Naushad - Tribute Blunder
This is connection with the recent tribute paid by the television channels like NDTV, Headlines Today, Sahara Manoranjan and others after the sad demise of legendary composer Naushad on 5th May. It was extremely shocking to watch song clippings like ’Chalte chalte...’, ’ Inhi logon ne...’ from the film Pakeezah being aired ceaselessly as tribute to Naushadsaab. The songs of Pakeezah was composed by the immesely talented Ghulam Mohammed and no one else. Naushadsaab due to his long association with him stepped in to complete the film’s background score after Ghulam Mohammed’s sudden demise before the release of Pakeezah which took more than 10 years in the making. What annoys me the most is that when these channels can spend crores of rupees on frivilous game shows and senseless soap operas cant they appoint a genuine music expert who can bring his expertise to good use during such important events. By commiting this blunder they have not only insulted the genius who passed away but have also hurt the sentiments of several vintage hindi film music lovers who still cherish Ghulam Mohammed’s eternal compositions from films like Mirza Ghalib, Kundan, Shayar, Laila Majnu, Paras and Pakeezah. It is so unfortunate to learn that inspite of being such a wonderful music director Ghulam Mohammed never really got his due when he was alive. And even today more than thirty years after his death the situation is still the same.