Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: March 25, 2021 | 
| 中文
Nisar Bazmi Recording with Madam Noor Jehan
One of the most trendsetting and innovative musicians of Pakistan’s film industry, Nisar Bazmi, was born as Syed Nisar Ahmed, on 1st December 1924 in a village near Bombay. As fate would have it, this musical prodigy from a poor Maharashtra family was destined to make some of the most unforgettable harmonies for Pakistani cinema. Through his remarkable music, Nisar Bazmi helped bridge the gap between traditional raga-based melodies and modern orchestration.
Pushed to contribute to his family income, an 11-year-old Nisar Ahmed chose to join the qawwali group of Mohammad Yasin Qawwal, and this event started his lifelong love affair with music. His next stop was under the tutelage of Aman Ullah Khan, a notable music guru who taught Bazmi the discipline of ragas and sur (continuo).
In 1939, Nisar Bazmi joined All India Radio as an artist. In 1944, he composed songs for a historical drama, ‘Nadir Shah Durrani’, sung by prominent broadcasters of that time, Rafiq Ghaznavi and Amirbai Karnatki. He was noticed because of his innovation to music composition, and was soon offered his first job as a composer for a film. While he was associated with Indian film industry at the time, Bazmi composed music for about 40 films that were released during his stay in Bombay, and later when he migrated to Pakistan. Many of the prominent musicians and composers who emerged in Indian film industry after Bazmi’s departure, were his disciples and devotees. Although he had limited success in Bombay, his compositions were sung by leading singers such as Rafi, Lata, Asha, Manna Dey and Sudha Malhotra.
Nisar Bazmi with Singer Mehnaz
Bazmi did not migrate to Pakistan until 1962, when he came to meet his extended family. The warm reception he received induced him to adopt the newly formed country as his home. A. R. Zamindar introduced him to the country’s burgeoning film circles and he moved to Lahore, the epicenter of Pakistan’s film industry. ‘Head Constable’ was his first film as a music composer to be released in 1964 in Pakistan. Legend has it that while recording the ever green melody, ‘Ho Tammana Aur Kya’ (What Else Could I Wish For) in Noor Jehan’s voice for this film, all the major music composers of Pakistan, such as Master Inayat, Khwaja Khursheed Anwar, and Master Abdullah were present to witness the musical genius of Bazmi. Ever the perfectionist, Bazmi made the greatest singers of the Indian Subcontinent, Noor Jehan, do nineteen takes before finalizing this timeless melody.
Director Raza Mir’s, ‘Lakhon Mein Aik’ (One in a Million) was released in 1966, and all its songs composed by Bazmi were hits. Every Pakistani film buff remembers the immortal ‘Chalo Acha Huwa Tum Bhool Gaye’ (Good That You Forgot) and ‘Bari Mushkil Sey Huwa Tera Mera Sath’ (We Met After Hardships), starring the timeless beauty Shamim Ara. ‘Ay Baharon Gawah Rehna’ (Spring Must Bear Witness) of film ‘Saiqa’, sung by Ahmed Rushdie and Mala Begum, released in 1968, got Nisar Bazmi his first Nigar Award for Best Composer, a premier film industry award. For the release of ‘Aag’ (Fire) in 1967, Bazmi again evoked the magic of Mala and Rushdie in ‘Mausam Haseen Hay Lekin’ (Weather is Beautiful). Ditties like ‘Jaisay Jantay Nahin’ (As if You Don’t Know) for Mehdi Hassan Khan, and ‘Kuch Loug Rooth Kar Bhee’ (Even When They Are Upset) for Rushdie, demonstrate Bazmi’s range as a composer.
The Soundtrack for 'Saqia'
Six films were released with Bazmi’s music in 1970, and ‘Mein Tera Shehar Chorr Jaon Ga’ (I Will Leave Your City) sung by Mujeeb Alam, ‘Aaj Hay Mehfil’ (This Gathering Today) sung by Noor Jehan, ‘Dil Dharkay’ (My Heart Beats) and ‘Aap Dil Ki Anjuman Main’ (You Are in My Heart) sung by Runa Laila, were major draws for cine goers.
