O. P. Nayyar


Omkar Prasad Nayyar was an Indian film music composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, and musician. He is considered to be one of the most rhythmic and melodious music directors of the Hindi film industry. He won the 1958 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. Nayyar worked extensively with singers Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi but not with leading Bollywood female singer Lata Mangeshkar. However, Mangeshkar's song Saari Saari Raat Teri Yaad Satayein was used in the 1973 Hindi film Taxi Driver, for which Nayyar was music director. According to music and film expert Rajesh Subramanian, "Aap Ke Haseen Rukh" was planned with full orchestration but many of the musicians were late for the recording. After a disagreement with Mohammed Rafi, Nayyar began working with singer Mahendra Kapoor. Kapoor performed Nayyar's song "Badal Jaaye Agar Maali, Chaman Hotaa Nahi Khaali" in Bahaaren Phir Bhi Aayengi. Based on a Bengali language work by Rabindranath Tagore, Nayyar composed "Chal Akelaa, Chal Akelaa".
Nayyar co-produced songs with Shamshad Begum, and after Madhubala's 1969 death Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana,Mala Sinha, Padmini, Asha Parekh and Sharmila Tagore lip-synced several Nayyar-Bhosle songs. Nayyar and Bhosle parted ways in 1974, and he then worked with Dilraj Kaur, Alka Yagnik, Krishna Kalle, Vani Jayaram and Kavita Krishanmurthy. Majrooh Sultanpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi wrote the lyrics for some of Nayyar's earlier songs, including "Naya Daur". Nayyar also worked with developing lyricists such as Jan Nisar Akhtar, Qamar Jalalabadi, S. H. Bihari and Ahmed Wasi. He began the tradition of assigning full, three-minute songs to comedians. Om Prakash sang Nayyar's "Churi Bane Kanta Bane" in Jaali Note and Eent ki dukhi paan ka ikka in Howrah Bridge and Johnny Walker sang "Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahaan" in CID, "Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Jee" in Mr. & Mrs. 55, "Main Bambaika Baaboo, Naam Meraa Anjaanaa" in Naya Daur and "Bajewala" in Basant.
In addition to songs for Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt's, Thandi Thandi Hawaa, Nayyar wrote "Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawaanonkaa" for Naya Daur. The song earned him the 1958 Filmfare Best Music Director Award. The last Nayyar song performed by Bhosle was "Chain Se Humko Kabhi". Intended for Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye, disappeared in the film's final cut but won Bhosle the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer. Nayyar was more active during the 1960s than he was in the following decade, and did not compose music for younger actors such as Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. His films included Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Dharmendra, Shammi Kapoor, Joy Mukherjee, Biswajit, Feroz Khan, Bharat Bhushan, Madhubala, Asha Parekh, Sadhana, Mumtaz, Sharmila Tagore, Rajshree, Rekha, Ameeta and Shyama. In addition to Hindi films, Nayyar composed for Neerajanam in Telugu. He made a brief comeback during the 1990s with Mangni and Nishchay in 1992 and Zid in 1994.
O.P. Nayyar played a major part in shaping up Asha's career but Asha rarely mention it. She mentions S.D. Burman's name instead. Why OP and Asha parted away in 1974, both of them never talked about it.

Early life and career

Nayyar was born in Lahore, British India. He then underwent music training.
He composed the background score for Kaneez, and 1952's Aasmaan, was his first film as music director. Nayyar then composed music for Chham Chhama Chham and Baaz. Film producer, director and actor Guru Dutt enlisted him to compose and conduct music for Aar Paar, Mr. & Mrs. '55 and C.I.D.. Nayyar's early work was primarily performed by Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt and Mohammed Rafi, with Asha Bhosle introduced in C.I.D.
In 1957 Filmalaya introduced Nasir Hussain, who wanted a composer to provide romantic scores for newcomers Shammi Kapoor and Ameeta. Nayyar's scores were featured in the Hussain films Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. During the decade, state-controlled All India Radio banned most of Nayyar's songs because the broadcaster considered them too "trendy".

Personal life

In retirement Nayyar stayed in touch with only a few people, including Gajendra Singh and Ahmed Wasi; Singh included him as a judge for his television show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Wasi interviewed Nayyar twice on Vividh Bharati and presented a series of six one-hour episodes, Mujhe Yaad Sab Hai Zaraa Zaraa, about his life.
He had two brothers: P. P. and G. P.. Nayyar's wife, Saroj Mohini Nayyar, wrote the lyrics to "Preetam Aan Milo". Estranged from his family, he requested that they be barred from his funeral. Nayyar had moved out of his Mumbai home, staying with a friend in Virar and then with a friend in Thane. He died on 28 January 2007, survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. Nayyar's death was followed by tributes from many Bollywood figures, including Lata Mangeshkar, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Mahesh Bhatt, Khayyam, Shakti Samanta, Sonu Nigam, Ravindra Jain, Anu Malik, B R Chopra and Shammi Kapoor. A commemorative stamp was issued by India Post on 3 May 2013.His granddaughter Niharica Raizada is also an actress.

Filmography