Radio broadcasting in what later became Pakistan started in Lahore with a transmitter installed in the YMCA building on the Mall. This was in 1928. It was later shifted to the house owned by Sir Fazle Hussain near ‘Simla Pahari’, on the road leading to the Governor’s House, in 1937. It was at this location where broadcasting stars were born before independence and after independence. At the historical inauguration on December 16, 1937, the day’s artists were Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Inayat Bai Dheruwali and Gohar Sultan. The speaker was Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir and the announcer was S A Hameed. The Lahore station was on its way to give to the subcontinent most of the great performing artists who made their name and reached stardom.
In retrospect, broadcasting came to the Indian subcontinent in March 1926 when the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC), a private entity, was formed. On July 23, 1927, the IBC started a station in Bombay, marking the beginning of organised broadcasting in the subcontinent. It was followed by the Lahore radio station in 1928. Bombay and Lahore were, at that time, the hubs of the performing arts. Lahore had the additional advantage of being a city of intellect and education, so it deserved, on merit, this pioneering role. In March 1935, the Government of India created the office of controller of broadcasting under the department of industries and labour. In August of the same year, Mr Lionel Fielden assumed charge of first controller of broadcasting and, in 1936, the Delhi radio station was opened. Mr A S Bokhari, the station director in Delhi, became deputy controller of broadcasting in July 1936. Mr A S Bokhari was a close friend and college fellow of Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj from Government College. They were both known writers — A S Bokhari used the pen name ‘Patras’.
On June 8, 1936, the name of Indian State Broadcasting Service was changed to ‘AIR’ or ‘All India Radio’. Lahore was the centre of artistic movements, particularly in the performing arts. Around Lahore lived people like Om Parkash, Uma Kayshap (later filmstar Kamini Kaushal), Balraj Sahini, Dev Anand, Shamshad Begum, Surinder Kaur, Malika Pukhraj and Poet Hafiz Jallandhri, who all had a stint with Lahore Radio at some time or the other. Commercial films had started in Lahore. There were several studios churning out films. Even the first international film of the silent era, The Loves of a Moghal Prince, based on Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj’s Anarkali, had been released and was made in Lahore with the partnership of the UFA company of Germany. Unfortunately, the film is untraceable though its posters and credits are seen on the internet. It shows Imtiaz Ali Taj in it as an actor also, along with Mr Rafi Peer and ‘Patras’.
The live theatre movement was still alive and the period of Agha Hashar and others was not yet entirely over. However, with the decline of traditional theatre companies, the talent looked at film and radio as their future sponsors. The situation was ripe in Lahore and almost all distinguished and talented writers and performers, particularly musicians and actors, started to get associated with the ‘radio’. Radio had a large reach; it could be heard anywhere and everywhere. If the performer or the production were good, every household would recognise it. Stars from radio began to emerge. The popularity of the radio grew. To own a radio set was a matter of prestige. The popularly called radio set was placed at a place of prominence in the house and listening to the radio was a daily routine. It gave news, music, drama, talks, features and a lot more. Lahore Radio had the pick of writers, directors, actors and directors employed there.
The great advantage of the presence of this distinguished group was fully availed by the participants. For actors, the perfection in diction was ensured. A team of experts checked the pronunciations. They were helped in understanding the plays and the character they played. Since every emotion was to be communicated through voice only, the actors had to take up the challenge and learn to use, modify or completely change their voice persona for the character. Sultan Khosat, the veteran actor, was known to have played normal male characters as well as the child ‘Ultey pultey’ and many times as an old woman. Mohni Das (later Mohini Hameed) was versatility at its best. She was an actress who could hold your attention by her vocal expression for every minute she was on air. She sang for children as ‘Apa Shamim’ and compered programmes for children. The tradition of storytelling to children was later upheld by Iffat Sultana. During the turbulent times of August 1947, Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj rose to the occasion and Lahore Radio played a great role of social service. He started the programme Pakistan Hamara Hai. It was meant to communicate with the migrating multitude. He volunteered to link the programme with the field service of recovering abducted women and joined the teams to do so. Through this programme, he appealed for donations of the articles desperately needed by refugees. The success of the appeals was such that materials were over supplied. A leader of the calibre of Gandhi himself congratulated Mr Taj on this service through the radio and wished Taj were an Indian! Mr Taj later continued his social message in his talks Panch Minut ke Liyae a series of five-minute message.
I was associated with radio in Lahore much later, in the mid-fifties, and I found it a great learning experience. I was lucky to be in the set up of those who still upheld the old traditions. At that time, Mr Mehmood Nizami was the director. There was Razi Tirmazi, Izhar Kazmi, Chaudhry Bashir, Shad Amritsari, Raja Farooq Ali Khan, Aminur Rehman, Bazle Haq Mehmood and a host of others. There were also very knowledgeable announcers/comperes like Akhlaq Ahmed Dehlvi who responded to listeners’ letters, Mustafa Ali Hamadani who made the first announcement at the moment of the creation of Pakistan and Mohyuddin. On top of this, there were some distinguished producers from ‘outside’ like Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj, Rafi Peerzada, Zia Mohyuddin, Ashfaq Ahmed (historical ‘Talqeen Shah’) for drama productions. All of these people provided me with a learning opportunity and enabled me to broadcast from most of Pakistan’s radio stations.
(To be continued)
The writer is the former CEO Pakistan National Council of the Arts; chairman Fruit processing Industries; chairman UNESCO Theatre Institute Pakistan and COO ICTV, USA. He is the author of Melluhas of the Indus Valley 8000 BC to 500 BC. He can be reached at [email protected]