RMIM Archive Article "16".
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
#
# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: Naushad Ali - A Sketch of the Master
#
# Posted by: "Rajan P. Parrikar" (parrikar@mimicad.Colorado.EDU)
# Source: G.N. Joshi's "Down Melody Lane",
#
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Music Maestro Naushad Ali
by
G.N. Joshi
pp. 74-80
Naushad, one of the most popular and outstanding music composers
in the cine-world, ranks high amongst those who have displayed
rare skill and imagination in the use of western musical instru-
ments for the presentation of Indian tunes in films. ln his com-
positions he has drawn liberally from the treasure of Indian folk
music.
Born at Lucknow on 25th December 1925, he was attracted to music
even as a child. Like any normal parent, his father had great am-
bitions for his son, and desired that he should achieve high
academic qualifications, befitting the status of the family. But
Naushad's infatuation for music always diverted him from the
classroom to the music hall. Those were the days of silent
movies. During the screening of the picture, back-ground music
was provided by a live band of musicians. The leader, a harmonium
player, with the complementary support of the others - usually a
clarinet player and a percussionist, would play impromptu music,
suitable to the situation on the screen. This helped to heighten
the interest and effect of the scene on the viewers. The percus-
sionist would play, besides a pair of tablas, a dholak, a drum,
cymbals, castanets, or a tambourine. He would change the rhythmic
pattern, to suit the tempo of the varied music, and the mood and
the situation in the picture.
There was a cinema theatre near Naushad's house. Laddan Khan, the
leader of the band, was a proficient harmonium player. He was
gifted with great imaginative and creative talents. The music he
produced at the daily shows in the theatre was so arresting that
young Naushad could not resist the temptation of going to the
theatre frequently to listen to it. Laddan Khan could not but no-
tice the keen and rapturous interest of the young lad, and he
took Naushad under his wing. Thus were aroused, fashioned and
chiselled the creative instincts of the future maestro.
Naushad's father tried his best to wean him away from music, us-
ing threats and even physical torture. One night Naushad returned
from the theatre to find that his father had closed and bolted
the door of the house. Those who are familiar with the severe
wintry cold nights in North India, can well imagine the plight of
the young boy, barred from entering the house. The next morning,
he was found lying huddled up at the doorstep. Even this did not
have the desired effect, and, Naushad's father gave him an ul-
timatum - he should either give up music or leave the house.
Naushad opted for the latter course and joined a dramatic company
in a theatre at Golagunj in Lucknow.
The period of training under Laddan Khan had been very-rewarding.
Naushad not only found himself capable of working independently
as a music composer, but he also developed the acute sense which
enabled him to pick rare musical jewels from thc folk tradition
of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Saurashtra during the company's
sojourns in those regions. The dramatic company broke up while
in Saurashtra and once again Naushad was literally thrown on the
streets. But his persistence and immeasurable self-confidence
guided him to the city of Bombay, where he decided to use his
talents to seek his fortune. He did not know a soul in the large
metropolis except one Abdul Alim Nami, who had been their neigh-
bour in Lucknow, and who was a teacher in a school in Colaba. Mr.
Nami offered Naushad a home but expressed his inability to help
him find work. The film industry, which was then thriving, was
his only hope. Most film studios were located in the Dadar area.
In those days, one could travel one way by tram from Colaba to
Dadar for just 2 annas, but after a few days, finding himself un-
able to spare even such a paltry amount, Naushad actuallv had to
walk the distance. He would approach the managers or producers of
different studios and give them demonstrations of his proficiency
in playing the harmonium. Day after day he would walk back sadly
disappointed, hungry and thirsty, with blisters on his feet. His
self-confidence and indomitable willpower, however, would not al-
low him to accept Mr. Nami's offer of sending him back to his fa-
ther. A kindly shop-keeper, doing business at Dadar T.T., took
pity on the young, struggling Naushad and allowed him to stay at
his shop during the nights. This saved him the bother of walking
to and from Colaba. The whole day he would spend visiting the
various film companies, and towards evening, tired and disap-
pointed he would come to the shop to rest his tired body. For
many days he lived on tea and bread alone, and slept on the pave-
ment outside the shop. It was difficult to get sleep on an empty
stomach. The noise and bustle of the passing traffic and the
glittering lights of the Broadway cinema opposite, added to his
discomfort. this crossed his mind. During the rainy season he had
to shift his mat to the tiny space underneath the staircase of
the shop. After days of tribulation and hard effort, he was ac-
cepted as a harmonium player on the music staff of the Ranjit
film company.
Ranjit was then a factory of film production. Several films were
produced simultaneously. Consequently a number of aspiring and
talented persons thronged the studio. Beautiful girls, handsome
boys, vied for the coveted roles of heroines, heroes, or villains
and were even willing to work as extras, to start with. Budding
music directors and musicians stood in queues with their instru-
ments, waiting for a chance to be interviewed. Naushad, though on
the staff, was a mere harmonium player. His creative urge egged
him on to try his luck as a music maker. Mr. D. N. Madhok, the
well known song writer of yesteryear, was busy with his picture
Kanchan. Naushad requested him to listen to his tunes for the
picture. Mr. Madhok was very pleasantly suiprised to find them
not only strikingly fresh and new, but ideally suited to the si-
tuations in his picture. He took Naushad for an audition to Sar-
dar Chandulal and Goharbai - the joint owners of Ranjit Company.
