Naushad
Indian composer who popularised classical music in Hindi films.
Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was a Hindi film composer. He is regarded as one of the industry's greatest music directors, often called "Moseeqar-e-Azam" (The Great Musician), and is credited with popularising classical music in films. His first independent score was for *Prem Nagar* (1940), but his first major success was *Rattan* (1944). Over his career, he produced 35 silver jubilee hits, 12 golden jubilee hits, and 3 diamond jubilee mega successes. He received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1980 (conferred in 1981) and the Padma Bhushan in 1992.
Born and raised in Lucknow, a centre of Indian Muslim culture, Naushad was the son of Wahid Ali, a court clerk. As a child, he attended the Deva Sharif fair in Barabanki, where he heard great qawwals and musicians. He studied Hindustani music under Ustad Ghurbat Ali, Ustad Yusuf Ali, Ustad Babban Saheb, and others, and also repaired harmoniums. He joined a junior theatrical club as its music maestro and watched silent films at Lucknow's Royal theatre, where live musicians played tabla, harmonium, sitar, and violin for each scene. This taught him the nuances of film background scoring. He later formed the Windsor Music Entertainers, named after the word "Windsor" he liked, which evolved into the Indian Star Theatrical Company in Lucknow's Golaganj colony. Trained under Laddan Khan, he learned to pick folk music from Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Saurashtra during the company's travels. The troupe once reached Viramgam in Gujarat, where they fell into poverty and had to sell props and instruments, returning to Lucknow only with a friend's help.
A cinema fan since the silent era, Naushad became fascinated when Indian cinema gained sound in 1931. He studied classical and folk music against his father's wishes and moved to Mumbai in late 1937 for a music career. There, he first stayed with a Lucknow acquaintance in Colaba, then slept on a footpath in Dadar opposite the Broadway theatre. He assisted music director Ustad Jhande Khan for Rs 40 a month. He worked on an unfinished film with a Russian producer in Chembur, then played piano in Ustad Mushtaq Hussain's orchestra, completing a score as his assistant. After that company collapsed, Khemchand Prakash hired him as an assistant for *Kanchan* at Ranjit Studios for Rs 60 a month—Naushad later called Khemchand his guru. Lyricist D. N.
Quick Facts
- Education
- Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya
- Background
- non_performing_personnel
- Birth Date
- 25 December 1919
- Birth Place
- Lucknow, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India)
- Death Date
- 5 May 2006 · 1919 · 12 · 25
- Death Place
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Instrument
- Harmonium · sitar · piano · tabla · flute · clarinet · accordion · mandolin
- Genre
- Hindustani classical music · Indian film music
- Occupation
- Composer, music director, film producer, writer, poet, producer
- Years Active
- 1940–2005
- Spouse
- Aliya Khatoon
- Honorific Suffix
- PB
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Naushad Ali was born and raised in Lucknow, a city with a long tradition as a centre of Indian Muslim culture. His father, Wahid Ali, was a munshi (court clerk). As a child, Naushad would visit the annual fair at the Deva Sharif in Barabanki, where great qawwals and musicians performed. He formed his own Windsor Music Entertainers and later worked with the Indian Star Theatrical Company, travelling to regions like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Saurashtra, where he developed a sense for folk music. He moved to Mumbai in late 1937 for a career as a musician. In Mumbai, he initially stayed with an acquaintance from Lucknow at Colaba, then shifted to Dadar, sleeping on the footpath. He assisted music director Ustad Jhande Khan at a monthly salary of Rs 40, later worked as a pianist in composer Ustad Mushtaq Hussain's orchestra, and then became assistant to Khemchand Prakash for the film Kanchan at Ranjit Studios. His first independent film as music director was Prem Nagar (1940). He first got noticed with A.R. Kardar's film Sharda (1942), and his first musically successful film was Rattan (1944), which took him to the top. From 1942 until the late 1960s, he was one of the top music directors in Hindi films.
Reader's Guide
Naushad Ali's significance lies in his role as a pioneering music director who brought classical and folk music into mainstream Hindi cinema. His work on films like Rattan (1944) and Mother India (1957) set new standards for film music, with the latter becoming the first Indian film nominated for an Oscar. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1981 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992 for his contributions. His legacy includes the 'Naushad Academy of Hindustani Sangeet' in Mumbai, formed at his request. He also composed background music for the TV serials 'Akbar The Great' (1988) and 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan' (1990). Five films have been made on his life, and several biographical books have been published. He died on 5 May 2006 in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest at age 86.
Did You Know?
- Naushad's first musically successful film was Rattan (1944), which earned Rs 3 lacs in royalty from gramophone sales in its first year.
- He composed the tunes of Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005) at the age of 86.
- He was also a published poet, launching his Urdu poetry book Aathwaan Sur in November 1998.
- He had to hide from his family that he composed music, even on his wedding day when his father and father-in-law condemned the musician of Rattan's songs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Naushad?
Naushad Ali (1919–2006) was a Lucknow-born Indian film composer widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most accomplished music directors. He is commonly known by the honorific 'Moseeqar-e-Azam,' which translates to The Great Musician.
Why is Naushad considered important in world music?
Naushad is credited with weaving Hindustani classical music into mainstream Hindi films at a time when most scores leaned on lighter, folk-style melodies. His approach set a classical foundation for Indian cinema music that shaped generations of composers who followed.
What are Naushad's biggest career achievements?
Across his filmography he delivered 35 silver jubilee hits, 12 golden jubilee hits, and 3 diamond jubilee mega successes. He was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (conferred in 1981) and received the Padma Bhushan in 1992.
What was Naushad's first major hit?
Although his first independent score was for Prem Nagar in 1940, it was Rattan (1944) that marked his true breakthrough and first major commercial success in Hindi cinema.
What is Naushad's connection to the Oscars?
Naushad composed the soundtrack for Mother India (1957), which became the first Indian film ever to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
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