In my collection of
gramophone records there are a few LP records of Pakistani singers and music
directors including Mehdi Hassan, Noor Jahan, M. Ashraf(Music Director), Masud
Rana,Runa Laila, Nahid Akthar and so on.
While legends like Mehdi Hassan, Noor
Jahan, Ghulam Ali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Runa Laila are very popular in India and several of their LP Albums were released throughout the country singers like Nahid Akthar remained fairly unknown for the
music lovers of the country.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARYFXzZhEB8
Singer Nahid Akthar
was very active in Pakistani small screen and film music during the 70s and 80s and she had a place of
her own in the music world. In the same mould as Noor Jahan and Runa Laila as far as traditional style of singing Urdu poetry, Pujabi folk songs and ghazals is concerned, Nahid Akthar
has an expressive voice of her own suited for all types of songs including film songs.She also has a powerful magnetic stage presence. She
was introduced in Pakistani film music by the veteran music director M. Ashraf in the film Nanha Farista(1974)
with the song,’Jane kyun dil tarapta rahta hayao’. But she was catapulted into
fame and popularity with the songs in film Shama again with music by M. Ashraf.
The soft melodious song, ‘Kisi mehrban
ne’ and ‘Aise mausam mein chup kayoon ho’, both penned by Tazleem Faazli, are a
treat to the ears. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji4S-gN0o6Y In film ‘Muhabbat
Zindagi hai’ (Music M. Ashraf)there is this beautiful song. ‘Dil –Dil- Dil- Dil
sambhala”showing the range of Nahid Akthar. All the three songs are included in
the LP Album FILM HITS-NAHID AKTHAR a must possess album for lovers of Pakistani
film songs. The album also includes a few popular songs of Nahid Akthar tuned
by Kamal Ahmed.
But the most popular
film song of Nahid Akthar is the fast,
foot tapping number from film Muhabat Zindagi Hai, viz., ‘Tut toro toroo tara
tara’, her voice adapting to the need of the song with a lot of huskiness in
the Asha Bhosle style.The song became so
popular that Nahid Akthar came to be
identified with the song. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v0g2DUpJ48)This song and several other similar fast, husky disco
songs are included in the LP Album REFRESHINGLY NAHID AKTHAR. Apart from a few
songs composed by M. Ashraf songs tuned
by music director Nizar Basmi are also there. Nahid Akthar’s versatality and
range is amply evident in the album
NAHID SINGS PUNJABI HOT HITS . The album contains eleven Punjabi folk songs. The
song ‘Munda mere pind da’(Music: Nazir Ali)stands out among them.
To the veteran music
director M. Ashraf also goes the credit of introducing several singers like
Shaukat Ali, Masud Rana, Nayyara Noor, Anwar
Rafi and so on in Pakistani film music.I have in my collection a few LP
Albums of films for which music was composed by M. Ashraf. One is film DAMAN
AUR CHINGARI containing nine songs by
Noor Jahan, Masud Rana,Ahmed Rushdi and the great Mehdi Hassan.The two film LP
Album of films DO BADEN (Music:M.Ashraf) and SABAQ Music:Nizar Basmi) has twelve
songs of the great singers like Mehdi Hasssan, Noor Jahan, Runa Laila, and so
on. Hearing Mehdi Hassan singing film
songs is a refreshing experirnce.In the LP album of films PARDE MEIN RAHNE DO
and AAS under the same composers we have again singers Noor Jahan , Runa
laila,Nayyara Noor, Ahmed Rushdie and so on.There is also an exclusive LP album
of Masud Rana containing his songs from various films.
It is unfortunate
that singers like Nahid Akthar could not rise in popularity in India unlike a
Noor Jahan , Runa Laila, Ghulam Ali and so on. With the lifting of the ban on import into Pakistan of Indian films in 2005 and the conscious liberal policy of cultural exchanges ( Business as usual policy as somebody remarked)there has been a flood of Pakistani singers and artists into India with some of them like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Sami ,Shafquat Amanat Ali,Veeena malik and so on earning fame and fortune.Obviously singers like Nahid Akthar were the victims of the policies of the period.
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