Khayyam – Melody King with Quality & Versatility
iView Author: Satyendra Jha(Pune, India)
Email: satyendrajha30[at]gmail[dot]com
Khayyam – Melody King with Quality & Versatility
Mohammed Zahur “Khayyam” Hashmi (better known as Khayyam) was born in 1927 in Nawaanshahr dist of Punjab. He went to his relatives in Delhi to learn music from Pt. Husnlal Bhagatram and Pt. Amar Nath. In his early teens, he left for Lahore to learn music from GA (Baba) Chisti, one of the foremost composers of the time. Legend has it that when Khayyam went to meet him, Baba Chisti was composing a song. After he’d finished, he forgot the earlier portion of what he’d composed. Khayyam prodigiously remembered the tune which he hummed out to him. Impressed by the talent of the young boy, Chisti took him on as an assistant. He worked with Chisti for six months without pay, surviving with the provision of mere food & shelter. When he returned home he had nothing to show for his work.
Khayyam was only 16 in 1943 which was the time of Indian freedom struggle as well as the Second World War. Khayyam, being the conscientious person, enrolled into the army, and where he learnt “discipline and dedication”. But he could not stay away from his first passion, music, even in the army, and became part of a cultural group, which had the likes of Faiz at the helm. They used to travel and perform plays and persuade people to join the army.
After quitting the army he joined Chisti again but this time BR Chopra noticed the hardworking youngster and persuaded Chisti to pay him. His salary was a mere Rs. 125. He learnt the ropes of music composition and ventured to Mumbai, where he met his guru Husnlal Bhagatram, who offered him a playback assignment. The song was a duet for the film Romeo and Juliet with Zohrabai Ambalewali. He sang with Geeta Dutt too. He says reflectively “getting an independent music assignment wasn’t so easy those days, and I finally got one but after passing a test. It was for the film Heer Ranjha. This had to be approved by Mumtaz Shanti and Vali sahab. I did seven songs while another composer did five. We got credit as Sharmaji/ Varmaji. We worked together for five more films.” In Biwi he composed the number ‘Akele Mein Who Ghabarate Toh Honge’ which became so popular that Vali sahab gave him his first independent film. But later differences of opinion made him quit. This incident set the tone for his life. He never learnt to compromise on his beliefs. But he was also very talented and required to give statement to this latent talent.
In 1952 he got Footpath. This established his credentials beautifully. The Majrooh Sultanpuri penned number “Shaam-e Gham Ki Kasam” remains an all time classic. His luck turned for the better and he started working with the best lyricists – Mir Taki Mir, Faiz (with whom he had an old association during army days), Naqsh Lyallpuri, Kaifi Azmi etc. Then came Raj Kapoor’s Phir Subah Hogi, a landmark in Khayyam’s career because Raj Kapoor’s soft- corner for Shankar-Jaikishan was well known But Raj not only approved Khayyam’s work but said that he’d never heard such compositions.
Khayyam has always preferred to work with the poets having strong background of poetry, side -lining the regular film lyricists. That is the reason one finds poetry playing an equal role in Khayyam’s compositions as the music or the singer. Khayyam prefers to give full freedom to the poets to express their views, thereby making the expression of the songs more poetic and more meaningful. The synchronization of good poetry and good composition has defied time; even small films like Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain and Lala Rookh have elicited from Khayyam some excellent music.
Though his body of work is small as compared to others, it is completely individualistic and hugely creative. He has unforgettable films like Phir Subah Hogi, Shola Aur Shabnam, Aakhri Khat, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Noorie, Thodi Si Bewafaai, Umrao Jaan, Bazaar etc in his repertoire and has many firsts to his career. 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.
He himself concedes that has never been prolific, pointing out that he has composed music for only 53 films in his 44-year-long career. For him, it is important to set a meaningful music to the beautiful poetry, and not change it because of commercial considerations.
