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O. P. Nayyar
Born January 16, 1926(1926-01-16)
Lahore, British Punjab, British India
Died January 28, 2007 (Age 81)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation Music director, composer

Omkar Prasad Nayyar (January 16, 1926 - January 28, 2007) was a famous Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, in modern day Pakistan. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The title of music director or musical director is used by many Symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.

Contents

Career

O. P. Nayyar ( "Opee" ) started his career as a movie music composer by composing the background score for the movies, Kaneez (1949) and Aasmaan (1952). He started receiving increasing public recognition from his compositions for Guru Dutt's Aar Paar (1954), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), C.I.D. (1956), and Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1958). Guru Dutt ( Kannada: ಗುರು ದತ್ತ್ Hindi: गुरु दत्त ( July 9, 1925 - October 10, 1964 Aar Paar (English This or That is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language film Mr & Mrs '55 is a 1955 Bollywood film by director Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt stars alongside Madhubala, supported by Lalita Opee went on to notch up even higher distinction through his compositions for Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Mere Sanam. Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon is a 1963 Indian Bollywood film The film became a superhit at the box office Mere Sanam is a 1965 Hindi film based on a story by Narendra Bedi, produced by G The former movie included his enormously popular song, Bandaa Parwar, Thaamlo Jigar, while the latter included Jaayiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge and Pukaarataa Chalaa Hoon Main. Some months later, his scores for the movie, Kashmir Ki Kali, once again gained high popularity. Kashmir Ki Kali is a 1964 Indian film directed by Shakti Samanta.

Opee is reported to have commanded the highest fees in the Hindi movie music world at the height of his reign as a composer. He was the first Hindi music director to receive 100,000 rupees for his compositions for a movie. It was a very substantial sum of money in the 1950s.

Opee was known to have a stubborn individuality, and traits of aloofness and imperiousness. However, he was always generous with struggling newcomers and artists who had been marginalized in the movie industry. The press was always deferential to him, and frequently referred to him as a "rebel" composer. Many columnists too labeled him as a maverick. Judging from his combative performance in various TV talk shows later on, Opee seemed to enjoy those epithets.

During the 1950s, the state-controlled All India Radio found Opee too "trendy", and put for quite some time a ban on broadcasting most of his famous tunes. All India Radio (abbreviated as AIR) officially known as Akashvani ( Devanagari: आकाशवाणी ākāshavānī ( Urdu: اکاشوانی He seemed to have remained undaunted by this highhanded government order, and went on to create more, similar tunes, and most of them continued to receive national popularity. The far-away Radio Ceylon, (which later transformed into Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation), was at that time the only source from which Opee's new hits could be heard. Radio Ceylon is the oldest Radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department Soon the English language press began referring to him with the honorific, "maestro", though Opee was still very young then.

Artists

Opee worked extensively with Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, and Mohammed Rafi, and was instrumental in building their careers. Geetā Dutt (গীতা দত্ত born Geetā Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri) 23 1930 – July 20 1972 was a prominent Indian Playback singer in Hindi Asha Bhosle (आशा भोंसले (born September 8, 1933) آشا بھونسلے is an Indian singer Mohammed Rafi (Hindi मोहम्मद रफ़ी Urdu محمد رفیع December 24, 1924 – July 31, 1980) was a popular Indian Some Bollywood observers maintained that Asha Bhosle was his find and that he groomed her specially for his tunes. Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India Many of his compositions which Asha sang are memorable and have a contemporary flair.

Opee never worked with Lata Mangeshkar, the melody queen in Bollywood music. Lata Mangeshkar (लता मंगेशकर born September 28, 1929) لتا منگیشکر is a singer from India. After a breakup with Mohammed Rafi, Opee started to work with Mahendra Kapoor, an upcoming male singer. Mahendra Kapoor (January 9 1934 Amritsar, Punjab, India - September 27 2008 Mumbai, India was an Indian Playback singer. He also worked in the movie, Sambandh, with Mukesh, who was the favorite playback singer of Raj Kapoor. Mukesh ( Hindi: मुकेश) ( 22 July 1923 &ndash 27 August 1976) was an Indian playback singer of Bollywood Ranbirraj Kapoor 'The Show-man' ( Hindi: राज कपूर Rāj Kapūr December 14, 1924 - June 2, 1988) was an Indian Based on one of Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali compositions, Opee had composed the song, Chala Akelaa, Chala Akelaa, which Mukesh had sung, and it had become a national hit. The same movie also included a memorable baritone rendering by Hemant Kumar, who was both a top-notch singer and a renowned Bollywood composer in his own right. Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay ( Bangla: হেমন্ত কুমার মুখোপাধ্যায় Hemonto Kumar Mukhopaddhae) also known as Hemanta (Like many other movies for which Opee provided scores, Sambandh is remembered mostly because of its music. )

