Feroz Nizami

Feroz Nizami (born Ferozuddin Ahmad; 10 November 1910 – 15 November 1975), was a Pakistani film score composer, music director and classical singer. He composed music for bollywood films in British India and after partition, he remained actively involved in Pakistan film industry. He is primarily recognized as a music composer for a music blockbuster Indian film Jugnu (1947), which helped him to appear among the prominent composers in both India and Pakistan cinemas. His last composition in Bombay films was released in 1947, leading him to retain his position for more than twenty years in South Asia's music industry during the 1940s.[1] Before he returned to Pakistan while working in Indian films, he was referred to as "Ustad of Bombay" by the Indian artists such as Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, and Dilip Kumar.[1]

Feroz Nizami
Ferozuddin Ahmad a.k.a. Feroz Nizami
Background information
Birth name	Ferozuddin Ahmad
Also known as	Feroz Nizami
Born	10 November 1910 British India (present-day Lahore, Pakistan)
Origin	Punjab
Died	15 November 1975 (aged 65) Lahore, Pakistan
Occupation(s)	Composer Classical singer Music director
Years active	1943–1975
Associated acts	Radio Lahore All India Radio Bollywood Lollywood
Alma mater	Government Islamia College
Spouse(s)	Ghulam Fatima
Relatives	Nazar Mohammad, Siraj Nizami (brothers)

During his last days, he extensively researched music and wrote books on the musical subject such as Ramooz e Moseeqi and Israr e Moseeqi, and an autobiographical book titled Sarchashma e Hayat, comprising a detailed account of his life. He is also credited for introducing the greatest Indian singer Mohammed Rafi to the Indian film industry.[2]

Early life and education

He was born on 10 November 1910 in British India (in modern-day Lahore, Pakistan).[1][3] Feroz Nizami received his education from the Government Islamia College, and later graduated from a government college.[4][5] He also studied Sufism and Metaphysics.[1] He was the brother of a Pakistani cricketer Nazar Mohammad and writer Siraj Nizami.[2] His was married to an Indian-born woman Ghulam Fatima. In 2016, his wife argued that she submitted multiple requests to the government of Pakistan, including provincial government of Punjab for financial assistance, she according to The Express Tribune is living in one rental room in Jogi Mohalla area of Bhatti Chowk, Lahore, and was not assisted by the authorities. Following the claimed difficult circumstances, she is believed to return her hometown Bhendi Bazaar, India.[6][7]

Feroz Nizami was originally working as a singer at a state-owned radio station at Lahore and was later transferred to the All India Radio and eventually at Delhi and later in Lucknow until he went to Bombay (now Mumbai) in search of career opportunities in bollywood. While working at the radio station, he had the opportunity to work with such people as Saadat Hasan Manto, Krishan Chander and another music director Khwaja Khurshid Anwar.[1][4][8]

Career

Prior to his debut in Urdu and Hindi films, Feroz received his training in classical music from the classical music teacher Abdul Wahid Khan of the Kirana gharana.[2][3] After completing his training, he left midway working for the All India Radio and went to Mumbai in bollywood film industry. He composed different types of music throughout his career, and used classical, semi-classical, thumris and western music in India (before partition) and in Pakistan (after partition). He originally started his career in 1943 with Vishwas film, in which he worked with Chhelalal, Indian music director.[3] He then composed music in 1946 for Neik Parveen film, a flop film of that time, but some of its compositions were good. Later in 1947, Noor Jehan and her husband Shaukat Hussain Rizvi's production company Shaukat Art Productions (SAP) in Mumbai recruited him to score the music for SAP's first film Jugnu, a music blockbuster film of 1940s.[3][9][1]

After the partition, he migrated to Lahore and started working as a music director in Pakistani film industry with his first film Hamri Basti (1949), a flopped film. However, four years later, Noor Jehan produced the Pakistani film, Chann Vey, his compositions for the film were praised in the Indian subcontinent. In 1952, he scored music for Dopatta film, the only high-grossed Pakistani film of the 1950s.[10]

Later work

During the late 1950s, he used to teach classical music at the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore, Pakistan.[11][2]

Filmography

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

#	Title[12]	Year	Music Director[13]	Producer	Screenwriter	Music Composer
1	Vishwas[2]	1943
2	Us Paar	1944
3	Umang[1]	1944
4	Badi Baat	1944
5	Sharbati Aankhen[2]	1945
6	Piya Milan[2]	1945
7	Amar Raj[2]	1946
8	Nek Parvin[2]	1946
9	Jugnu	1947
10	Rangeen Kahani	1947
11	Hamari Basti	1950
12	Chan Wey[2][1]	1951
13	Dupatta[2][1]	1952
14	Sharare	1955
15	Sohni	1955
16	Intikhab	1955
17	Kismet[1]	1956
18	Sola Anne[1]	1959
19	Raaz[2]	1959
20	Zanjeer	1960
21	Manzil	1960
22	Mongol	1961
23	Saukan	1965
24	Gulshan	1974
25	Sangeet	1974
26	Zar Zan Zamin[2]	1974

Literary work

In addition to composing music, he also wrote books on art and music, including English-language books entitled ABC of Music and History and Development of Music, the only writings on the subject that were first written after the country became a sovereign state.[2] In the later years, he wrote more books on the subject such as Ramooz e Moseeqi and Israr e Moseeqi.[2] A book he wrote on spiritualism was Sarchashma e Hayat, comprising his autobiography.[14]

Death

Feroze Nizami died on 15 November 1975 in Lahore, Pakistan.[15][2] His death anniversary is observed by the Pakistanis every year, particularly in Lahore.[1]

Bibliography

• Nizami, Feroze (1988). History and Development of Music. Punjab Council of the Arts. p. 151. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
• Nizami, Feroze (1988). ABC of Music. Punjab Council of the Arts. p. 142. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
• Nizami, Feroze (1988). Asrār-i mūsīqī. Niẓāmī Pablīkeshanz. p. 196. Retrieved 6 July 2020.

References

1. Dutt, Sharad (14 December 2019). "A well-versed artist - Feroz Nizami". www.millenniumpost.in.
2. Sarwat Ali. "Art of composition | Art & Culture |". The News International (newspaper). Retrieved 8 July 2020.
3. "Famous music composer Feroze Nizami remembered". Associated Press of Pakistan website. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
4. "Music composer Feroz Nizami's death anniversary observed". The Express Tribune. 15 November 2018.
5. Dutta, Madhumita (6 July 2008). "Let's Know Music and Musical Instruments of India". Star Publications – via Google Books.
6. "Music composer Feroze Nizami's widow wants to go back to India". The Express Tribune. 22 July 2016.
7. "مشہور گیتوں کے خالق فیروز نظامی کی بیوہ سال سے علیل کرایہ کے گھر میں رہتی ہیں". Nawaiwaqt (Urdu newspaper). 14 June 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
8. "Music Composer Feroz Nizamis Remembered On Death Anniversary". UrduPoint.
9. "37th death anniversary of Feroze marked". The Nation (newspaper). Associated Press of Pakistan. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
10. "Tributes being paid to music composer Feroz Nizami today | SAMAA". Samaa TV News website. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
11. Rahim, Parvez (29 August 2014). "Tribute to Rafi". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
12. "Firoz Nizami movies and filmography". Cinestaan. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
13. Amjad Parvez (23 September 2019). "Noor Jahan's top 10 most memorable songs". Daily Times (newspaper). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
14. "Feroz Nizami's 44th death anniversary observed". The Express Tribune. 15 November 2019.
15. "Famous Music Composer Feroze Nizami Remembered". UrduPoint.

External links

• Feroz Nizami at IMDb