“I would rather not work than make compromises. My music is not for sub-standard cinema,” declares Khayyam, who has not composed music for films for a long time, his last major film being Bazaar. Recently he composed music for Rekha starrer Yatra, but unfortunately it didn’t make much mark on the music scene. “The kind of films I would like to compose music for are just not being made,” the 74-year-old veteran music director says. “My generation made films that were good and at the same time were super hits. Those films are watched even today. But the hits of today live for four to six weeks and then they are forgotten”. He says in hindsight “I chose to compose for films which gave me an opportunity to do some real work. When Umrao Jaan released, nobody knew exactly how Umrao Jaan sang. But now, say Umrao Jaan, and the songs of the film come to mind. Such should be the quality of music, but not all films have the scope of such music to be composed.” True, his compositions remain eternal and ethereal. They’ve withstood the test of time.
Some of the memorable songs that he made immortal are: Woh Subah Kabhi to Aayegi, Cheen-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, Aaap yun Faaslon Se, Aei Dil-e-Naadan, Har Taraf Ab Yehi Afsaane Hain, and almost all songs from movies like Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Thodi Si Bewafai, Bazaar & Noorie.
Though Khayyam’s film work remains incredible, he has the credit for composing some of the most beautiful bhajans and non film numbers ever, like Paon Padoon Tore Shyam, Sham Se Neha Lagaaye, Tere Bharose Hee Nandlala etc. He brought in a new style of ghazal singing too. It was Khayyam who composed Meena Kumari’s “I write, I recite’. Some time back, he has also come out with a private album Shaguftagee, based on the poetry by Kaifi Azmi.
To Khayyam, already a recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy Award and Lata Mangeshkar Award, the Naushad Samman, being conferred on him this year, is yet another beautiful feather on his illustrious musical cap. He is one composer one cannot slot too easily, so varied and versatile is his work. He can justifiably claim that to be really creative one needs to be selective. He is one composer who cannot be slotted too easily, because his work is versatile and of immense quality. And yet, paradox is when he ran away from his village, he wanted to be an actor. We just hope someday he comes out from his self-imposed hiatus, and gives some more gems to remember him with.
Tags: Khayyaam
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Very underrated music director, One of the best exponents of the Ghazal form. His combination with Yash Chopra was magical. Great songs in Noorie( “Chori Chori Koi Aaye”, Title Song), Kabhie Kabhie( all the songs).
Bazaar had lovely songs again, Lata’s Dikhaye Diya Yun being one of my eternal favorites.
Hazaar Raahein in Thodi Si Bewafai, Aankhon Mein Humne Aapke from same movie were great numbers too.
And his score for Umrao Jaan could take up an entire article by itself, one of the best albums i ever heard myself. Annu Mallik’s score for later Umrao Jaan, comes nowhere close.
kabhi-kabhi and umrao jaan were the high-points of his movie career. but razia sultan also had some haunting music … aye-dil-e-nadaan was beautiful. even trishul had some pretty hummable nos. like mohhabat bade kaam ki cheez hai
trishul, IMO, had one of the most underrated music scores of late 70’s. check out the yesudas song ‘aapki mad-bhari aankhon ko gazal kehte hain’ and ‘jaane-mann tum kamal karte ho’
yash chopra, after being impressed with kabhi-kabhie, had promised to give khayyam all his subsequent movies, and thts how trishul and noorie came abt, but with silsila & kaala patthar going away, khayyam realised not to take ppl at their face value. he went ahead with a vengeance to compose the only movie he had in hand, to show yash chopra what he might have missed in silsila, and the result was his best work till date.. umrao jaan. (of course, im not taking anythg away from silsila score by shiv-hari, i think they r a gem in their own right.
The 80’s was the period when Bollywood touched its lowest point as movies became more crass and the quality of songs touched the nadir. People like Khayyam obviously could not get along in such an environment, and he could not cater to the more fast paced demands of the 90’s. But in his career, he gave us songs, that wud be eternal classics.
The early 80’s really had some classics like Silsila and Umrao Jaan, but the advent of the Jeetu -Sridevi movies and later the “Khoon”,”Aag” movies effectively killed Hindi movie music for some time.
Nice Article. I really liked it as I am a big fan of Khayyam.
I believe Razia Sultan was one of the best.
If you have not heard the Album than go fetch it.
