Nayyara Noor

Nayyara Noor (Assamese: নেয়াৰ নূৰ, Urdu: نیرہ نور‎) is a Pakistani playback singer who is considered one of South Asia's popular film songs playback singer and a stage performer. She performs in the live ghazal singing concerts on Pakistan Television shows or in concert halls in the country.[1]

Nayyara Noor
Born3 November 1950
Guwahati, Assam, India
NationalityPakistani
OccupationPlayback singer
Years active1971 – 2012
Known forGhazal singing, film Playback singing
TitleBulbul-e-Pakistan
AwardsPride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2006
Nigar Award in 1973

Early life and career

Nayyara Noor was born on 3 November 1950 in Guwahati, Assam, northeastern India, and spent her early childhood there.[1] Her family and ancestors, belonging to a merchant class, were long settled in Assam having migrated from Amritsar, in Punjab.[2][1] Her father was an active member of the All-India Muslim League, and had hosted Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah during his trip to Assam before the partition in 1947. In 1957 or 1958, Noor with her mother and siblings migrated from India to Pakistan, settling in Karachi. However, her father stayed back in Assam until 1993 to look after the family's immovable properties.[1] As a child, Nayyara is said to have been inspired by the bhajans of Kanan Devi and Kamla as well as the ghazals and thumris of Begum Akhtar.[1][2]

Although Nayyara had no formal musical background nor formal training, she was discovered by Professor Asrar Ahmad at the Islamia College in Lahore after hearing her sing for her friends and teachers at an annual dinner at the National College of Arts in Lahore in 1968. Soon thereafter, she was asked to sing for the university's Radio Pakistan programs.[2][1]

In 1971, Nayyara made her public singing debut in Pakistani television serials and then beginning with films like Gharana (1973) and Tansen. She has since sung ghazals penned by the famous poets like Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz and has performed with legends like Mehdi Hassan and Ahmed Rushdi.[2]

Awards and recognition

She has since performed at countless mehfils and mushairas having cemented a following among ghazal lovers in Pakistan and India. Probably the most famous ghazal of hers (a form of song in Urdu poetry) was Ae Jazba-e-Dil Gar Main Chahoon, written by Behzad Lucknavi (1900-1974), a renowned poet of Urdu naats and ghazals, scriptwriter and songwriter of Radio Pakistan. Nayyara Noor later won many awards for this ghazal.[1][5]

Singing career

She is a versatile singer and following are some all time (non-film) great ghazals recorded in her voice:[5]

- Nayyara believes that Ibn-e-Insha's ghazals carry a unique pathos:

National song in Nayyara's voice:

  • 'Watan ki mitti gawah rehna' is widely listened to from Karachi to 'Khyber', Pakistan.[6][5]

During her long singing career, she has sung ghazals, geet, nazm and national songs. Sober and shy, she has always maintained her high singing standards from the beginning. She has also recorded hundreds of songs for the Pakistani films.

Song TitleLyrics byMusic byFilm and Year
Tera Saaya Jahan Bhi Ho Sajana, Palkain Bichha DuunKaleem UsmaniM Ashraf[2]Gharana (1973)
Aaj Gham Hai Tau Kya, Woh Din Bhi Zaroor Aaeiga, Jab Tera Gham Khushi Mein Badal Jaaega[5]Khawaja PervezKamal AhmadMastana (1973)
Roothay Ho Tum, Tumko Kaisay Manauun Piya, Bolo Na[1][2]Taslim FazliRobin Ghosh[2]Aina
Mujhay Dil Sey Na Bhulana, Chaahay Rokay ZamanaTaslim FazliRobin Ghosh[2]Aina
Iss Parcham Kay Saaey Talay Hum Eik Hain[2]Kaleem UsmaniM AshrafFarz Aur Mamta (1975)
Bol Ree Gurrya Bol[5]Masroor AnwarNisar Bazmi[2]Aas (1973)
Too Hee Bata, Pagli Pawan[5]Masroor AnwarM AshrafPhool Mere Gulshan Ka (1974)
Itna Bhi Na Chaho Mujhe[5]Parda Na Uthao (1974)
Toot Gaya SapnaKamal AhmadSubha Ka Tara (1974)

Nayyara's versatile voice touches the hearts of her fans in Pakistan and across the borders in India. More of her super- hit film songs are listed below:

  • 'Ik ajnabi chehray' (film:'Baghi Haseena')
  • 'Mera pyar tumhee ho' (1975 film: 'Farz aur mamta' lyricist: Kaleem Usmani music: M Ashraf)
  • 'Mausum tau diwana hai' (1975 film: 'Dou saathi' lyricist: Tasleem Fazli, music: Robin Ghosh)
  • 'Tera pyar bun kay Aaye' (1974 film: 'Bhool' lyricist: Khawaja Pervez, music: Robin Ghosh)
  • 'Zara meri nabz deikh kar' (1975 film: 'Ajnabi' lyricist: Tasleem Fazli music: Nisar Bazmi)
  • 'Phool bun ja-oon gee' (film: 'Qismat')
  • 'Kuchh loag mohabbat ka sila' (film: 'Gumrah')
  • Anjanay Nagar (Drama serial Anjanay Nagar)

Nayyara's admirers look forward to listening to her melodious voice for many years to come from her recordings. However, Nayyara Noor officially announced in 2012 that she no longer will sing professionally. After her marriage, she maintains that her primary roles have been those of a wife and a mother. She says that music has been a passion with her but never her top priority. Making money also has not been very important to her.[1]

Personal life

She is married to Shehryar Zaidi.[1] Her younger son Jaffer Zaidi is the lead vocalist of Kaavish music band, while the elder son Naad-e-Ali has started his debut as a solo singer.[1]

References
  1. Noorani, Asif (30 November 2012). "Nayyara Noor: muted melodies". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  2. Amjad Parvez (9 November 2018), "Nayyara Noor — a haunting, tuneful and sweet voice" Daily Times (newspaper), Retrieved 3 January 2021
  3. "President confers 192 civilian awards". Dawn (newspaper). 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. Swami Ji (24 November 2017). "Pakistan's 'Oscars': The Nigar Awards (scroll down to read 1973 awards)". Film Reviews on The HotspotOnline.com website. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  5. Profile of Nayyara Noor on travel-culture.com website Retrieved 3 January 2021
  6. A patriotic song by Nayyara Noor on The Express Tribune (newspaper) Published 13 August 2015, Retrieved 3 January 2021
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