Mahendra Kapoor sang Opee's compositions, displaying much depth of feelings, and provided cadence and rhythm to Opee's style. His rendering of the song for Dharmendra, Badal Jaaye Agar Maali, Chaman Hotaa Nahi Khaali in Bahaaren Phir Bhi Aayengi was an instant hit. Dharamendra Singh Deol (धर्मेन्द्र सिंह देओल (ਧਰਮਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਉਲ born 8 December 1935 in

Opee recognized very early in the career of Kishore Kumar his talent as a singer. Kishore Kumar ( Hindi: किशोर कुमार ( August 4, 1929 &ndash October 13, 1987) was an Indian film Both movies, Baap Re Baap and Raagini contain many Kishore Kumar hits in the inimitable Opee style. Regrettably, a cordial relationship between Opee and Kishore Kumar did not endure.

In the black-and-white movie era, Madhubala, who could provide a distinct, stylized performance for Opee's songs became Opee's favorite heroine. Madhubala ( Hindi: मधुबाला مدھو بالا ( February 14, 1933 &ndash February 23, 1969) born Mumtaz Begum After her untimely death, heroines like Vyjayanthimala, Mala Sinha, Padmini, Asha Parekh, and Sharmila Tagore lip-synced several of Opee-Asha Bhosle numbers, and a large number of those songs gained high popularity. Vyjayanthimala Bali ( வைஜெயந்திமாலா பாலி) was born on August 13 1936 in Chennai Tamil Nadu Mala Sinha (माला सिन्हा (born 11 November, 1936) is an Indian actress Padmini ( June 12, 1932 - September 24, 2006) was an Indian actress and trained Bharathanatyam dancer who acted in over Asha Parekh ( October 2, 1942) is a Bollywood actress director and producer See Tagore for disambiguation Sharmila Tagore (শর্মিলা ঠাকুর ''Shormila Ṭhakur'') (also known as Ayesha Sultana Opee-Asha Bhosle's stylish songs, Phir Wohi Dil Layaa Hoon and Aankhonse Jo utree Hai Dil Main which were lip-synced by Asha Parekh, remain memorable after forty years.

Opee and Asha Bhosle parted ways in 1974, and that parting impacted Opee for the rest of his life. After the breakup, he tried to work with several good singers, including Dilraj Kaur, Alka Yagnik, Krishna Kale, Vani Jayaram, and Kavita Krishanmurthy, but the magic in his work somehow seemed to have long gone. Vani Jayaram is one of the major female Playback singers in India. Almost until his last days, he would often refer to Asha as a singing sensation. Embittered Asha, on the other hand, practically ignored him after the breakup, and held the thought that she was beholden to no single composer.

On the part of Asha, she went on to become a widely popular singer while working with many other composers, including, most notably, R D Burman, but the special lilt in her voice which was there when she sang Opee's compositions did not seem to be there anymore. Rahul Dev Burman (राहुल देव बर्मन ( June 27, 1939 &ndash January 4, 1994) commonly known as R

Majrooh Sultanpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi wrote some memorable lyrics for some of Opee's earlier compositions such as in Naya Daur. Majrooh Sultanpuri ( October 1, 1919 - May 24, 2000) was an Urdu poet lyricist and songwriter Sahir Ludhianvi ( March 8, 1921 – October 25, 1980) was a popular Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist and songwriter However, generally keeping clear of established song writers of his time, Opee experimented with different upcoming lyricists like Jan Nisar Akhtar, Qamar Jalalabadi, Shamshul Huda Bihari, and Ahmed Wasi, who tried to write the lyrics that would match the sensuous tunes which Opee would have in his mind. Jaan Nisaar Akhtar ( February 14, 1914 - August 19, 1976) was a famous Indian poet of Urdu Ghazals and Nazms Qamar Jalalabadi (1919 - 9th January 2003 also known as Qamar Jalabadi, was a writer particularly of Soundtracks of Bollywood movies Ahmed Wasi (born 1942 is not an anonymous name in the field of Urdu literature and Hindi film music In the tradition of the great composers in India, Opee was fond of the poetic flourish of the Urdu language for his more serious songs. The Rafi rendering, Dilaki Aawaaz Bhi Sun, Mere Fasanepe Na Jaa in Humsaya is one of Opee's haunting scores.