I believe it is much better than Kabhie Kabhie and Umrao Jaan.
Choom kar raat sulaayengi is the best by Lata. She has taken the song to the next level.
Jalta hain badan is till date the best item number ever sung. It shows Lata’s versatility. Whoever says that Asha is better at item numbers has to eat his words when he hears this one.
Aye dil e nadan has the best lyrics / very well composed. Music complementing the lyrics.
Zanjeer ki jhankar is a classic and tera hijr hi mera naseeb hain is my all time favourite. Babban Khan should have sung more songs than what he has till date.
Even the other numbers are great. I can go on and on.
Music here was an extension of the lyrics. Both complementing each other.
This was a complete Album.
Khayyam has given an arabic feeling to the album by using the Oud instrument to a great effect.
I just love his music.
Khayyam is indeed someone who defied the stereotype & gave quality music.he may not done a lot of movies when compared to his peers, but his quality of work is not something to be ignored.So Trishul,Umrao Jaan,Razia Sultan,Kabhi Kabhi etc were all gems from him.
Vastly underrated composer…he’s given us true gems…and a different sound from Lata Manageshkar and Asha Bhonsle. The songs Lata-ji sang for him like Aye Dil-e-Nadaan (Razia Sultan) and Dikhai Diye Yun (Bazaar) are my personal Lata Mangeshkar favourites…and I don’t like a lot of her songs to be frank. He also gave Asha Bhonsle arguably her best film soundtrack (Umrao Jaan). He also had this knack of using male voices well…like Yesudas sings a stanza in Mohabbat Bade Kaam ki Cheez Hai (that’s the best part of the song) and Kishore Kumar in “Hazaar Rahein”.
Vastly underrated composer…he’s given us true gems…and a different sound from Lata Manageshkar and Asha Bhonsle. The songs Lata-ji sang for him like Aye Dil-e-Nadaan (Razia Sultan) and Dikhai Diye Yun (Bazaar) are my personal Lata Mangeshkar favourites…and I don’t like a lot of her songs to be frank. He also gave Asha Bhonsle arguably her best film soundtrack (Umrao Jaan). He also had this knack of using male voices well…like Yesudas sings a stanza in Mohabbat Bade Kaam ki Cheez Hai (that’s the best part of the song) and Kishore Kumar in “Hazaar Rahein”. We miss u indeed, Khayyam saab!
Good one… Will write a detailed reply shortly..
but right now just want to mention, Tomorrow, February 18 is his 83rd Birthday! so the timing of the article is great…
Long Live Khayyam saab!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KHAYYAM SA’AB, FROM ALL OF US AT PFC. MAY GOD GIVE YOU A VERY LONG LIFE.
There are two songs of Khayyam which I found recently and I loved them both.Both has Rajesh Khanna featuring in them.One is Chandni raat mein ek bar tujhe dekha hai where kakaji is with Jaya Prada.Another is Na jaane kya kua jo tune chun liya.Both are good.
@ anindya: chandni raat mein is from Dil-e-Nadaan (1982), with jaya prada. na jaane kya hua is from Dard (1984) with hema. incidentally, dard had another soul-stirring song… pyar ka dard hai, meetha-meetha, pyara-pyara. double role by both kaka & hema.
lyrics for both movies by naqsh lyallpuri.
@Satyendra:Thanks for the info.Ya I have heard the song Pyar ka dard hai,meetha meetha…Never knew it is from the same film.
How on earth can u call him versatile ?? how u lost it??? he cant compose nethn else than a ghazal or light classical….lastly, start listening to somthn good!!!
@ Harsh: did u read the whole article or started puking by looking at the title itself?
@Satyendhra
what difference does it makes????the only Indian Composer who can boast of being Versatile is AR Rahman…he has composed everythin …every genre..jazz, classical, hindustani, pop, rock, punjabi, ravindra sangeet,western classical, fusion, folk ,sufi,bangla music,ghazals , its a never ending list….dude please get ur stats in place…and ur definition of being versatile…..if u r still not convinced than ..all i can conclude is u belong to a different school of music!!! and lastly again , try and listen to somth really good!!!