M A I N   N E W S

Noor Jehan dead

KARACHI, Dec 23 (AFP, DPA) — Pakistani legendary singer and actress Noor Jehan, known as the country’s melody queen, died here today at the age of 75 after a protracted illness, her family said.

“She had a heart attack which proved fatal,” Ms Meena Shah, a family members, said, adding that the veteran singer died at home.

The news of her death was received with grief by the film industry and fans throughout the country.

“A legend has died,” said senior television and film actor Talat Hussain.

Noor Jehan, started her career at the age of five, when she performed on stage in Calcutta. She became the subcontinent’s first female child star at the age of nine when she acted in a Punjabi language film in Lahore (Pakistan).

Noor fades away from Jehan 
By Shamsher Singh Sandhu

Noor Jehan, famous Pakistani singer, who was been suffering from cancer, is no more. Her melodious voice will continue to haunt music lovers.

Born in Damsal village of Kasur district (now in Pakistan), she started her career from Lahore’s Heera Mandi. Her enchanting voice and beautiful face caught people’s attention so much so that she was compelled in to join the film industry. She acted and sang for 25 films. “Umeed”, made in 1941, was her first film. In 1947, she acted in “Mirza-Sahibaan”, before she migrated to Pakistan after the partition of the country.

A “contemporary of Suraiya” and Khursheed she first sang for the film “Heer Sial” of which one song still is very popular. “Tere mukhre da kala kala til ve, Kadah ke lai gaya, mere dil ve; ve mundiya Sialkotia”.

The other films for which she sang are: “Dheeraj”, Khandaan”, “Fariyaad”, Aadaab Araz”, “Naukar”, “Nadaan”, “Dost”, “Lal Haveli”, Badi Maa”, “Bhai Jaan”, “Village Girl”, “Zeenat”, “Dil”, “Humjoli”, “Talwarwalla”, “Aabidaa”, “Do Bhai”, “Jugnu” and “Meera Bai”.

Her songs of these films were very hit: “Shokh sitaron mein hilmil ke khelenge hum ankh micholi” of “Khandan” and “Tu konsi badli mein mere chand hai aja” also of “Khandan”, “Bade bewafa hain mard inpe bhul hai marna” of “Duhai”, “Nacho sitaron nacho ab chand nikalne wala hai” of “Zeenat”, “Haath seene pe rakh ke karaar aa jaye” of “Mirza-Sahiban”. Her song with Mohammad Rafi in the film “Jugnu” — “Yahan badla wafa ka bewafaee ke siwa kya hai” was a big hit.

She also acted in “Fariyaad”, “Vish Kanya” and “Bhagat Raj”. She co-starred with, among others, Ishwar Lal, Gul Muhammad, Mubarak, Master Vittal, Ansari, Vishnu Pant, Chander Mohan, Surinder, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Moti Lal, Karan Diwan, Nazeer and Dilip Kumar.

Her only film with Dilip Kumar was “Jugnu”.

She worked with Naushad only in one film, “Anmol Ghari” — the songs of which still ring in the ears of people “Aaja meri barbad muhabat ke sahare, hai kaun jo bigari hui taqdeer saware”, “Mere bachpan ke saathi mujhe bhul na jaana”, “Jwan hai muhabaat hansi hai zamana”, “Awaaz de kahan hai, dunia meri jawan hai” and “Kya mil gaya bhagwan tumhe dil ko dukhaa ke”.

There was magic in her voice. Everytime she sang people would listen with apt attention.

By practice she had developed such stamina that she could sing for hours together. Anyhow, she was not fussy about eating. She loved eating any thing new and spicy, but talked very less, as according to her, it affected her throat.

She sang many Punjabi songs, which too were hit like, “Ve aake tur jaan wale mahiya”, “Mahi ve sanu bhul na jaanvee”, “Dhiyan te dhan paraaya ve babula”.

Her style of singing inspired many singers who tried to emulate her.

In 1982, when Nur Jehan first came to India, she was given rousing reception. The scene at the Bombay airport looked as if the whole film industry had thronged to receive her. Among others, there were Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachhan, Yash Chopra.

Before she left for Pakistan she attended a musical programme where the audience wanted her to sing. But after singing a Punjabi number she was in tears and said: “I’m deeply moved by your love and affection. Please don’t ask me to sing more”.

In personal life, she was a romantic person. She was lovingly called ‘Malika-e-Tarannum’ and ‘Khatoon-e-Pakistan’. She was first involved with Syed Shaukat Hassan Rizvi but Rizvi used her name for monetary gains for which both once were involved in a court case.

After Partition, Nur Jehan married Ejaz Durrani but later divorced him and married a pilot. A couple of years later she divorced him also. Pakistani film star Yusuf Khan was also her husband at one time.

Once, when Nur Jehan went to England to meet her husband who was in jail, newspapers splashed reports that she had gone there for marrying. She felt hurt.

Once she said “Main sur ko ibadatt manti hoon”, fanatics were up in arms and demanded that she be ostracized.