Daily Times

The most popular song of film ‘Shaheed’ is “Uss Bewafa Ka Shehr Hai Aur Hum Hain Dosto” penned by Munir Niazi. It was rendered by Naseem Begum and is remembered due to the inviting gestures and dance by Musarrat Nazir. Even I was so inspired by this song that I rendered it in my PTV’s episode ‘Meri Pasand’ in 1990s. Another song ‘Habibi Haiya Haiya’ by Naseem Begum is a fast tempo number penned by Tanvir Naqvi. A relatively less popular but a catchy number is ‘Jab Sanwali Shaam Dhale Aur Chand Ki Shama Jale’ penned by Qateel Shifai filmed on Musarrat Nazir. Naseem Begum is joined by Ahmad Rushdi to sing Tanvir Naqvi’s penned song ‘Main Ka Kaha Aaiye Aa Bhi Jaiye’ filmed on Husna and Aijaz. Musarrat Nazir excels in her dancing performance in Naseem Begum’s song ‘Meri Nazrain Hain Talwar, Kis Ka Dil Hei Roke Waar Tauba Tauba Astaghfar’ penned by Tanvir Naqvi. Munir Hussain sang a motivational poem said by Faiz Ahmad Faiz ‘Nisaar Main Teri Galiyon Pei Aei Watan Keh Jahan’ filmed on Aijaz to motivate the sleeping Arabs against the trickeries of the enemy. Husna bagged Zubaida Khanum’s song ‘Oh Kahe Dil Ki Umang Urun Badlon Kei Sung’ penned by Tufail Hushiarpuri. Aimi Minwala danced on Nahid Niazi’s voice for the song ‘Theher Theher Kei Teer Chalain Gei’ penned by Tanvir Naqvi.

This golden jubilee film was released simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore Circuits on January 1962.

PERSONAL LIFE – Musarrat Nazir’s parents belonged to a middle-class family of Kashmiri origin, residing in Lahore. Her father Khwaja Nazir Ahmed worked as a contractor in Lahore Municipal Corporation.

Her date of birth is October 13, 1940. Early in her life, her parents wanted her to be a doctor. So they provided her with the best possible education. Musarrat passed the matriculation examination with distinction and passed the intermediate examination from Kinnaird College, the best teaching institution in Lahore. She got married to a physician Dr Arshad Majeed and moved to Canada in 1965 when her film career was at its peak. They have three grown-up children. Dr Arshad’s father, Sheikh Majeed, is an entrepreneur and owns Lala Zaar cinema, Sialkot. The couple made a sincere effort to return to their homeland and settle in Lahore in the late 1970s. Arshad Majeed wanted to set up a hospital in Lahore and they had gone ahead and bought a home for this purpose. Due to various reasons the couple could not settle in Lahore.

TV CAREER – though her folk songs album had reached the ears of music lovers when she was abroad but her appearances in PTV music programmes while she was in Pakistan, caught attention. Her ‘Shadi/Bayah and Dholak Geets’ were very nice produced by Khwaja Najam ul Hassan. One of her1983 songs ‘Mera Laung Gawacha’ written by Khwaja Parvez was performed at the PTV Awards 1985-86. The other popular songs are ‘Gulshan Ki Baharon Mein’, ‘Chalay Tau Kat Hi Jaaye Ga Safar Ahistah, Ahistah’ composed by Khalil Ahmad.Critics believe that this song was lifted and copied for the popular song “Tumhe Apna Banane Ki Kasam” in the Indian movie Sarak, and again for the song “Tumhe Apna” for the film Hate Story 3, for which Bollywood did not give any credit to Musarrat Nazir, the original singer.

The other notable songs are Apnay Haathoan Ki Lakiroan Mein, Lathe Di Chader Uttay Saleti Rung Mahiya, a traditional folk song of Punjab, Chitta Kukkar Banairey Tay (Punjabi Bolian), Mehndi Ni Mehndi, and Jogi (1985).

AWARDS – Nigar Awards for Best Actress in 1958, for the film Zehr-e-Ishq, in 1959, for the film Jhoomer and in 1962, for the film Shaheed. She bagged Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan in 1989. g

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