O.P. Nayyar will be rembered as the one and only music director who never ever used the voice of nightingale of India "Lata Mangeshkar".
He created rhythm based western style music. He created the rhythm of horse steps. He was responsible for making the legend Asha Bhonsale. It is sad that he sidelined the voice of Geeta Dutt. In 70’s he broke off with Asha . Had he usedthe voice of geeta dutt he could have been top rank music director.even in 70s after splitting with Asha. Another mistake which he did was underestimating and hurting gr8 playback singer iKshore. Though Rafi was his favorite and even though Kishore was Burman’s product he should have used kishore’s voice.in seventies. kishore had sung with him some excelent songs at times scoring over Rafi due to his yodeling.
The ego of op nayyar led to his downfall. Lp and khayyam compromised and used kishore as they wanted to be productive. After separation with Asha and rivalry with both mangeshkars it was very poor diplomacy to stay at a distance from kishore! May be kishore also was obliged to Burmans and Rahuldev Burman(husband of asha bhosale) was kisore’s main strength and hence he might have been helpless! None of us knows truth!
OP Nayyar never had any formal training in music and did not know ABCD of classical music and YET COMPOSED SOME CLASSICAL TUNES!
OP WAS A TRUE ARTISTE! He said he never composed background music for fighting scences!
OP had differences with Rafi as once Rafi came late to recording due to a recording with SJ and OP said pack up! He said "Mukesh is not a singer" nd yet composed a gem "chal Akela " for Mukesh!
HE WAS FADE UP WITH ANTICS OF KISHORE AT RECORDING AND TO TEACH HIM A LESSON HE MADE HIM SING IN VOICE OF "RAFI for Ragini! in the home production of kishore’s brother!
Op nayyar tried to use Mahendra kapur and Mahendra kapur sang "lakho hai yaha dilwale" superbly better than rafi or ishore could have, yet he commented "Mahendra kapur" is "charandas singer".*
OP. nayyar used to lave separately from his family in later years of his life as paying guest with other families. Along with asha he made a r8 use of voice of Rafi
He refused to accept "Lata Mangeshkar" award" of Rs. one lakh even though he was in need of money for 3 3easons,
1 As a comoser he disliked that a composer should be given the name AFTER A SINGER.
*2. AWARD SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN IN THANAME OF A LIVING PERSONALITY
3 he never used voice of Lata and whyshould he accept the award named after a singer LATA.
He maintained that credit of the success of a song is 50% for lyric writer, 25% for singer, 15% for aranger!
*Gems of op nayyar
1 chain se humko kabhi asha
2 mera nam chin hin hu geeta popular even today
3 ** jaiye aap kaha jayenge- asha
4 ye eReshmi julfo ka -asha
5 Mang ke saath tumhra- horse steps
6 Meri neendome tum mere khwabome tum - Kishore and Shamshad Begum - Even op raved about this! Regarded as one of the greatest duets in bollywood
7 Pukarta chala hu mai - Rafi at his best!
8 Lakho hai yaha dilwale - mahendra kapur superb!
9 Piya Piya piya Kare -Kishore and Asha sung beautifully by kKshore wit yodelling must isten
10- Saware ka suraj -kishore