Daily Times

The wonderful Alaap in the beginning of the song establishes Nujehan’s prowess on singing such kind of songs.Munir Hussain has also sung songs with other singers. One such song is ‘Asmaani Tare Nain’ with Mala, Naseem Begum and Roshan for the film ‘Mun Mauji’. Naseem Begum joined hands with Munir Hussain for Bolian type of song ‘O Sajna Aei Do Din Mauj Baharan Dei’ filmed on Firdaus and Habib. Another song ‘Heer Nu Le Jaan Walia Tu Tei Lagna Aein Heer Da Mamaan’ is pictured on confronting female and male crowd in village fair led by Sabiha and Ilyas Kashmiri. It sounds like a war of beautiful lines called Tappe. Credit is given to Naseem Begum although to me it does not sound like her voice. Such songs depict the music of rural Punjab.

I acknowledge taking help of Mr. Mazhar’s submission on Munir Hussain in writing the following details supplemented by my own research.

Munir Hussain had sung seven songs when he entered Pakistani film industry in 1957; five songs for a Punjabi film and 2 for Urdu film, Saat Lakh and Baap Ka Gunah. In 1958 he rendered 12 songs for seven movies; eight songs for five Urdu films and two each for two Punjabi films. The most popular song as we have mentioned above was ‘Dila Theher Ja Yaar Da Nazara Lain Dei’ for ‘Mukhra’. Music composer gave him the song ‘Ik Bhool Samajh Kar Hum Dil Ki Ulfat Ka Zamana Bhool Gaye’ for the movie ‘Bharosa’. Another song ‘Chain Sei So Rahe They Hum Tu Nei Humain Jaga Diya’ was talented music composer Tassaduq Hussain’s composition for the film ‘Naya Zamana’. The same year Baba Chishti brought Munir Hussain together with Zubeda Khanum and a duet ‘Yei Duniya Ghum Tau Daiti Hei/Shareek-e-Ghum Nahi Hoti’ for the film ‘Dil Main Tu’ was born. Munir also sang songs for the movies ‘Naya Daur’, ‘Chatti, ‘Begunah’ and ‘Akhri Nishan’.

On 1959, apart from the film Koel’s song ‘Rim Jhim’ penned by Tanvir Naqvi, Munir sang two songs ‘Jaag Soz-e-Ishq Jaag’ and ‘Is Dil Ko Dil Main Rakhna’ composed by Baba Chishti for the film ‘Naghma-e-Dil’. Munir sang theme song ‘Ais Duniya Da Chakar Bodi’ filmed on Munawar Zarif composed by Tufail Farooqi. The other 1958 films for Munir Hussain were Alam Ara, Naji (we have already mentioned it above), Bacha Jamoora, Jhoomer, Saathi, Shama and Sache Moti. By 1960 Munir Hussain had becomea reasonably established playback singer as he sang fifteen songs in eleven films; two were Punjabi songs for the movie ‘Sohni Kumharan’ and rest for Urdu films. Notable among these were:

Utha Lei Aap Hi Khanjar Uthe Lei – Darpan’s film Gulfam composed by Rasheed Attre in higher notes.

Meri Barbad Muhabbat Ka Tamasha Daikh Lei Duniya – music composer Manzoor Ashraf’s film ‘Gulbadan’ filmed on Ejaz for this costume film.

Daikh Kei Chalna Raste Main with Nahid Niazi for Rattan Kumar-Neelo film ‘Alladdin Ka Baita’ composed by Baba Chishti.

Mut Choona Re Mera Badan Dehekti Aag with Zubeda Khanum for Rasheed Attre’s film ‘Salma’.

The other films this year were Clerk, Shaam Dhale, Bhabi, Dil-e-Nadaan, Nilofer and Naukri. 1961 was a relatively lean year for Munir Hussain with only six songs for four films. Notable Urdu song was ‘Bachpan Beeta Aai Jawani’ with Zubeda Khanum’ filmed on Habib and Nayyar Sultana for the movie ‘Suraiya’. It was a beginning of their actual lifetime romance. Other Munir Hussain films this year were Farishta and Tum Na Maano. This year Ahmad Rushdi and Mala entered Pakistani Film Industry’s music scene.

In 1962, apart from Shaheed and Mausiqar’s songs, Munir sang a Qawwali ‘Haq Lailaha’ with Saleem Raza and Sain Akhtar Hussain for music composer A. Hameed’s film Aulad. Naseem Begum and Munir Hussain’s duet ‘Tum Mile Pyar Mila Ab Koi Arman Nahi’ from this film is even popular today. Other films were Bulbul-e-Baghdad, Aik Manzil Do Rahain, Husn-o-Ishq and Sukh Ka Sapna. At this span of time Mehdi Hassan entered in Pakistani filmdom. Munir Hassain’s graph did not go down immediately because of the threat of Mehdi Hassan and Masood Rana’s entry. He sang nine songs in eight films in 1963. No song this year became a hit. Films were Baraat, Fanoos, Natija, Main Nain Kaya Jurm Kiya and Daaman. Punjabi films were Chacha Khamkhwah, Mehndi Wale Hath and Choorian. We have already mentioned the duet ‘Vei Gal Sun Haniya’ with Madam composed by Tufail Farooqi for the film Choorian above. 1964 was a better year for Munir Hussain. MoviesTauba and Ashiana were his big films. Qawwali ‘Na Milta Gar Yei Tauba Ka Sahara Hum Kahan Jatey’ is all-time hit number.

Continued