Mujeeb Alam

By Sarwat Ali

Mujeeb Alam, was one of the many playback singers who lent their voices to the leading men like Waheed Murad and Nadeem in the heydays of Pakistani cinema. He shot to fame with 'Woh merey saamney tasveer bane baithe hain' for the film Chakori (1967), when he sang for the debutant Nadeem. His was one of the leading male voices in film music for the next ten years.

The Pakistani film music was faced with a problem right from the word go. Noor Jehan was the leading female film singer, but there was no male singer to match her in ability and experience. Many male singers were tried and some sang for a few years, but could not really make the grade both on the bars of popularity and musical ability. Sharafat Hussain was tried -- he sang well but he did not last very long and is more remembered for one song that he rendered 'Jab tere shehr sey guzarta hoon' for the film Wada. Salim Raza was a popular singer who sang a number of songs that went down well with listeners of film music. He was followed by Munir Hussain who also sang well and his voice was picturized on quite a few leading men of the times including Santosh Kumar.

Then Ahmed Rushdi for about a decade ruled the silver screen's music with his lively numbers which complemented the roles that were best represented by Waheed Murad. He was surely the most sought after hero that Pakistan has had and his debonair, dashing, cavalier style needed a voice that could enhance that image. Masood Rana too sang for many years, emulating Muhammed Rafi especially in the exploration of the upper register.

The person who was to stay the longest in the film world and made a significant contribution to film music was Mehdi Hasan. He had already established himself as a singer when he started to sing for the films. Even as he continued to pursue it, his real contribution has been in ghazal gaiki where he really excelled and helped in consolidating a new style.

It was not easy for singers like Mujeeb Alam to make their mark because not very many films were made and hence the opportunities were limited. There was also less diversity in the type of films which were being made in Pakistan. This can be said to be generally true of all films that have been made in the Bombay popular mould, and could offer an explanation as to why in India as well a small number of singers have been able to dominate film music despite the fact that such a large number of films are made there -- probably the largest number to be made in one single country. This possibly explains the long careers of singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Muhammed Rafi.

Without taking anything away from the brilliance of the two mentioned, it can be said that versatility and transparency were two qualities which the two singers had. This was applied with success in the spectrum of forms that constituted film music. The transparency of a singer's voice makes it easier for him or her to adjust the voice in accordance with the person playing the role and versatility makes it possible to sing all kinds of songs -- from dirges to lilting ditties, from songs for the old to the young. It helps immeasurably if the voice of the singer is not very distinct and stylized for a particular form of singing. The singer should be particularly aware of the crucial importance of the bols as compared to a classical singer for whom bols are only incidental.

The other reason which attracted singers to films was financial reward. There were very few private mehfils then and no one there wanted to listen to film music -- it was either classical music or singing that accompanied mujra.

The other forum, radio paid very little pittance and it was just not possible to survive on it. It only made a singer popular and served as a certified introduction. It was thought that a person who had performed at the radio does have potential and promise. Without these it was not possible to sing for the radio. The recording companies which used to cut discs of music other than film music had scaled down on it as very little of the music was recorded and sold independently. Mostly discs of some singer who had already become famous would be cut.

Mujeeb Alam had some of the qualities of film singing. His enunciation of lyrics was quite articulate. He had the basic training in music which made his sur not to quiver and grope for the right station. But his range was limited and he could not be as versatile as some of his other contemporaries and gradually faded away from the scene. As there was no other platform from where he could express himself musically he was soon forgotten. He lived in total oblivion for the past 20 years.

Some of famous numbers sung by Mujeeb Alam are: Main terey ajnabi shehr mai;, Main khushee sey kyoon na gaoon; Wo naqaabe rukh ulat kar; Bujha na dil raat ka; Dil teri yaad main; Thaki thaki si zindagi, Khuda kabhi na kare, Tum ney wada kiya tha aane ka; Khuda ney husn diya aisa bemesaal tujhe; Yoon kho gai terey pyaar main hum; Dunya walo tumhari dunya main; Kasam us waqt ki jab zindagi karwat badalti hai; Hari hari rut aai sawan ki; Ae beqarar tamanna zara thehar ja;, Zara tum hi socho bichar kar ye milna and Kisi key bechain dil ki dharkan.


