Khuda Khair Kare (May God Bless)!

The Hindi Film Industry, at present based at Bombay (Mumbai) and thus called Bollywood, helped innumerable music personalities to propser. Back in the pre-independence days, when both Calcutta and Bombay used to be the centres for moviemaking, many miracles happened. During that era, a poor engineering dropout (Hemant Kumar) could create music that many believed made snakes came rushing into wherever it was being played. Or that a guy (Anil Biswas), who as a poor kid had to work as a dishcleaner to earn a living in some nondesctipt teashop, could make some of the most beautiful music of that era.

During the following years, the Hindi Film Industry attracted the very best of the Urdu poets belongting to the entire Indian sub-continent. Anyone who, for example, has read the poem entitled, "Taaj Mahal" by Sahir Ludhianvi, would agree to it. There were so many really great poets that I won't even attempt to name any!

That was the lyrical age; music had meaning then. And the moviemakers respected their music makers and song writers. Interestingly, many classical composers and singers looked down upon the Insdian cinematic music. For example, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, irritated by he arrogance of K. Asif, wanted to avoid singing in "Mughal-e-Azam" at any cost, and to dissuade him, demanded Rupees 25,000 per song. Mind you, it was in 1960! And it was a big money then. But K. Asif, as arrogant as he was, wasn't disheartened by this; on the spot, he handed Khan down with a cheque (check) for half of the total amount. To lure the Ustad, Naushad Ali, the main music composer for the film, even showed the Ustad some of the raw rush-print of Madhubala's acting in the movie. And there was none who could say no after that; not even Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan!

Then came Shankar Jaikishen, who brought in Western music and also copied some of it. R.D. Burman followed the suit. And thereafter came an era, when every two-bit clown with a synthesizer could compose what he called "Music", and get away with it. By that time, some of the greats such as Mukesh and Rafi would be dead, and others such as Talat Mahmmod and Manny Dey would retire.

We are talking of the early '80s here. During that whole period of void, if one voice made a difference, it was, in my opinion, that of Kabban Mirza. An announcer with the All India Radio, Bombay, Mirza auditioned as a singer for the movie, Razia Sultan, and was selected from among about 50 candidates. What followed was history.

Mirza sang only two songs in the movie. But those two songs were, to many, more memorable than many other singer's numerous songs! Those songs had a haunting melody in them that affected listeners strongly. Till today, I've not yet met a single person who loves light classical Indian music, that does not like Mirza's "Khuda khair kare", or "Tera hijr mera naseeb hai"

However, Bollywood never treated Mirza well. He miserably failed to get more assignments, and aparently went back to his job at the All India Radio.

Over the years, I've tried to find more info about him. Sadly though, I never scucceeded. The only useful hit I got was a new item in 2003, where it was mentioned that Mirza was fighting a losing battle against throat cancer, and he lost his voice completely by then.

I don't know if Kabban Mirza is still alive, though I sincerely hope that he is!

I also wish that "Khuda khair kare" (May God bless him)!
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Here's the link to the only useful article on Kabban Mirza:
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=26392

For Taaj Mahal: http://www.urdupoetry.com/meg/meg032.html
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Comments Received : joi_devivre wrote: "Oh dear, you're the only other person I've come across who's as obsessed with Kabban Mirza as I am. To me, he is definitely one of the greatest singers ever to grace Hindi film music, and how tragic that all we have from him are merely two songs. But what songs!! Worth much more than a lifetime of cacaphony cobbled together by many who were much more successful than him. Sad to know about his present condition. I'll go and listen to "Tera Hijr" right now. BTW, tried commenting on your blog, but apparently comments are restricted to team members."