Feroz Nizami

Feroz Nizami
Ferozuddin Ahmad a.k.a. Feroz Nizami
Background information
Birth nameFerozuddin Ahmad
Also known asFeroz Nizami
Born(1910-11-10)10 November 1910
British India (present-day Lahore, Pakistan)
OriginPunjab
Died15 November 1975(1975-11-15) (aged 65)
Lahore, Pakistan
Occupations
  • Composer
  • Classical singer
  • Music director
Years active1943 – 1975

Feroz Nizami (born Ferozuddin Ahmad; 10 November 1910 – 15 November 1975), was a Pakistani film score composer, music director and classical singer.

He composed music for bollywood films in British India and after partition, he remained actively involved in Pakistan film industry. He is primarily recognized as a music composer for a music blockbuster Indian film Jugnu (1947), which helped him to appear among the prominent composers in both India and Pakistan cinemas. His last composition in Bombay films was released in 1947, leading him to retain his position for more than twenty years in South Asia's music industry during the 1940s.[1]

Before he returned to Pakistan while working in Indian films, he was referred to as "Ustad of Bombay" by the Indian artists such as Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, and Dilip Kumar.[2]

During his last days, he extensively researched music and wrote books on the musical subject such as Ramooz e Moseeqi and Israr e Moseeqi, and an autobiographical book titled Sarchashma e Hayat, comprising a detailed account of his life. He is also credited for introducing the greatest Indian singer Mohammed Rafi to the Indian film industry.[3][2]

Early life and education

He was born on 10 November 1910 in British India (in modern-day Lahore, Pakistan).[4] Feroz Nizami received his education from the Government Islamia College, and later graduated from a government Islamia College, Lahore.[5][6] He also studied Sufism and Metaphysics. He was the brother of a Pakistani cricketer Nazar Mohammad and writer Siraj Nizami.[3] He was married to an Indian-born woman Ghulam Fatima. In 2016, his wife argued that she submitted multiple requests to the government of Pakistan, including provincial government of Punjab for financial assistance, she according to The Express Tribune is living in one rental room in Jogi Mohalla area of Bhatti Chowk, Lahore, and was not assisted by the authorities. Following the claimed difficult circumstances, she is believed to return her hometown Bhendi Bazaar, India.[7][8]

Feroz Nizami was originally working as a singer at a state-owned radio station at Lahore and was later transferred to the All India Radio and eventually at Delhi and later in Lucknow until he went to Bombay (now Mumbai) in search of career opportunities in bollywood. While working at the radio station, he had the opportunity to work with such people as Saadat Hasan Manto, Krishan Chander and another music director Khwaja Khurshid Anwar.[5][9]

Career

Prior to his debut in Urdu and Hindi films, Feroz received his training in classical music from the classical music teacher Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan of the Kirana gharana.[3][4] After completing his training, he left midway working for the All India Radio and went to Mumbai in bollywood film industry. He composed different types of music throughout his career, and used classical, semi-classical, thumris and western music in India (before partition) and in Pakistan (after partition). He originally started his career in 1943 with Vishwas film, in which he worked with Chhelalal, Indian music director.[4] He then composed music in 1946 for Neik Parveen film, a flop film of that time, but some of its compositions were good. Later in 1947, Noor Jehan and her husband Shaukat Hussain Rizvi's production company Shaukat Art Productions (SAP) in Mumbai recruited him to score the music for SAP's first film Jugnu, a music blockbuster film of 1940s.[4][10]

After the partition, he migrated to Lahore and started working as a music director in Pakistani film industry with his first film Hamri Basti (1949), a flopped film. However, four years later, Noor Jehan produced the Pakistani film, Chann Wey, his compositions for the film were praised in the Indian subcontinent. In 1952, he scored music for Dopatta film, the only high-grossing Pakistani film of the early 1950s.

Later work

During the late 1950s, he used to teach classical music at the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore, Pakistan.[11][3][2]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
# Title Year Music Director[12] Producer Screenwriter Music Composer
1 Vishwas[13][3] 1943 Yes
2 Us Paar[1] 1944 Yes
3 Umang[1] 1944 Yes
4 Badi Baat[13] 1944 Yes
5 Sharbati Aankhen[13][3][1] 1945 Yes
6 Piya Milan[3] 1945 Yes
7 Amar Raj[3][1] 1946 Yes
8 Nek Pervin[13][3] 1946 Yes
9 Jugnu[13][1] 1947 Yes Yes
10 Rangeen Kahani[1] 1947 Yes
11 Hamari Basti[1] 1950 Yes
12 Chanway[13][3][1] 1951 Yes
13 Dupatta[13][3] 1952 Yes Yes
14 Sharare 1955 Yes
15 Sohni[13] 1955 Yes
16 Intikhab 1955 Yes
17 Kismet[13] 1956 Yes
18 Solha Anne[13] 1959 Yes
19 Raaz[13][3] 1959 Yes
20 Zanjeer 1960 Yes
21 Manzil 1960 Yes
22 Mongol 1961 Yes
23 Saukan[1] 1965 Yes
24 Gulshan 1974 Yes
25 Sangeet 1974 Yes
26 Zar Zan Zamin[3] 1974 Yes

Literary work

In addition to composing music, he also wrote books on art and music, including English-language books entitled ABC of Music and History and Development of Music, the only writings on the subject that were first written after the country became a sovereign state.[3] In the later years, he wrote more books on the subject such as Ramooz-e-Moseeqi and Israr-e-Moseeqi.[3] A book he wrote on spiritualism was Sarchashma e Hayat, comprising his autobiography.[2]

Death

Feroze Nizami died on 15 November 1975 in Lahore, Pakistan.[14][3] His death anniversary is observed by the Pakistanis every year, particularly in Lahore.

Bibliography

  • Nizami, Feroze (1988). History and Development of Music. Punjab Council of the Arts. p. 151. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  • Nizami, Feroze (1988). ABC of Music. Punjab Council of the Arts. p. 142. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  • Nizami, Feroze (1988). Asrār-i mūsīqī. Niẓāmī Pablīkeshanz. p. 196. Retrieved 6 July 2020.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Filmography of Feroz Nizami". Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Adnan Lodhi (15 November 2019). "Feroz Nizami's 44th death anniversary observed". The Express Tribune newspaper.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Sarwat Ali. "Art of composition | Art & Culture |". The News International newspaper. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Famous music composer Feroze Nizami remembered". Associated Press of Pakistan website. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Music composer Feroz Nizami's death anniversary observed". The Express Tribune. 15 November 2018.
  6. ^ Dutta, Madhumita (6 July 2008). Let's Know Music and Musical Instruments of India. Star Publications. ISBN 9781905863297 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Music composer Feroze Nizami's widow wants to go back to India". The Express Tribune newspaper. 22 July 2016.
  8. ^ "مشہور گیتوں کے خالق فیروز نظامی کی بیوہ سال سے علیل کرایہ کے گھر میں رہتی ہیں". Nawaiwaqt (Urdu newspaper). 14 June 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Music Composer Feroz Nizam is Remembered On Death Anniversary". UrduPoint.
  10. ^ "37th death anniversary of Feroze marked". The Nation newspaper. Associated Press of Pakistan. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  11. ^ Rahim, Parvez (29 August 2014). "Tribute to Rafi". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ^ Amjad Parvez (23 September 2019). "Noor Jahan's top 10 most memorable songs". Daily Times newspaper. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Firoz Nizami movies and filmography". Upperstall.com website. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Famous Music Composer Feroze Nizami Remembered". UrduPoint.