Great Artists

Let’s start the day with paying tribute to Nalini Jaiwant (1926), 

Nimmi (1933), Jaan Nisaar Akhtar (1914) and Khayyam(1927) on their birth anniversaries. 

Today we will learn something more about *Jan Nisar Akhtar* (18 February 1914 – 19 August 1976) and *Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi* (18 February 1927 – 19 August 2019), better known mononymously as *Khayyam.*

“Jan Nisar Akhtar career spanned four decades during which he worked with music composers including C. Ramchandra, O.P. Nayyar, Datta Naik also credited as N. Datta and Khayyam and wrote 151 songs. Notable among them were songs from his breakthrough film, AR Kardar's Yasmin (1955), Aankhon hi Aankhon Mein in Guru Dutt's CID (1956), Yeh dil aur unki nigahon ke saaye in Prem Parbat (1974) and Aaja re in Noorie (1979) and his last song, Ae Dil-e-naadaan, in Kamal Amrohi's Razia Sultan (1983).

Father of Javed Akhtar. Grandfather of Kabir Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, and Zoya Akhtar. Father-In-Law of Shabana Azmi and ex father-in-law of Honey Irani.

His poetry works include Nazr-e-Butaan, Salaasil, Javidaan, Pichali Pehar, Ghar Angan and Khaak-e-dil. The latter ("The Ashes of Heart") was a poetry collection for which he was awarded the 1976 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters. 

*Khayyam*  won three Filmfare Awards: for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan, and a lifetime achievement award in 2010. He was awarded the 2007 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Creative Music, by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Theatre. He was awarded the third-highest civilian honour, Padma Bhushan, by the Government of India in 2011.

Khayyam married Jagjit Kaur in 1954 in one of the first inter-communal marriages in the Indian film industry. They had a son, Pradeep, who died of a heart attack in 2012. Inspired by their son's helping nature, they started a trust, "Khayyam Jagjit Kaur Charitable Trust" to help artistes and technicians in need.

On his 90th birthday, February 18 2016, Khyayyam and his wife, Jagjit Kaur, donated their 12 Crore property to a trust which will help in bring new talents to music industry of Hindi cinema.

Khayyam provided music to the films of the late-1970s and early-1980s. Songs from Trishul, Thodi Si Bewafaai, Bazaar, Dard, Noorie, Nakhuda, Sawaal, Bepannah, and Khandaan are some of his best works. 

Khayyam was still to deliver his best, and the opportunity came in Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan in 1981. He had Asha Bhonsle sing the songs "In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke", "Ye Kya Jagah Hai Doston", and "Dil Cheez Kya Hai", which are evergreen.

Rajesh Khanna liked the songs of the film Kabhi Kabhie so much that he gifted Khayyam one of his cars.[15] Subsequently, Khayyam composed music for Thodisi Bewafai, Dard (both 1981) and Dil-E-Nadaan (1982), all of them starring Khanna in the lead.

He without succumbing to pressure from producers made singers like Anwar, Sulakshana Pandit, Yesudas, Suman Kalyanpur sing songs for him in his career. He approached Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi and Mukesh only when he felt they are must for songs. He supported Asha Bhosle in 1950s and 1960s when she was living under shad own of her sister Lata and gave Asha different numbers from various genres to sing.

Today’s song pays tribute to both *Jan Nisar Akhtar and Khayyam* and is from 

A.K. Misra’s 1983 period biographical film *”Razia Sultan”* written and directed by Kamal Amrohi. 

The film starred Hema Malini and Dharmendra in the lead. They were supported by Praveen Babi, Vijendra Ghatge, Pradeep Kumar, Ajit, Veena, Sarika, Radha Saluja and Sohrab Modi. 

This movie was the only time Hema Malini led the credits over Dharmendra. This was due to her playing the title role.

The film is said to have first lesbian kiss between Hema Malini and Parveen Babi in the song Khwab Bankar Koi Aaega.

The allegation towards Kamal Amrohi was that due the film flopping, it put the film industry into debt. Amrohi stated the film was a hit and any losses would be his, not the producers. Plus he stated the 5 years it took to make the film provided hundreds of people with jobs. Jobs that would feed and support them.

Although the film was a flop and not appreciated by the audience, this song stood out. Khayyam’s one of the best and the way he made Lata sing with the right amount of pauses in the song, brilliant 🤩👍🏻👌🏻

*”Aye Dil-E-Nadaan"* superb lyrics by Jan Nisar Akhtar, brilliantly composed by Khayyam and sung melodiously by Lata Mangeshkar 🎤🎶🎵🎧