Opee's wife, Saroj Mohini Nayyar, is an accomplished lyricist. She wrote the C H Atma/Geeta Dutt song, Preetam Aan Milo, which launched Opee into the big league of Bollywood composers.

Opee started the tradition of assigning to comedians full three-minute long songs, some of which proved even more popular than the songs sung by the heroes themselves. These supporting actors also received excellent reviews. Thus, comedian Om Prakash sang Opee's composition, Churi Bane Kanta Bane Oo My Son in Jaali Note. Om Prakash ( 19 December 1919; Lahore – 21 February 1998; Mumbai) was an Indian Character actor. Comedian Johnny Walker sang Opee's popular song, Yeh Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahaan in C.I.D., and Main Bambaika Baaboo, Naam Meraa Anjaanaa in Naya Daur. Johnny Walker ( May 15, 1923 &ndash July 29, 2003) is the screen name of a talented Indian movie comedian who acted in over 300 movies There was later a movie titled Johnny Walker where Johnny Walker himself was the hero. Along with some other numbers in the last movie, Asha Bhosle/Gita Dutt's, Thandi Thandi Hawaa in it is memorable .

Rhythm was Opee's specialty. His spirited composition, Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawaanonkaa featuring Dilip Kumar and Ajit in Naya Daur (1957) is an all-time favorite in India even after fifty years. Yusuf Khan (यूसुफ़ ख़ान Urdu: یوسف خان; jusʊf xan (born December 11, 1922) popularly known as Dilip Kumar Lata Mangeshkar once said that her most favorite Opee-Asha Bhosle tune was Aao Huzoor Tumko Sitaaromein Le Chale in Kismet. The last Opee composition which Asha sang was Chainase Humko Kabhi. It was meant to be included in the movie, Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye (1974), but it was dropped in the final version of the movie. Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye is a 1974 Hindi movie produced by Ratan Mohan and directed by S However, it became an Opee classic, and it won Asha a Filmfare Best Playback Singer Award.

According to some critics, Opee did not choose his movies well and "wasted" some of his superb tunes on B-grade actors like Joy Mukherjee, Biswajeet, and Babita. Joy Mukherjee (জয় মুখার্জী is an Indian film actor Biswajit ( Hindi: बिस्वजित चत्तेर्जि Urdu: بِسوجِت چتّیرجِ full name Biswajit Deb, Bengali: Babita ( April 20 1948) is an Indian Actress. She is now better known as the mother of actresses Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor Though Opee was still active in his musical career in the 1960s and '70s, to the regrets of his fans, Opee did not compose music for the then superstar Rajesh Khanna or budding Amitabh Bachchan. Rajesh Khanna ( Hindi: राजेश खन्ना Punjabi: ਰਾਜੇਸ਼ ਖੰਨਾ (born Jatin Khanna on December 29, Opee also did not provide music for movies starring heroes of the day like Sanjeev Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, and Jitendra. Sanjeev Kumar ( Hindi: संजीव कुमार ( July 9, 1938 &ndash November 6, 1985) was one of the most prominent Shashi Kapoor ( Hindi: शशि कपूर born Balbir Raj Kapoor on March 18, 1938 in Calcutta is an Indian film actor and Again, with the exception of Rekha, Opee did not compose music for heroines like Hema Malini, Rakhee, or Zeenat Aman, who were all well known around the time he could have made a re-entry as a top composer. Hema Malini ( Tamil: ஹேமமாலினி Hindi:हेमा मालिनी (born October 16 1948) is an Indian actress Raakhee Gulzar ( Hindi:राखी गुलजार (born August 15, 1947 in India) also known as Raakhee or Rakhi Zeenat Aman (ज़ीनत अमन زینت امان born November 19, 1951) is a famous Bollywood actress.

The other Bollywood maestro, S D Burman, was far more successful as a composer. Sachin Dev Burman (শচীন দেব বর্মন( October 1, 1906 - October 31, 1975) (also credited as Burman da, Twenty years Opee's senior, the mild mannered Sachin Dev Burman composed exquisite tunes for a succession of Bollywood stars despite a long-lasting breakup with Lata Mangeshkar. With Asha Bhosle singing for Nargis his mellifluent composition, Koi Aayaa Dhadkan Kehti Hai in Lajwanti, S D Burman had all but declared that he was Asha's new mentor. For the town in France see Nargis Loiret; For the 2008 cyclone which devastated the Irrawaddy Delta and the city of Yangon see Cyclone Nargis Opee held Burman in high esteem and was reported to have said that the Burman-Lata solo for Waheeda Rehman in Guide, Aaj Phir Jeeneki Tamannaa Hai, was the best ever song in Hindi for its sheer evocative beauty and matching lyrical lines. Guide (released in 1965 is a hit Bollywood cinema starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman. (Unfortunately, the recording of that song was of mediocre quality. )

Apart from Hindi films , Opee also composed music for a few South Indian movies, including Neerajanam in Telugu.

Opee faded from the Bollywood scene in early 1970s, though he made a comeback attempt in the 1990s.

Personal life

During his retirement, Opee stayed in touch with only a few select friends. Gajendra Singh and Ahmed Wasi were two among them. Ahmed Wasi (born 1942 is not an anonymous name in the field of Urdu literature and Hindi film music Gajendra Singh included Opee as a judge for his successful TV show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Ahmed Wasi interviewed Opee twice for Vividh Bharati and presented his life-sketch through six hour-long episodes collectively titled as Mujhe Yaad Sab Hai Zaraa Zaraa. Ahmed Wasi (born 1942 is not an anonymous name in the field of Urdu literature and Hindi film music


For some years before his death, Opee had very unfortunately been estranged from his family members (to the extent that he had requested that they be not allowed to attend his funeral). Following the estrangement, he had moved out of his house at Marine Drive in Mumbai (Bombay), leaving his family behind, and begun to stay at a friend's place in the suburb of Virar. (A month before his death, he had moved to yet another friend's place in Thane. )

Opee passed away on January 28, 2007 through cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, and a son.

On his death, tributes came from many prominent Bollywood figures, including Lata Mangeshkar, B R Chopra, Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Mahesh Bhatt, Khayyam, Shakti Samanta, Sonu Nigam, Ravindra Jain, and Anu Malik. Shammi Kapoor ( Hindi: शम्मी कपूर Urdu: شمّی کپُور born October 21, 1931, is an actor in Bollywood films See Tagore for disambiguation Sharmila Tagore (শর্মিলা ঠাকুর ''Shormila Ṭhakur'') (also known as Ayesha Sultana Mumtaz is an Arabic word (then adopted by Persian and Urdu meaning "the distinguished" "the best" or "prominent Mahesh Bhatt (born on September 20, 1949) is a prominent Indian film director producer and screenwriter Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi (better known as Khayyam) is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades (1953–1990 Shakti Samanta (শক্তি সামন্ত (born January 13, 1926 in Burdwan, West Bengal, British India) is an Indian director Sonu Nigam or Sonu Niigaam (सोनु निगम born July 30, 1973 in Faridabad, Haryana, India) is an Ravindra Sharma (or Ravinder Sharma, also sometimes credited as Ravinder) is an Indian music composer who won the Filmfare Best Music Director Anwar Malik, better known as Anu Malik (अनु मलिक or Annu Malek is a music director in the Hindi (or Bollywood) film industry

Partial fimography

The following are a few of his major hits:

Trivia

Opee owned a Cadillac in the 1950s and with the possible exception of V. Shantaram the well known Director, none in Bollywood owned one before. Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon is a 1963 Indian Bollywood film The film became a superhit at the box office Starring Bobby Deol Kismat may refer to Kismet Film Kismat, a 1968 Hindi film* Phagun is the twelfth and last month of the Nanakshahi calendar, which governs activities within Sikhism. Howrah Bridge is a 1958 film directed by Shakti Samanta. Its name is a reference to Howrah Bridge, which connects Howrah to Kolkata Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. V Shantaram, renowned Indian producer-director-actor most known for his films like Dr

Opee is sometimes criticized for repeating his own tunes in different films, and some new compositions did have a ring of familiarity to them.

Mumtaz, the yesteryear heroine, was forthright when she said that Opee was a brilliant maestro and that she knew for long that many others had tried repeatedly to copy his style. Mumtaz (born July 31 1947 in Bombay, India) is a famous Bollywood Actress. To Mumtaz that indeed was the real tribute to Bollywood's famous rebel. Imitation was really the praise due. But Opee's wizardry was his own.

Did he listen to his own music in his twilight years? Never, Opee declared, adding he did not have a collection of his own music! "Once I have made them, I am finished with them"! A rare sentiment indeed!

It is also widely acknowledged that when a well-known Opee tune is being played many just impulsively listened in. Even his critics admit his tunes had an arresting, declarative quality.

In the last few years he was often fond of invoking the name of Lord Krishna.

It has been reported he turned a homeopath helping the needy with his medicines free of cost.

External links

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