RMIM Archive Article "311".
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
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# RMIM Archives..
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# Subject: Master Inayat Hussain - lyrics that still haunt
# Author: Saeed Malik
# Source: The Nation Midweek (Pakistan)
# Contact: Khawaja Naveed Aslam (knaslam@paknet1.ptc.pk)
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Lyrics that still haunt
SAEED MALIK
Among resplendent products of Lahore's cultural granary, the name
of melodist Master Inayat Hussain stands out quite glaringly.
Hailing from a family of musicians from mauza Mozang, he was one
of those few musicians who were inducted into the art of
composition as a consequence of circumstances beyond their
control.
Beginning his showbiz career as an actor, the late Master Inayat
Hussain joined Imperial Film Company, Bombay, where he stayed for
a period of four years. Later, he shifted to Calcutta, working
with Producer Kirnani for one year. During his five-year stint
with films, he played leading roles in a couple of movies
produced at Bombay. Actor Billimoria and actress Salochina, the
bright stars of the silver screen in those days, were his
contemporaries in the filmworld around 1935.
Those were the days when actors and actresses signed for the
movies were required to record songs in their voices which were
to be picturised on them. The system of playback singing had not
yet been introduced. As Master Inayat showed much promise for a
vocalist, he secured entry in the filmworld without much
difficulty.
Before stepping in showbiz, Master Inayat Hussain had spent an
extended period of apprenticeship with vocalist Bade Ghulam Ali
Khan with whom he studied the art of classical singing. Although
he belonged to a family of professional musicians, Master Inayat
Hussain was not initiated in music by his father. As a vocalist,
however, he did not break much ground. The best he could do was
to sing in private soirees, and that, too, in the awe-inspiring
presence of his ustaad. He also failed in making to the radio.
As an actor, he was not a success either. In due course of time,
he ended up solely relying on his musical talent to keep him
going. The shift in his career proved a blessing in disguise for
him, as well as for film music, to which he later on made
wholesome contributions. Films for which he scored music were all
produced in Lahore, both before and after independence. There is
no denying the fact that the late Master Inayat Hussain was one
of the frontline composers of film music in the Sub-continent,
whose melodies won kudos from filmgoers as well as classical and
popular crooners.
Master Inayat Hussain did not quite remember the date when he
joined Columbia Gramophone Company in Lahore as a composer. All
he could say was that "it was some 50 years ago", when this
scribe talked to him in 1986 before his death, which corresponded
to the year 1936, or thereabout. "I joined Columbia when Master
Jhandhey Khan had just left that organisation", he said while
raking his memory.
Compared to his career as an actor, the late Master Inayat
Hussain won early recognition as a composer when his compositions
Rubb khair karey, rendered in the voice of Zeenat begum, and Ravi
deeaan challan, sung by Munawwar Sultana, hit the bull's eye.
Another song of his, Way pind deya numberadara, also in the voice
of late Zeenat Begum, won wide popular acclaim for the composer.
The late Master turned to film music in the early 1940s, when he
composed tunes for a Punjabi film Kamli. He chose Ustad Barkat
Ali Khan for recording male songs of the film, one of which, O
akhian laa kay pachtaya, became a hit song. One of the earliest
films produced in Lahore after August 1947 had Master Inayat's
melodies. Named Hichkoley, it celebrated silver jubilees in
several cities, both in Pakistan and India, primarily because of
its lilting tunes.
As a sequel to the sudden spurt in Pakistani film industry in the
mid-50s, Master Inayat Hussain was swamped with requests from
producers to compose music for their movies. But he did not go
after mass production and, instead, accepted only a few films so
that he could do justice to each one of those. His policy of
selectivity paid rich dividends as it provided him enough time to
devote to his creative pursuits.
Thereafter, it turned out to be a complete success story for the
late maestro, and his immortal compositions, Paayel main geet
hain chham chham kay and Ulfat kee nayee manzil ko chala,
rendered by Iqbal Bano for the films Gumnaam and Qatil, touched
the pinnacle of popularity. So great was their impact on public
mind and seasoned connoisseurs that even celebrities like Lata
Mangeshkar (according to the late composer) wrote him letters to
pay their rich tributes to the creative ingenuity of this
Pakistani composer.
About that time, the late Ustad Ameer Khan of Indore visited
Lahore en route to Afghanistan to participate in Jashn-e-Kabul.
