Nashad

Known popularly as Nashad, composer and music director Shaukat Hussain Dehelvi composed music for approximately 29 Hindi films from 1947 to 1963. Moving to Pakistan in 1964, he continued to score music for Pakistani films till the 1970s. From amongst his work in India, Nashad is best remembered for his music for the film Bara Dari (1955) which includes hits such as Tasveer banata hoon, Bhula nahin dena ji and Mohabbat ki bas itni daastan hai. His well-appreciated songs include Jadugar baalma (Naghma, 1953), Ek dil do hain talabgar (Darwaza, 1954), Aaj gham kal khushi (Jawab, 1955), and Rafta rafta woh meri (Zeenat, 1975). Among his notable films are Naghma (1953), Bara Dari (1955), Zindagi Ya Toofan (1958), Maikhana (1964), Phir Subah Hogi (1966), Hum Dono (1966), Rishta Hai Pyar Ka (1967), Tum Mile Pyar Mila (1969), Salgira (1969), Chand Suraj (1970), Sapera (1970), Afshan (1971), Rim Jhim (1971), Baharo Phool Barsao (1972), Ek Raat (1972), Azmat (1973), Insaan aur Gadha (1973), Naya Rasta (1973), Deedar (1974), Zeenat (1975), Palki (1975), and Milan (1978). He was awarded the Nigar Award for Best Music Composer for Maikhana (1964), as well as for Salgira (1969). 

Born in Delhi, British India on 11 July, 1923, he was educated at a local high school, and also learnt to play the flute. Moving to Bombay in the early 1940s, he made his debut as a music composer under the name Shaukat Dehalvi in the action film Dildaar (1947) directed by Shiv Raj with lyrics by C M Muneer. It was followed by Jeene Do (1948) made under the banner of J Hind Chitra, and Payal (1948). The same year he also composed songs for Toote Taare (1948), scoring Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar’s famous ghazal Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon which became popular across the country. In 1949, he composed music for actor-director Yakub's film Aiye (1949), followed by the music of Dada (1949). 

The Ashok Kumar-Nadira starrer Naghma (1953) was the first film he scored for using the pseudonym Nashad—previously he had also used names such as Shaukat Haideri and Shaukat Ali Hashmi. Apparently, he wasn’t the first choice of Naghma’s producer-director, Nakshab Jarchavi. Jarchavi had first approached the much in-demand music composer Naushad. However, the latter declined to compose for the film, as he had three films in hand at the time; namely, Amar (1954), Udan Khotala (1955) and Mother India (1957). Slighted, Jarchavi offered his film to Shaukat instead, also re-naming him Nashad, a name that’s peculiarly close to Naushad—it was evidently Jarchavi’s way of getting back at Naushad. The film’s music was fairly successful and the name Nashad stuck. Unfortunately, while Nashad’s assumed name may have helped him garner more attention, it also led to people attributing his popular songs to his more famous peer.

Nashad went on to compose music for films such as Chaar Chand (1953), Darwaza (1954), Shahzada (1955), Subse Bada Rupaiya (1955), Bara Dari (1955), Jallad (1956), Bada Bhai (1957), Zindagi Ya Toofan (1958), Hathkadi (1958), Zara Bachke (1959), Qatil (1960), Flight To Assam (1961), Pyar Ki Dastaan (1961), Rooplekha (1962), Maya Mahal (1963), and Main Hoon Jadugar (1965). Flying Man (1965) was Nashad's last film in India as a music composer.

Migrating to Pakistan in 1964, he continued to compose for films with some success. He debuted as a composer with Maikhana (1964) directed by Nakshab Jarchavi. Having worked with Master Ghulam Haider, and Nisar Bazmi early in his film career, he went on to introduce Runa Laila to the Pakistani film industry from Karachi. Some of his popular songs in Pakistani films scored as a solo composer include Phir subah hogi by Masood Rana and Pyar hota nahi zindagi ke rendered by Runa Laila from Phir Subah Hogi (1966), the Runa Laila-Ahmed Rushdi duet Chali ho chali ho tum kahan dilruba from Hum Dono (1966), Zakhm-e-dil chhupa ke royein ge by Naseem Begum from Rishta Hai Pyar Ka (1967), Lay aayee phir kahan per qismat hamay kahan se rendered by Noor Jehan from Salgira (1969), Gori ke sar pe saj ke from Tum Mile Pyar Mila (1969), Mujhe kar dain na deewana tere andaz mastana sung by Mehdi Hassan from Naya Raasta (1973), and Aisa pyaar karne wala meri jaan tujhe dhoonde na mile ga from Milan (1978).

Nashad’s music for the 1955 film Bara Dari is considered his most accomplished work, and is the album that he is best remembered for. He composed the playful, foot-tapping duet by Rafi and Lata Bhula nahi dena ji, which was filmed on Ajit, who was still playing lead roles, and on the perky Geeta Bali. For the same film, he also composed the melodious ghazal Tasveer banaata hoon, rendered by Talat Mahmood. The elaborate arrangement employed by Nashad in this song gave the music a fuller and richer sound. 

Married to an Indian Muslim woman, Nashad had eight sons and seven daughters. Some of his children also followed his footsteps in the field of music. His oldest son, the late Wajid Ali Nashad, was a music composer in Pakistan, while his son Shahid Ali Nashad is a composer, Akbar Ali Nashad is also a composer and arranger, Imran Ali Nashad is a singer, and Ameer Ali is a film playback singer. 

Nashad passed away on 14 January, 1981 at 57 years of age after composing film music for over 60 films.