Master
Ghulam Haider (1908 - 1953) was one of the all time
greats amongst the pioneering music directors of India.
His biggest hit in early phase of his career came with
Khazanchi (1941). The music of Khazanchi caused a revolution.
By then composers of the 1930s who had embellished films
with their exquisite compositions based on classical
raagas, were beginning to sound commonplace. Combining
popular raagas with the rich verve and rhythm of Punjabi
music, Haider ensured the Indian film song would never
be the same again.
He moved from Lahore to Bombay with his team in 1944,
where he worked in films like Chal Chal Re Naujawaan
(1944), Phool (1944), Humayun (1945), Bairam Khan (1946),
and Shama (1946). It is true that his best known compositions
are sung by legendary singer Shamshad Begum, and invoke
Punjabi folk songs, and extensively feature percussion
instruments like the dholak.
Young Geeta sang for the maestro Ghulam Haider in her
debut year 1946 for a group song “Jab chaand jawan hoga”
with stalwart singers Shamshad Beghum, Munawwar Sultana
and Naseem for the film Bairam Khan.
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