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Nayyara Noor (Urdu: نیرہ نور;‎ 3 November 1950 – 20 August 2022) was a Pakistani playback singer, considered one of Pakistan's most popular singers. She was known for performing in live ghazal singing concerts in Pakistani TV shows and in concert halls around the country.[1]

Nayyara Noor
Born	(1950-11-03)3 November 1950 Guwahati, Assam, India
Died	20 August 2022(2022-08-20) (aged 71) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Occupation	Playback singer
Years active	1971–2012
Known for	Ghazal singing
Title	Bulbul-e-Pakistan
Awards	Pride of Performance (2006) Nigar Award (1973)

Early life and career

Nayyara Noor was born on 3 November 1950 in Guwahati, Assam.[1] Her family and ancestors belonged to a merchant class.[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, along 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 when he heard her sing the Lata Mangeshkar bhajan “Jo tum todo piya” from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje 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 such as Gharana (1973) and Tansen. She went on to sing ghazals, a form of song in Urdu poetry, penned by the famous poets such as Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz and performed with legends such as Mehdi Hassan and Ahmed Rushdi.[2]

Awards and recognition

• Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2006.[3]
• Nigar Award for best playback female singer in film Gharana (1973).[4]
• Three Gold Medal Awards at the annual All Pakistan Music Conference concerts.[5]

She performed at mehfils and mushairas, having cemented a following among ghazal lovers in Pakistan and India. Probably the most famous ghazal of hers 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][6]

Singing career

She was a versatile singer; the following are some of the ghazals she recorded:[6]

• "Woh Jo Hum Mein Tum Mein Qarar Tha Tumhein Yaad Ho Keh Na Yaad Ho" (poet: Momin Khan Momin)[2]
• "Rang barsaat nay bharay kuchh tou" (poet: Nasir Kazmi, Nayyara's favorite poet)[6]
• "Phir sawan ruth ki pawan chali tum yaad aaei" (poet: Nasir Kazmi)[7]
• "Aye ishq hamay barbaad na kar" (Nazm; poet: Akhtar Sheerani; composer: Khalil Ahmed; a Pakistan Television production)[2][6]
• "Barkha Barsay Chhat Per, Mein Teray Sapnay Deikhuun" (poet: Faiz Ahmed Faiz; a Pakistan Television production)[2][1]
• "Kabhi Hum Bhi Khoobssorat Thay" (poet: Ahmed Shamim; for the PTV drama series Teesra Kinara)[6]
• "Jalay tau jalao gori" (poet: Ibn-e-Insha)[6]

The national song in Nayyara's voice, "Watan ki mitti gawah rehna", is widely listened to from Karachi to Khyber, Pakistan.[8][6]

Select songs

Song title	Lyrics by	Music by	Film and year
"Tera Saaya Jahan Bhi Ho Sajana, Palkain Bichha Duun"	Kaleem Usmani	M Ashraf[2]	Gharana (1973)
"Aaj Gham Hai Tau Kya, Woh Din Bhi Zaroor Aaeiga, Jab Tera Gham Khushi Mein Badal Jaaega"[6]	Khawaja Pervez	Kamal Ahmad	Mastana (1973)
"Roothay Ho Tum, Tumko Kaisay Manauun Piya, Bolo Na"[1][2]	Taslim Fazli	Robin Ghosh[2]	Aina (1977)
"Mujhay Dil Sey Na Bhulana, Chaahay Rokay Zamana"	Taslim Fazli	Robin Ghosh[2]	Aina (1977)
"Iss Parcham Kay Saaey Talay Hum Eik Hain"[2]	Kaleem Usmani	M Ashraf	Farz Aur Mamta (1975)
"Bol Ree Gurrya Bol"[6]	Masroor Anwar	Nisar Bazmi[2]	Aas (1973)
"Too Hee Bata, Pagli Pawan"[6]	Masroor Anwar	M Ashraf	Phool Mere Gulshan Ka (1974)
"Itna Bhi Na Chaho Mujhe"[6]			Parda Na Uthao (1974)
"Toot Gaya Sapna"[9]		Karim Shahabuddin	Bobby and Julie (1978)

More of her select songs are listed below:

Source(s): [10][11][12][13]

• "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 series Anjane Nagar)

In 2012, Nayyara Noor officially announced that she would no longer sing professionally. After her marriage, she maintained that her primary roles were those of a wife and a mother. She said that music was a passion with her but never her top priority.[1]

Personal life

She was 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 career as a solo singer.[1]

Death

She died on 20 August 2022 in Karachi after a brief illness at the age of 71.[14]

References

External links

• Nayyara Noor at IMDb
• Nayyara Noor discography at Discogs

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