Cinemaazi remembers Khursheed Anwar on his death anniversary

Today, on the death anniversary of Khursheed Anwar, we pay tribute to one of the most original music directors of his generation. Known for his work in films like Khamosh Sipahi (1950), Neelam Pari (1952) and Aulea-E-Islam (1979), Anwar was born on 21 March, 1912 in Mianwali, Punjab, Undivided India. In the course of his career, he went on to earn recognition both in India and Pakistan. His barrister father’s exhaustive collection of Hindi classical and neo-classical music, ignited a passion for music in young Anwar, who went on to be trained by Khansahib Tawakkal Hussain. A brilliant student of Government College, Lahore he also received a Gold Medal in Philosophy. Joining All India Radio, Delhi as Programme Producer (Music), he went on to make his debut as music director in Abdur Rashid Kardar’s Punjabi film, Kurmai (1941). Anwar’s Hindi film music debut came with Ishara (1943), which had a host of popular numbers. Successes followed in films like Parakh (1944), Yateem (1945), Aaj Aur Kal (1947), Pagdandi (1947), Parwaana (1947), Nishaana (1950) and Neelam Pari (1952). Considered by music director Naushad Ali as one of the finest film composers in the subcontinent, Khursheed Anwar replicated his success in Pakistan post migrating in 1952, with films like Mirza Sahiban (1956), Zehre Ishq (1958), Jhoomer (1959), Ayaz (1960), Chingari (1964), Sarhad (1966), Hamraz (1967), Guddo (1970), Heer Ranjha (1970), Salam E Mohabat (1971), Shireen Farhad (1975), Haider Ali (1979) and Mirza Jat (1982). He passed away on 30 October, 1984.