slip off into mindless sleep.

"Katra katra milthii hain, katra katra jeene do, zindagi hain, behne do,pyaasi hoon main pyasi rehne do" from the movie Ijaazat.

"Halke halke kohre ke due mein shayad aasman tak agayi hoon,tere do nigahon ke sahare dekho kahaan tak agayi hoon" beautiful song, Asha ji, Gulzar and RD's combination.

Another one which i keep singing all the time is "Khamosh sa afsaana, pani se likha hota, naa tumne pada hota,na humne suna hota" and i keep humming thses two lines all the time "dil ki baat na poocho,dil tho aata rahega,dil behkaata raha hain,dil behkaata rahega,dil tho tumne hoo samajaaya hota"...From the movie libaas

No pain, no tears, but a kind of silence fills in here" It need not be tears always, need not be frustration always, but sometimes we get so silent with life that to talk again, it takes a lot of time.

Thank you god for being there yesterday and today, thank you for showing me a way out when i was help less, And as always I had to depend on you and self for all the solutions ,Call it destiny or luck.

IS IT THE END of the legend?

Qwest.

Qwest'ji - you said it 👏

Its not always the external manifestation of pain and loss - that probably dies down in some time... But its the hollow and the sense of loss that one is bound to live with - is the most challenging part of carrying on...

I will possibly borrow from Shankar Jaikishan, and Md. Rafi to say what Naushad sahab has left us with...

Tum mujhe yo bhula na paaoge
Jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere
Sang sang tum bhi gungunaoge...

Originally posted by: jayc1234

Qwest'ji - you said it 👏

Its not always the external manifestation of pain and loss - that probably dies down in some time... But its the hollow and the sense of loss that one is bound to live with - is the most challenging part of carrying on...

I will possibly borrow from Shankar Jaikishan, and Md. Rafi to say what Naushad sahab has left us with...

Tum mujhe yo bhula na paaoge
Jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere
Sang sang tum bhi gungunaoge...

Jacy1234, very well said now you know why I always ask you give your thought.

Tum mujhe yo bhula na paaoge
Jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere
Sang sang tum bhi gungunaoge...

Its very sad that the best music director of all times passed away. He and Rafi sahab formed a terrific duo along with Sahir Ludhiyanvi or Shakeel Badayuni as Lyricist.
May his soul rest in peace.

Originally posted by: gamezone

Its very sad that the best music director of all times passed away. He and Rafi sahab formed a terrific duo along with Sahir Ludhiyanvi or Shakeel Badayuni as Lyricist.
May his soul rest in peace.

gamezone ji, you are so correct but at the same token he also worked with Talatsaab too.

Naushad Ali, the legendary composer, was very close to him. Talat and he came upon the new kind of music together. While Naushad adjusted to the new realities, he admits Talat had his problems. Still, this was also the time Talat began battling with Parkinson's disease. He couldn't sing any more and his career came to a standstill. Naushad remembers Talat the legend and recalls how that rich voice was silenced.

Talat Mehmood with Suraiya. Click for bigger pic!
The only way to describe Talatsaab is to say that he had a silky voice. I have always said this to everybody who asked me. His voice never suited loud songs, songs that demanded a high-pitched voice. Shouting or screaming didn't suit him and so he avoided those kinds of songs too. He only sang soft, romantic, lyrical, ghazals.