The first thing he did after reaching Lahore (as stated by the
late composer) was to look for Master Inayat Hussain. During the
course of his lengthy conversation (with his contemporaries in
Lahore), he told them that the late Master had caused him (Ameer
Khan) "great financial losses" by composing a song like Paayel
main geet hain chham chham kay. "I consumed all my half-rupee
coins for months on end by putting these in the juke box to
listen to your song", he told Master Inayat Hussain in a
patronising tone and complimenting the maestro for his
compositional skill. The composer's own teacher, Bade Ghulam Ali
Khan, also got enamoured of his composition Ham bhee to parey
hain rahoan main.
"There could not be a better compensation for my labour than the
tributes I received from those great musical personalities", the
late Masterji said with a glint of pride in his eyes while
talking to this scribe in his home in Mohalla Chaumala, inside
Bhati Gate, Lahore. "I don't care much for money as a reward for
my creative activities", he said while replying to a question
whether he ever felt disappointed over financial remunerations he
received for his creative work for films, adding, "words of
appreciation from such great masters and top-ranking crooners are
my real wealth".
Among his compositions still hummed and whistled by a large
number of film-goers and music buffs are Daal pay pappiha boley;
Jaan-e-Bahar; Aye dil kissee ki yaad mein; Baanwaria naa row;
Banna kay maira nashaiman, and Three Cheers for Bhabhi, hip hip
hurray. His tunes have lasting appeal as he had succeeded in
sustaining the level of his creative dynamism throughout his long
career. The more one hears these (like did the late classicist
Ustad Ameer Khan), the more one gets addicted to them.
Very early in his career as a composer, Master Inayat Hussain
adopted an eclectic style which ranged from folk melodies and
light-classical to effervescently expressive lyricism. He
continued to favour semi-classical structures and preferred those
compositions which were free of literary association, and were
only expressive in musical ideas. In general, he shunned the
avant-garde tendencies, often reflected in modern fads such as
pop, disco and other types of electrophonic music which avoids
innovation for its own sake. However, he was not averse to
adopting complex and intricate formal musical schemes and was
always prepared to pursue them to their logical conclusions.
After listening to a variety of his compositions, one became
aware of a lively, original and uncompromising talent at work.
Late composer Khawaja Khurshid Anwar who was quite selective in
showering praises on other composers called Master Inayat Hussain
an original composer. In a conversation with this scribe, he said
that there were very few composers in Pakistan who were truly
original in their compositions. In this context he named Master
Ghulam Haider and Master Inayat Hussain. Master Inayat Hussain
did not care much for the younger generation of Pakistani
composers who showed no respect for the old melodic traditions
and senior maestros. "Those who did not have any patience and
respect for the rich musical traditions of the past", he said in
a somewhat admonishing tone, "cannot achieve a place of
distinction in the world of music." He held the opinion that only
those who had received formal training from the ustaads could
ultimately rise to great heights in film music. In this context,
he referred to the rich classical backgrounds of Khurshid Anwar,
Feroze Nizami, Master Jhandhey Khan and Rafique Ghazanvi. "Not
that they (the classical vocalists) can teach the new generation
the art of composition", he said while elaborating his point,
"but the young composers can use the classical art in their quest
for new forms and modes of expression".
"Mere listening to modern pop or disco music", he concluded,
"cannot turn an individual into a truly great film composer as a
bay-ustaada (one without a teacher) can never make to the top".
Paradoxically, his own sons became devout proponents of modern
music. One of them, a violinist, who could also write music using
Western Staff Notation system; and the other, who played Jazz
drums, had their own band and were practising the modern fads
during the lifetime of the late maestro which was not a matter of
which he could feel proud. His eldest son, Master Tufail, a
composer of some merit, invented tunes for a few radio and
television programmes before settling permanently in the United
States. Master Inayat Hussain had lost count but he thought he
scored music for about 50 films both before and after the
partition of the Sub-continent. Almost all of those movies did
good business at the box office, and those which failed in
earning enough revenues for the exhibitors during their first
runs, later became popular due to the lilting songs of Master
Inayat Hussain.
The second last film of his career, Maula Jat, was screened
continuously for two years and created an all-time record at
popularity in Pakistan. "Only police could break its spell", the
late master said jokingly. If Master Inayat Hussain were alive
today, he would have, like other sensitive composers,
disassociated himself from Pakistan film industry because of the
creatively uncongenial environment that prevails in local
studios.
The master composer was one of the illustrious sons of Lahore
who, despite a lack of good formal education, contributed so much
to the melodic culture of Pakistan. Like all original tunes, his
melodies continue to radiate enough sonic enchantment even after
so many years of their invention as to create nostalgic spells on
both ordinary music buffs and cultivated connoisseurs, as well as
professional melodists.
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian