Ghulam Haider

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Ghulam Haider (1908 - November 9, 1953) was an early film music composer who worked both in India and Pakistan.

Ghulam Haider was born in Hyderabad, Sind in 1908. After a few years of indifferent schooling, and after passing his intermediate examination, he was admitted to a college of dentistry. Meanwhile, he also took music lessons from Baba Ganeshlal. Prior to completing his degree, he gave up dentistry, and joined the Alfred Theatrical Company in Calcutta as a harmonium player. Later, he quit that company and joined the Alexander Theatrical Company. He also briefly worked for the Jenaphone Recording Company as a music composer. Haider composed the music for several songs and ghazals recorded by the famous singing star Umra-o-Zia Begum, which were released as gramophone records. In 1932, the year Haider joined Playart Photophone, A.R. Kardar gave him the opportunity to compose the music for his film Swarg Ki Seehri (1935) which was a Lahore-based production, a film in which Umra-o-Zia played a major role. It was released under the banner of National Modi, Lahore and directed by Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj. Unfortunately, the film did not do well at the box office. Haider soon married Umra-o-Zia Begum, who quit show business after their marriage.

Then Dalsukh M. Pancholi, asked him to write the musical score for his Punjabi venture Gul Bakavli (1939) which became an instant hit. Baby Noor Jehan's songs, Shala Jawaaniyan Mane and Pinjray day vich qaid jawani, were soon on the lips of every Punjabi film fan. But Ghulam Haider's hour of glory was still to come. His biggest hit 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.

Haider's association with Pancholi was to last until 1944, a period during which he scored scintillating music. He moved 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). The soundtrack of Shama was notable for the dexterous use of the tabla. As his fellow music composer Naushad put it, the tabla "spoke the words". His best known compositions are sung by Shamshad Begum, and invoke Punjabi folk songs, and extensively feature percussion instruments like the dholak. While in Bombay, Haider also composed music for Bombay Talkies' Majboor featuring Lata's Dil Mera Toda, Wali Saheb's Padmini, Diwan Pictures' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, Pancholi's Patjhar and Filmistan's Shaheed, all made in 1948.

It was Haider who gave Lata Mangeshkar her major break in Hindi films with Majboor (1948). He had earlier taken 16 year old Lata to S. Mukherjee to try and win her the opportunity to sing in Shaheed, but Mukherjee rejected her, saying her voice was too thin! Haider predicted that this "poor little thing" would soon put every other singer to shame including Noor Jehan. Other singers he introduced were Sudha Malhotra and Surinder Kaur. Shaheed and Kaneez (1949) were among his last big hits in India. In the former, who can forget the patriotic song Watan Ki Raah Mein Watan Ke Naujawaan Shaheed Ho? The song was used twice in the film, first at a fast tempo to raise the morale of the revolutionaries, and later slowly and solemnly during the revolutionary hero's funeral procession.

Following the explosion of the ammunition laden ship at the Bombay docks towards the end of World War II, and the mass exodus of its citizens from the city, Ghulam's musicians migrated to Lahore. In vain, Haider pleaded with them to stay on. He offered them two months' salary in advance and secure shelter, but they refused and bid him a tearful farewell. Later, Ghulam Haider left for Lahore himself and floated his own concern, Filmsaz, in partnership with Nazir Ajmeri and actor S. Gul. Their maiden production, Gulnaar, was released on November 6, 1953 and three days later, the great composer himself died at the age of 45. His funeral on November 10 was attended by prominent people from all branches of film trade. The news of his death caused a gloom over Bombay. The Cine Musicians' Association called a special meeting to mourn his death.