	\| Back \| By Sarwat Ali Mujeeb Alam, was one of the many playback singers who lent their voices to the leading men like Waheed Murad and Nadeem in the heydays of Pakistani cinema. He shot to fame with 'Woh merey saamney tasveer bane baithe hain' for the film Chakori (1967), when he sang for the debutant Nadeem. His was one of the leading male voices in film music for the next ten years. The Pakistani film music was faced with a problem right from the word go. Noor Jehan was the leading female film singer, but there was no male singer to match her in ability and experience. Many male singers were tried and some sang for a few years, but could not really make the grade both on the bars of popularity and musical ability. Sharafat Hussain was tried -- he sang well but he did not last very long and is more remembered for one song that he rendered 'Jab tere shehr sey guzarta hoon' for the film Wada. Salim Raza was a popular singer who sang a number of songs that went down well with listeners of film music. He was followed by Munir Hussain who also sang well and his voice was picturized on quite a few leading men of the times including Santosh Kumar. Then Ahmed Rushdi for about a decade ruled the silver screen's music with his lively numbers which complemented the roles that were best represented by Waheed Murad. He was surely the most sought after hero that Pakistan has had and his debonair, dashing, cavalier style needed a voice that could enhance that image. Masood Rana too sang for many years, emulating Muhammed Rafi especially in the exploration of the upper register. The person who was to stay the longest in the film world and made a significant contribution to film music was Mehdi Hasan. He had already established himself as a singer when he started to sing for the films. Even as he continued to pursue it, his real contribution has been in ghazal gaiki where he really excelled and helped in consolidating a new style. It was not easy for singers like Mujeeb Alam to make their mark because not very many films were made and hence the opportunities were limited. There was also less diversity in the type of films which were being made in Pakistan. This can be said to be generally true of all films that have been made in the Bombay popular mould, and could offer an explanation as to why in India as well a small number of singers have been able to dominate film music despite the fact that such a large number of films are made there -- probably the largest number to be made in one single country. This possibly explains the long careers of singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Muhammed Rafi. Without taking anything away from the brilliance of the two mentioned, it can be said that versatility and transparency were two qualities which the two singers had. This was applied with success in the spectrum of forms that constituted film music. The transparency of a singer's voice makes it easier for him or her to adjust the voice in accordance with the person playing the role and versatility makes it possible to sing all kinds of songs -- from dirges to lilting ditties, from songs for the old to the young. It helps immeasurably if the voice of the singer is not very distinct and stylized for a particular form of singing. The singer should be particularly aware of the crucial importance of the bols as compared to a classical singer for whom bols are only incidental. The other reason which attracted singers to films was financial reward. There were very few private mehfils then and no one there wanted to listen to film music -- it was either classical music or singing that accompanied mujra. The other forum, radio paid very little pittance and it was just not possible to survive on it. It only made a singer popular and served as a certified introduction. It was thought that a person who had performed at the radio does have potential and promise. Without these it was not possible to sing for the radio. The recording companies which used to cut discs of music other than film music had scaled down on it as very little of the music was recorded and sold independently. Mostly discs of some singer who had already become famous would be cut. Mujeeb Alam had some of the qualities of film singing. His enunciation of lyrics was quite articulate. He had the basic training in music which made his sur not to quiver and grope for the right station. But his range was limited and he could not be as versatile as some of his other contemporaries and gradually faded away from the scene. As there was no other platform from where he could express himself musically he was soon forgotten. He lived in total oblivion for the past 20 years. Some of famous numbers sung by Mujeeb Alam are: Main terey ajnabi shehr mai;, Main khushee sey kyoon na gaoon; Wo naqaabe rukh ulat kar; Bujha na dil raat ka; Dil teri yaad main; Thaki thaki si zindagi, Khuda kabhi na kare, Tum ney wada kiya tha aane ka; Khuda ney husn diya aisa bemesaal tujhe; Yoon kho gai terey pyaar main hum; Dunya walo tumhari dunya main; Kasam us waqt ki jab zindagi karwat badalti hai; Hari hari rut aai sawan ki; Ae beqarar tamanna zara thehar ja;, Zara tum hi socho bichar kar ye milna and Kisi key bechain dil ki dharkan.