Khayyam Sahab's Award Winning Speech | Filmfare Awards | Life Time Achievement Award | Throwback

Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known by his screen name Khayyam, passed away at around 9:30 pm today at a Mumbai hospital due to cardiac arrest. He had been admitted to the hospital on August 16 due to lung infection. The 92- year-old veteran, who was born on February 18, 1927, was suffering from ill health since the past few days.


He was born in Nawanshahr district of Punjab. Even as a child, he was more interested in films than studies. He often used to bunk school and watch films. Such was his craze that he ran away to his uncle's house in Delhi to become an actor. Music and singing were an integral part of films and perhaps to deviate him away from acting, his uncle allowed him to learn music. He started learning music under Pandit Amaranth and some say he learnt under Husnlal-Bhagatram as well.


He was only 17 when he met composer Baba Chisti in Lahore, who was impressed by the young man's genius to take him on as an assistant. He worked with Chisti for sometime but strangely joined the army during the World War II. He served in the army for two years and after the war ended, came to Mumbai to try his luck as an actor. Again, destiny put him on the road to music. Composer Rahman Varma offered him a partnership and they started giving music under the screen name Sharmaji-Varmaji. Their first hit was Heer-Ranjha (1948). Khayyam also sang a duet, Dil yun yun karta hai, with Geeta Dutt in the film. Unfortunately, Rahman chose to settle in Pakistan and the partnership soon dissolved. He formed another short-lived partnership with composer Aziz Hindi. Their Biwi (1950), had a rare Geeta Dutt-Asha Bhosle duet Mausam hai rangeen sanwariya.


His solo career as Khayyam started with the Dilip Kumar starrer Footpath (1953). The song Sham-e-gham ki kasam sung by Talat Mehmood from the film is still famous today. Recognition came with the film Phir Subha Hogi (1958) starring Raj Kapoor and Mala Sinha. Raj Kapoor's favourite composer and lyricist were Shankar-Jaikishan and Shailendra respectively. He was sceptical to give a newcomer a chance. It was also well-known that poet Sahir Ludhianvi never changed his words to fit a tune. It's said Khayyam had to audition before Raj Kapoor, who was so impressed that he asked the tunes to be retained in their original form.


Khayyam chose to work with poets rather than regular film lyricists. That's the reason one finds poetry playing an equal role in Khayyam’s compositions as the music or the singer. He composed music for works of poets like Kaifi Azmi, Mir Taki Mir, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Naqsh Lyallpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi to name a few.


His body of work may be small for a six-decade old career – he has only some 70-plus films to his credit in this span – but his creations carry a unique stamp. His notable efforts include films like Footpath, Phir Subah Hogi, Shola Aur Shabnam, Shagoon, Aakhri Khat, Trishul, Kabhi Kabhie, Noori, Dard, Bazaar and Umrao Jaan. He also got actresses to sing their own numbers like Rekha in Ek Naya Rishta, Mala Sinha in Phir Subah Hogi and Shabana Azmi in Anjuman.


His wife Jagjit Kaur, a singer herself, contributed a lot to his repertoire. Her renditions to his compositions like Tum apna ranjo gham (Shagoon), Dekh lo aaj humko jee bharke (Bazaar), Kahe ko byaahe bides (Umrao Jaan) continue to haunt us to this day.


Khayyam won three Filmfare Awards, two for Best Music for Kabhi Kabhie and Umrao Jaan, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He's no longer with us but his spirit will continue to live amongst through his melodies like Woh subah kabhi to aayegi, Chin-o-arab humara, Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum, Baharon mera jeevan bhi sawaron, Shaam-e-gham ki kasam, Theheriye hosh mein aa loon toh chaley jaiyega, Aap yun faaslon se, Aye dil-e-naadan and almost all songs from movies like Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Thodi Si Bewafai, Bazaar, Umrao Jaan and Noorie...

#Khayyam #RIPKhayyam #FilmfareAwards

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