Ghulam Mohammed - The Unsung Composer
The Indian film industry has never been short of tragic tales. Of broken hearts, unsung heroes, living life in anonymity once you are past your prime. And at times, the work getting recognized well after death.
Composer Ghulam Mohammed’s story is one such tragic tale. And I have a specific reason of including this story on this website.
Born in 1903 in family of musicians, Ghulam Mohammed started his career as a child actor at age six with the Punjab-based New Albert Theatrical Company, he soon became popular and eventually became the Dance-Director of the company. Soon he was in Bombay as started off as a music composer.
Then, for 12 long years he assisted music directors like Naushad and Anil Biswas before turning independent composer. This was a rare instance, where Ghulam Mohammed - who was senior to Naushad - both in age and debut in industry, still continued to assist him. Many music watchers, though debatable, still claim that much of Naushad’s success was attributed to his assistants - Ghulam Mohammed being one of them.
As an independent composer, Ghulam Mohammed churned out many masterpiece albums including Dil-e-nadan, Laila Majnu and Mirza Ghalib (which won him the President’s award).
And then in the late 1950s, came an offer from Kamal Amrohi - to compose the music for his biggest ever project - Pakeezah. But Pakeezah was jinxed. Though Ghulam Mohammed composed 12 songs for the film, the Meena Kumari starrer got shelved several times.
But after 1961, when Ghulam Mohammed suffered a heart-attack, things changed. Work started petering off. It was the swinging sixties, rock-and-roll had blazed into the music Industry - while Ghulam Mohammed wasn’t willing to go that route. His work was labeled as old-fashioned and then his struggle began.
My mid-sixties things had turned worse. Here’s what Vinod Mehta, biographer of Meena Kumari writes in his 1971 book:
Mr. Ghulam Mohammed died a pitiable and harrowing death. In the middle of 60s, the room in Hindi films for genuine Indian music had virtually disappeared. Cheap imitations of Rock-n-Roll were in vogue and the ‘Ya Hoo’ type of melody reigned supreme.
Ghulam Mohammed was a classical musician. To him “Ya Hooo” was anathema and he continued to practise his type of music. Amrohi, recognizing talent, had signed him on but nobody else. Borrowing a tape-recorder, Mr. Mohammed made rounds to the producers. He played then his Pakeezah songs. “This is my quality of music,” he would say and ask for work.
The producers were unimpressed. This was no music they said. This was out of date. Could he produce something more contemporary, more jazzy? Poor Ghulam Mohammed would return with his tape-recorder.
In 1968 he was sick. He had no money to buy food. He had no money to buy medicine. Soon Ghulam Mohammed was dead, unmourned and unremembered. He had died in sickness and in poverty and in shame.
Next year when they are distributing the Filmfare Awards and Ghulam Mohammed gets his for Pakeezah, as I confidently expect him to, he will take little comfort in posthumous glory.
Ghulam Mohammed passed away in 1968. And Pakeezah could manage a release in 1971. But Vinod Mehta’s wish didn’t happen. In 1972, the Filmfare award for the best music went to Shankar Jaikishen’s Be-imaan, ignoring Pakeezah. Veteran actor Pran was so angry that he declined his award for Be-imaan - saying that Pakeezah and Ghulam Mohammed deserved the best music award that year.
After Ghulam Mohammed’s death, when Kamal Amrohi had restarted shooting Pakeezah, several of financers told him to change the music - as it was outdated. But Amrohi refused saying that he could not betray a man who was dead.
When Pakezaah released in 1971 - it really didn’t do well. Two months later, Meena Kumari passed away - and suddenly, Pakezaah shot into limelight. And that is when the world woke up to the magic of Ghulam Mohammed - and songs like Inhi logon ne, Chalte Chalte, Chalo Dildaar Chalo and Thaare Rahiyo still linger on.
But what is this piece on Ghulam Mohammed doing on this website?
Here’s a little known fact - Raja Hasan is related to Ghulam Mohammed - Indian music industry’s most underrated, yet talented composer. Raja Hasan belongs to the same family of musicians that has given the ndustry legends like Ghulam Mohammed.
Probably, there is something in the genes.
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thanks a lot for sharing such good information..
its nice to know that Raja is from the same khandaan!
now i know, from where the fighting spirit comes from in Raja…
hats off to Ghluam saheb..
Thanks to Manish/Mr.He for sharing this information. Nice to know Mohammed is an ancester to Raja. Raja is lucky.
@ Praveen, this is a 100% manish offering praveen so all our thanks to manish the inimitable one.
Our Raja will indeed go very far with such an illustrious lineage to boot and will avenge all Of Ghulam Mohammed saheb’s sufferings and cruel fate InshAllah.
Raja I am feeling so nervous. have butterflies in my stomach as if my fate is going to be decided today and just like a teenager all over again.
All the best to you Raja and here’s wishing you all the happiness in the world.
Sach Raja lag raha hai aaj mera decision hone wala hai.
Wow …. great writeup manish … some of those songs that you have listed there are among my all time favs and i am only 21 ….. That goes to show that Music is NEVER outdated ….
Also, it is great to know that Raja has a connection with such a great legend. As padma said, Raja will surely avenge all Of Ghulam Mohammed saheb’s sufferings and cruel fate.
I Knew that its Manish’s offering just by reading first few lines. I guessed that he might have digged it seeing Zahida’s Ziggy (ofcourse Gulam’s pic is not there) as he thinks and explores beyond apart from reading others articles. He is a think tank. Thanks Manish!
No Praveen Manish scores even better because he had done all his digging business much before zahida’s ziggy. Because you see our Manish is a true and worthy leader that’s why.
Wow what a talented man he was,I am moved,
what an article,I am in tears,
Thank you so much Manish ji for sharing this article,we are really very unfortunate for not knowing about the real Legends of the industry,
Once again its been proved that Raja is lucky,definitely his ancestors blessings and genes are there in Raja.and he surely lives all his ancestors dreams.And offcourse we all Raja fans will be there for him until the last breath.
Once again thank you so much for the article.
Yes true Padma. and Manish, Can I know how you figured out that raja is related to Ghulam Mohammed?
what a marvelous piece.. manish thanks a zillion for the awesome article. I am deeply touched reading about Ghulam Mohammad Sahab. my heart aches. May God bless his soul in peace. oh i feel the pain thinking a legend like him had to go through all this pain. he will surely be in my prayers and I also pray that InshaAllah may Raja climb the ladder of success to be on the top for generations to come.
Raja I truly love you and wish the best of best for you.
Please remember that we your fans are always with you till our last breath. we love you for everything that you are and you will be tomorrow. may God bless you and may he also declare you a winner in very aspect of life. Amen!!
any news about who got eliminated from esbe?
Yes Manish ls tell us how you managed to dig this out.
All that I did Praveen was to confirm from Raja that he was indeed related to this great legend.
Manish pls tell us na?
i hadnt known that the movie pakeeza had to go through so much of turmoil…
all the songs from the movie pakeeza are my all time favorites and they shall remain my favorites forever.
i have some childhood memories related to the songs of pakeeza. one of my uncle was a good singer and he had taught me one of his favorite song “mausam hai aashiqana” when i was only about 3 years old. and in one party my uncle proudly asked me to sing that song and i apparently sang but i used lot of gaalis while singing .. not my fault ..it was all unintentionally since i couldnt pronounce the right words.. and then i became the laughing stock of my entire family .. every time we are sitting together they all make fun of me singing the song specially for the line “kahna ke rut jawaa hai aor hum taras rahe hai, kali ghata ke saaya beerhan ko das rahe hai, darr hai na maar daale saawan ka kya thikana”
RAFFU so sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet
can you pls tell us how did you sing that line? hehehehe
lol… sure aliza jaani… will sing over the phone
ok raffu. can’t wait to hear those gaalis from you
Manish/Mr.He… can you please update the Raja Hasan ebook.
believe me u dont want to hear them
@RAFFU…….good good
BTW what about todays fone call? have you done it?
RAFFU what about me? believe me i would love to hear all that
I was actually looking info for one of Raja’s relatives - who was (or is) supposed to be one of the finest exponents in his field in the music industry. Accidentally, I stumbled on a fact that this gentleman was related to Ghulam Mohammed. I remember Raja saying once that Ghulam saab belonged his family or community. Padma got me the confirmation that Raja and Ghulam Mohammed were related. What she didn’t get was - how are they related. More on the other gentleman in a separate post.
Manish, thank you so much for this beautiful and moving write-up on Ghulam Mohammed. Though, I love the songs in Pakeeza, I must confess I did not know about Ghulam Mohammed. I am very happy to learn of him and to know him now through this write-up.
I am so sad to read of the tragedy of his life and I am feeling especially sad that he did not get the recognition that he deserved when he was alive. I am so very glad that he is remembered again today by us here.
Manish waiting for the other write-up. Thank you for sharing.
Raffu I want to hear the lines with the galis and all.
ye jaan kar bahut khushi hui ki raja isi khandaan se taaluk rakhta hai lekin itna immortal music dene waale gulam mohammad sahab ke aakhri din itni badhali se gujre ye jaan kar bahut takleef hui.
is tareh ki news maine pehle bhi bahut suni hai ki kis tareh se alag alag field main desh ke liye naam kama chuke log aaj badhali ki jindgi jee rahe hai. sarkar ki taraf se unke liye koi help nahi hai .
isi tareh ke anzaam dekhte hue parents apne children ke kai talents ko supress kar dete hai aur routine education ki taraf dhakel dete hai taki aage survival ki koi dikkat na aaye.
hamari government ko is taraf thoda dhayan zaroor dena chahiye jis se is tareh ke fankaro ko thodi security mil sake.
shashi ji bahut khoob kaha aapne.. very very true.
gud to know RAJA has intelligent and famous relatives
R.I.P. Ghulam Mohammed
The song from “Amber” “hum tum yeh bahaar dekho rang laya Pyaar” is my favourite duet. The rytham is marvellous. I feel sad when I think about his plight when the rich Bollywood ignored this great composer. It is one of the biggest tragedies of our film industryCan anybody tell me which year the movie “Amber” was produced.
only god can help to create the melodies like pakeezah
it is beyond human to create the melodies like pakeezah