Director Hassan Tariq engaged Bazmi in 1971 to compose for ‘Tehzeeb’ (Culture). This film’s song ‘Laga Hay Husn Ka Bazar’ (This is the Marketplace for Beauty) sung by Mehdi Hasan, proved Bazmi’s skill in combining western musical instruments and eastern sensibilities. In 1972, director Raza Mir’s Nagmani (Snake-Stone) was released, and all 10 songs composed by Bazmi were runaway hits. In another film ‘Mohabbat’ (Love), he introduced Tahira Syed to playback singing with ‘Ye Mehfil Jo Aaj Saji Hay’ (This Gathering Today), and in the same film immortalized Ahmed Faraz’s ghazal ‘Ranjish Hee Sahi’ (Let There Be Anguish), sung by Mehdi Hassan.
The Soundtrack for Intezaar, with Music by Nisar Bazmi
According to Arshad Mehmood, a musical composer and producer, who worked closely with Bazmi during later years of Bazmi’s life, he recalls the freshness which Bazmi brought to cinema. “Music was a means of communication for Nisar Bazmi, and he had full command over his medium. Very few are blessed that way.”
Indeed, he was particularly fond of using large orchestras, and though the violin and mandolin were his favorites, he gave every instrument player of Lahore and Karachi a chance to play for him. Bazmi learned to write musical notation, and despite only learning eastern classical music, he was a big admirer of Western music. Later, he trained in the art with a French composer, and used new techniques for ‘Don’t Be Silly’, a song composed for Sabaq (Lesson) released in 1972.
Nisar Bazmi (Left) with Lyricist Masroor Anwar (right)
Bazmi never shied from trusting new singers, provided they understood what the melody demanded of them. He patronized many new singers such as Alamgir, Mehnaz, Mujeeb Alam, Runa Laila, Nayyara Noor, Akhlaq Ahmed, Ghulam Abbas, Tasawar Khanum, and Naheed Akhtar. However, he was equally comfortable composing for established singers such as Noor Jehan, Mala Begum, Mehdi Hassan Khan, and Ahmed Rushdie. He even got Ustad Amanat Ali Khan to sing a classical song ‘Mora Jiya Na Laggay’ (My Heart is Not at Peace) in 1974 for the film ‘Pyar Hi Pyar’ (Only Love).
His bold choice of singers for Umrao Jan Ada remains legendry, combining the fresh voice of a young Runa Laila with that of Madam Noor Jehan for different songs in same film. The film, based on a classic Urdu novel of the same name about the life of a courtesan, had many hit songs and the climax song, sung by Noor Jehan, ‘Jo Bacha Tha’ (Whatever We Could Save) depicts the agony of a wasted life with poignancy.
After his last film, ‘Mere Apne’ (My Own), which was released in 1981 under the direction of Shamim Ara, Bazmi left Lahore to reunite with his family and lived in Karachi. Bazmi received his seventh and last Nigar Award for ‘Hum Aik Hain’ (We Are One) in 1986. By then, Punjabi films had taken over the Pakistani cinema and Bazmi felt that his time to compose for films was over. His last film, after a long hiatus from cinema, was the 1998 release, ‘Very Good Dunya, Very Bad Loug’ (Good World, Bad People). He composed music for almost 140 films during his career in both India and Pakistan.
Nisar Bazmi in his Home with his Awards
Although music remained his first love, Bazmi was also a poet and a photographer. His penchant for poetry and visuals definitely helped him develop a strong understanding of screenplay. He published a collection of poetry, ‘Phir Saz-e-Sada Khamosh Hua’ (Instrument Goes Silent), in 1999.
In Karachi, he dedicated his time to nurturing more singers and composers who still remember him affectionately as a very competent but extremely demanding mentor. Nisar Bazmi continued to compose for television and music labels, also making some of the most memorable national songs. He received a Pride of Performance Award in 1994 for his invaluable contributions to the world of music. Bazmi passed away on 22 March 2007, and with his departure ended an exceptional chapter of Pakistan’s film industry.
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