| O. P. Nayyar | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 16, 1926 Lahore, British Punjab, British India |
| Died | January 28, 2007 (Age 81) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Music director, composer |
Omkar Prasad Nayyar (16 January 1926 – 28 January 2007) was an Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan.
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O. P. Nayyar ( "O.P." ) started his career as a movie music composer by composing the background score for the movie Kaneez (1949). Aasmaan (1952), produced by Dalsukh M. Pancholi was O.P.Nayyar's first film as independent music director, after which he composed music for Chham Chhama Chham (1952) and Baaz (1953). He composed music for Guru Dutt's Aar Paar (1954), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), C.I.D. (1956), and Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957). He composed music for Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Mere Sanam. The former movie included his song, Bandaa Parwar, Thaamlo Jigar, while the latter included Jaayiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge and Pukaarataa Chalaa Hoon Main. Some months later, he scored for the movie, Kashmir Ki Kali.
During the 1950s, the state-controlled All India Radio found O.P. too "trendy", and put for quite some time a ban on broadcasting most of his tunes.[1] The far-away Radio Ceylon, (which later transformed into Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation), was at that time the only source from which O.P.'s new songs could be heard.
O.P. worked extensively with Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, and Mohammed Rafi.
O.P. never worked with Lata Mangeshkar. After a breakup with Mohammed Rafi, O.P. started to work with Mahendra Kapoor, an upcoming male singer. He also worked in the movie, Sambandh, with Mukesh. Based on one of Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali compositions, O.P. composed the song, Chal Akelaa, Chal Akelaa, sung by Mukesh. The same movie also included a baritone rendering by Hemant Kumar.
Mahendra Kapoor sang O.P.'s compositions. He sang for Dharmendra, Badal Jaaye Agar Maali, Chaman Hotaa Nahi Khaali in Bahaaren Phir Bhi Aayengi.
O.P. did produce a few songs with Shamshad Begum, including "Kajra Mohabbatwala". After Madhubala's death, heroines like Vyjayanthimala, Mala Sinha, Padmini, Asha Parekh, and Sharmila Tagore lip-synced several of the O.P.-Asha Bhosle numbers.
O.P. and Asha Bhosle parted ways in 1974. After the breakup, he tried to work with several singers, including Dilraj Kaur, Alka Yagnik, Krishna Kale, Vani Jayaram, and Kavita Krishanmurthy.
Majrooh Sultanpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi wrote some lyrics for some of O.P.'s earlier compositions such as in Naya Daur. However, O.P. experimented with different upcoming lyricists like Jan Nisar Akhtar, Qamar Jalalabadi, Shamshul Huda Bihari, and Ahmed Wasi.
O.P.'s wife, Saroj Mohini Nayyar, is a lyricist. She wrote the C H Atma song, Preetam Aan Milo.
O.P. started the tradition of assigning to comedians full three-minute long songs. Comedian Om Prakash sang O.P.'s composition, Churi Bane Kanta Bane Oo My Son in Jaali Note. Comedian Johnny Walker sang O.P.'s song, Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahaan in C.I.D., "Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Jee" (Mr. & Mrs. 55), and Main Bambaika Baaboo, Naam Meraa Anjaanaa in Naya Daur. 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.
His composed a song, Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawaanonkaa featuring Dilip Kumar and Ajit in Naya Daur (1957). The last Opee composition which Asha sang was Chain Se 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. However, it won Asha a Filmfare Best Playback Singer Award.
Though O.P. was still active in his musical career in the 1960s and '70s, he did not compose music for Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan. He also did not provide music for movies starring Sanjeev Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, and Jitendra. With the exception of Rekha, O.P. did not compose music for heroines like Hema Malini, Rakhee or Zeenat Aman. He gave music to only one movie with the late Raj Kapoor (Do Ustad).
Sachin Dev Burman composed tunes for a succession of Bollywood stars. With Asha Bhosle singing for Nargis his composition, Koi Aayaa Dhadkan Kehti Hai in Lajwanti.
Apart from Hindi films, O.P. also composed music for a few South Indian movies, including Neerajanam in Telugu.
O.P. faded from the Bollywood scene in early 1970s, though he made a comeback attempt in the 1990s --- "Mangni" and "Nishchaiy" in 1992 and "Zid" in 1994.
During his retirement, O.P. stayed in touch with only a few select friends. Gajendra Singh and Ahmed Wasi were two among them. Gajendra Singh included Opee as a judge for his TV show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Ahmed Wasi interviewed O.P. twice for Vividh Bharati and presented his life-sketch through six hour-long episodes collectively titled as Mujhe Yaad Sab Hai Zaraa Zaraa.
OP had a brother P.P. Nayyar, who was an MD and worked in J. A. Hospitals, Gwalior.
For some years before his death, O.P. had 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.
O.P. died on 28 January 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, the late B R Chopra, the late Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Mahesh Bhatt, Khayyam, Shakti Samanta, Sonu Nigam, Ravindra Jain, and Anu Malik.
Non-film albums:
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