Naushad sat down in a corner amongst others who had come for the
same purpose.
Chandulal Shah was also a big stock broker. Sitting in his of-
fice, he used to carry out his share transactions over the tele-
phone. A newcomer was sitting ready with a harmonium, awaiting a
signal from the seth to begin his audition. The seth was busy -
with one phone to his ear and another by his side with his hand
resting on it. Sethji signalled to the musician to begin. The
young aspirant began to play his composition - suddenly there was
a loud buzz on the other phone. This disturbed the player - he
paused, looking at the phone and the seth. Chandulalji put down
the phone in his left hand and picked up the other, shouting a
loud 'Hello' into the mouthpiece, at the same time signalling to
the poor composer to continue with his music. The poor man had to
go on and on, while Sethji was striking loud and huge bargains
over the phone.
Naushad was aghast at this mockery of an audition, and he quietly
walked out of the room, completely disappointed. He refused to be
auditioned in this manner and requested Mr. Madhok to allow him
to record his tunes for trial. Mr. Madhok with his considerable
influence, obtained Chandulalji's consent for this.
With great enthusiasm, Naushad started rehearsals of his tunes
with fellow musicians. Naushad was not only a newcomer - a mere
harmonium player - but he had also a very frail constitution and
unimpressive personality. There were several very senior musi-
cians who were expert instrumentalists. They resented having to
practise under Naushad's baton and refused to cooperate. A disil-
lusioned Naushad resigned from his new-found job in protest and
walked out of Ranjit with a resolve never to enter its gates
again (a vow he has kept even to this day). Mr. Madhok, though
disappointed, did not lose his faith in Naushad's creative
talent. On his recommendation, Naushad not only got a job in
Prakash Studio, but was also assigned to provide music for a
forthcoming picture. The music of Premnagar launched this young
music maker on a career that was to be a long and dazzling one.
Luminous gems from the rich treasure of Indian folk music were
presented by Naushad in gorgeous modern styles.
Lavishly decorated and played by a large orchestra of Indian and
Western instruments, the simple folk tunes took millions of urban
and rural music lovers by storm. Picture after picture succeeded
at the box office. The lilting tunes from Dillagi, Baiju Bawra,
Aan, Anmol Ghadi, Didar, Babul, Ratan, Mughal-e-Azam, Mother In-
dia and many other films delighted millions. The sun of success
began to shine with rare brilliancy upon Naushad and he was ack-
nowledged as a genius in the world of film music.
Fame and fortune now began to chase Naushad Ali. His name figured
prominently in film circles. He was introduced to the famous
producer-director Mehboob Khan, who asked Naushad to write the
music score for his Aan. An interesting incident throws signifi-
cant light on Naushad's nature. It was the day when Jawan hai
mohabbat hasin hai zamana - the song that broke all previous
records of popularity - was scheduled to be recorded. After a
rehearsal Mehboob Khan expressed his disapproval and suggested a
few changes. Naushad was extremely angry at this but he did not
show it. He postponed the recording to the following week. In the
meantime, during a take in the studio, when Mehboob Khan was
peering through the camera, Naushad who was standing by, asked
Mehboob's permission to have a look. After looking through the
camera lens Naushad suggested a few changes in the arrangement of
the sets, in the same authoritative way in which Mehboob Khan had
suggested changes in the music. This was an outright insult to
tbe genius of the great director. Resenting this meddling, Meh-
boob Khan pushed Naushad aside and said, 'What do you understand
of photography? This is not your province, you mind your own
business.'
Naushad Ali apologized with folded hands, and then said in a very
submissive manncr, 'Just as photography is not my province, music
is not yours. I ventured to speak as I did only in the hope that
you would realize this.'
Mehboob Khan was a very clever and able director. He was also one
who always correctly evaluated the talents of pcrsons in his em-
ployment. Although he showed outward annoyance at the tactics
used by Naushad to register his protest against interference in
his music, Mehboob Khan inwardly appreciated Naushad's bold spir-
it and his standing up for his own rights. Thereafter Naushad was
left to himself and Mehboob Khan did not interfere ever again in
his music direction.
Naushad Ali, who once slept like a beggar on a foothpath, now
lives in his own imposing mansion on the sea face, at Bandra, the
fashionable suburb of Bombay. It was sheer coincidence that the
silver jubilee function of the musical film Baiju Bawra was at
the Broadway theatre, opposite which Naushad had at one time been
obliged to sleep on the pavement. The distributors had arranged a
fitting jubilee reception for Naushad and the producer, Vijay
Bhatt. Naushad arrived at the theatre in his own shining
limousine, accompanied by Mr. Bhatt and others. During the inter-
val he was showered with garlands and bouquets. Naushad came out
onto the balcony, with thick rose garlands around his neck, and
stood staring across the road at the pavement which had, at one
time, been his resting place. Tears gathered in his eyes. When
questioned by Mr. Vijay Bhatt, he rep]ied, 'There was a period in
my life when, from that footpath, I used to gaze at this very
balcony, and wonder if these glittering lights would ever shine
for me. Today I am the centre of this brilliantly lit function,
but it took 16 years, years of intense struggle to cross over
from that footpath to this one. The tears in my eyes in those
days, were tears of complete despondency and helplessness. The
tears today are tears of fulfilment, and I am grateful to Allah
for this.'
(A paragraph or two devoted to Naushad's interest in hunting
deleted)
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Rajan Parrikar
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian