Daily Times

Before dwelling upon my memories of my dear friend Javed Attre who has left for his eternal abode, let me recapitulate some memories of my childhood.

It was no different from that of anyone else from middle class educated families of 1950s. Our ambitions and expectations were also simple. If I got first division in Matric Exams I would get a bicycle from my father. If I got admission in UET I would get a Vespa scooter and we were happy in our prize monies. Music was my passion as I was instrumental in the setup of Dr. Nazir Ahmad Music Society in Government College Lahore and then held many music concerts in the University of Engineering and Technology during my stay there as student from 1963 to 1967.

In this era I got introduced to Javed Najam who had just set up a four member Pop Music Band namely AJAYS. Javed Najam is the fifth son of famous Indian actor Najam ul Hassan of Bombay Talkies who if had not eloped with Devika Rani, the sequence of incidences to discover Ashok Kumar wouldn’t have taken place. Site TBIP says in the article The Man Who Missed the Train ‘a lot has been known and written about Ashok Kumar since then. As about Devika Rani, the brilliant co-founder of Bombay Talkies who ran the studio after Rai passed away. But there is one person involved in this incident whom we don’t really know anything about- Najmul Hasan, the actor Devika Rani had eloped with to set this sequence of events into motion in the first place. The actor who, in writer Saadat Hasan Manto’s words “had decided to pull away the leading lady from the celluloid world to the real one”‘.

After the expiry of AJAYS Band’s contract with Faletti’s administration, Javed Najam’s friendship with Javed Attre grew stronger that he took Javed Attre to Saudi Arabia where they worked in Jeddah for fifteen years. On one of my visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this duo took me for Umrah as well. All the four members of this Band had friendly nature and sincerity towards their friends. Najam introduced me to the other members of his band; Jahangir who played Bongos hailed from a music family of Lahore and his elder brother Allah Rakha was the main Tabla player at CPU, PBC, Lahore. Jahangir is now settled in Germany and is known as Jahangir Funk, Azhar Hussain who played keyboard and had learnt this art from his father. His younger brother Nadeem had a small Pop group who entertained audience in marriage ceremonies. He is currently settled in USA. Azhar’ss son Asim Azhar presently is a popular Pop singer in Karachi who participated in PSL’s song.

Javed Attre was the lead guitarist and was the youngest son of the famous music composer Rasheed Attre. His two sons are also very tuneful singers; Jimmy Attre and Jahanzeb Attre. Jimmy became hit when he covered his grandfather Rasheed Attre’s song ‘Akeli Kahin Mat Jana Zamana Nazuk Hei’ in Pop style from Hassan Tariq’s movie Neend. This song was originally rendered by Nurjehan and Naseem Begum. Jehanzeb earned his living by singing in five star hotels in Karachi and Lahore. Javed Attre was a fine composer as well following the footsteps of his father and elder brother Wajahat Attre. Javed’s composition ‘Allah Hoo’ rendered by Jimmy Attre is a popular number.

As per my book Melody Makers 1, in the fifties and sixties Music Composer Rasheed Attre, an expert in classical based tunes became famous for excellent music of movies such as Mausiqar, Bahisht, Anarkali, Sarfarosh, Saat Lakh, Wa’ada, Sawaal, Sheheed, Farangi, Mehel, Changez Khan, Qaidi, Sham Dhale and Salma etc. His songs by Melody Queen Nurjehan such as movie Mehel’s ‘Jia Ra Tarsey Daikhan Ko’, Mausiqar’s ‘Tum Jug Jug Jio Maharaj Re’ and ‘Yaad Karun Tujhey Sham Saverey’, Sawal’s ‘Lat Uljhi Suljha Ja Re Balam’ and Qaidi’s ‘Mujh Sey Pehli Si Muhabbat Merey Mehboob Na Maang’ are only a representative sample of dozens of hit songs composed by him. Changez Khan’s song ‘Allah O Akbar’ is probably one of the best motivational songs ever composed. Mukhra’s ‘Dilla Theher Ja Yaar Da Nazara Lain Dey’ by Munir Hussain and Zubaida Khanum is another ever green composition by Rasheed Attre though Rasheed Attre went for limited Punjabi movies. His Punjabi score was for the movies ‘Mirza Jat’ and ‘Chan Mahi’ also. Born in 1917, he died at the age of only fifty in 1967. Heart ailment was present in the family. Javed had a massive open heart surgery a few years ago, disclosed Javed Najam to me.

This was the golden era that is from nineteen fifties to eighties when Pakistani Film Industry gave excellent movies with ever green music. When seen on the Private Channels now, that golden era is revived and movies, especially their music are very much appreciated. Javed Attre inherited this legacy from his forefathers. He played guitar in many compositions by his late elder brother but life remained a constant struggle for him. He lived on the ground floor of his father’s house in Pakki Thatti, Samanabad Lahore. All the members of his household are well mannered and polite.

Wajahat Attre, the able son of able Rasheed Attre was born in this environment wherein he learnt both the classical Raags and the art of music composition from his able father. In a recent meeting, he stated “I was born in the Lap of Pakistani Film Industry”. He was born in Puna, presently in India in 1947. He died a few years ago. Wajahat’s three brothers are also affiliated with film industry in one way or other. Wajahat’s son, Ali Attre like Javed Attre’s son Jimmy Attre is affiliated with music. The former is a music composer with a movie ‘Ishq Ibadat’ to his credit and the latter is a very popular Pop singer of today.

Mushtaq Hashimi and I approached PTV music producer Rafiq Ahmad Warraich in 1972 with a Pop Show Idea. We knew that music atmosphere was ripe for classical based melodies but we had to create some music for the youngsters also. The programme idea was approved titled ‘Sangat’ where we went for eastern melodies accompanied by western instruments played by AJAYS. The moment the first episode went on air, this idea clicked. Ahsan Abid the set designer came out with an innovative idea for all the episodes. Sometimes he took us to the surface of the moon, sometimes on a roadside square, sometimes as members of playing cards etc. Akhtar Hussain, Khalil Ahmad and Wazir Afzal were regular music composers. I rendered Javed Attre’s composition also. With Javed Attre’s departure an era of melody makers is over. He was class mate of Nayyara Noor in school and Azhar a couple of years younger.

The writer is the recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com