Eisspeedway

A. Nayyar

Arthur Nayyar
Born14 April 1950
Died11 November 2016(2016-11-11) (aged 61)
OccupationSinger
Years active1974 – 2016
Known forFilm playback singing
AwardsPride of Performance Award in 2018
5 Nigar Awards during his film career

Arthur Nayyar (14 April 1950 – 11 November 2016), commonly known as A. Nayyar, was a Pakistani film playback singer.[1]

He started his career in 1974 with a duet song. Nayyar always claimed famous singer Ahmed Rushdi[2] as an important contributor to his career as he learned film playback singing from Rushdi and the noted singer Mehdi Hassan helped him improve his voice quqlity.[3][4]

Nayyar and Akhlaq Ahmed remained dominant playback singers of the Pakistani film industry in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.[5][2][3]

Early life

Nayyar was born in Chak No.148/9.L, Ranson Abad, a small village in the Sahiwal District to a Christian family.[1][3] His childhood was spent in Arifwala, Punjab, Pakistan and later he shifted to Lahore. He completed his matriculation from St Francis High School, Lahore and was admitted to Forman Christian College. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Government Central Training College in 1975. Nayyar spent his childhood watching both Indian and Pakistani films. Film playback singers like Muhammad Rafi, Talat Mehmood, and Saleem Raza inspired him.[1][6]

Career

Nayyar's first appearance on TV was on the show Naye Fankar in 1974 after which he began his playback singing journey.[1] He was introduced to Lollywood by Riaz Shahid, a noted filmmaker of the time, who was searching for a singing talent for his upcoming venture Bahisht (1974).[6] He was a student of film music director Wajahat Attre and also used to go to noted singer Mehdi Hassan for guidance.[1]

Nayyar sang over 4200 film, radio and television songs in his singing career.[6]

Death

A. Nayyar was a heart patient for the last few years. His 28 years old son's death was the main reason behind his deteriorating health. Moreover, he was in financial crisis as the film industry had totally forgotten him. On the night of 11 November 2016, around 8:30 pm, Nayyar died at his residence in Lahore of a cardiac arrest after a prolonged illness.[1] He was laid to rest at Christian Graveyard on Jail Road, Lahore in the presence of his friends, relatives and family members.[7]

Awards and recognition

  • Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2018.[8]
    5 Nigar Awards during his film career[4][1]
  • A. Nayyar won five Nigar Awards for playback singing.[5] His first Nigar Award for best singer in director Hasan Askari's film "Aag" in 1979, Nigar Award for best singer in director Sangeeta's film "Jeenay naheen doon gee" in 1985, Nigar Award for best singer in director Pervez Malik's film Ghareboan ka badshah in 1988 and Nigar Award for best singer in director Sangeeta's film "Taqat ka tufaan" in 1989 and then again in 1991.[4][5][3]
  • Yunhin din cut jaye, yuhin shaam dhal jaye, Sung by A. Nayyar and Rubina Badar, film song lyrics by Taslim Fazli, composed by music director A. Hameed, film Bahisht (1974)[5][3]
  • ‘Pyar to ik din hona tha, hona tha ho gaya’, Sung by A. Nayyar with Naheed Akhtar, lyrics by Kaleem Usmani, music by M. Ashraf from the film Kharidar (1976)[1]
  • ‘Sathi mujhay mil gaya, mil gaya mil gaya’, Sung by A. Nayyar, lyrics by Fayyaz Hashmi, music by Ustad Tafu, from film Jasoos (1977)
  • ‘Milay do sathi khili do kaliyan’, Sung by A. Nayyar, lyrics by Kaleem Usmani, music by Robin Ghosh from film Amber (1978)[6]
  • ‘Ik baat kahoon dildara’ Sung by A. Nayyar, film song lyrics by Fayyaz Hashmi, music by Ustad Tafu from film Khuda Aur Mohabbat (1978).[1]
  • 'Jee Rahay Hein Hum Tanha', Sung by A. Nayyar, film song lyrics by Yonus Hamdam, music by Karim Shahabuddin from film Sharmeeli (1978).

Nayyar also ran a music academy in Lahore.[9][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Shoaib Ahmed (12 November 2016). "Playback singer A. Nayyar passes away". Images magazine (Dawn Group of newspapers). Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Singer A Nayyar passes away". The Express Tribune newspaper. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f M. A. Sheikh (2012). A Nayyar profile. Who's Who, Music in Pakistan via Google Books website. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-46919158-4.
  4. ^ a b c "Renowned Pakistani singer A Nayyar passes away". The Nation (newspaper). 11 November 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d "Profile of A. Nayyar". Urduwire.com website. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d "Flashback: Forgotten melodies". Dawn newspaper. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  7. ^ Faizan Ali Warraich (16 November 2016). "A. Nayyar laid to rest". The Nation newspaper. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  8. ^ "141 to get civil awards on Yaum-i-Pakistan (Pakistan Day – 23 March 2018)". Dawn newspaper. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  9. ^ "معروف گلوکار اے نیئر چل بسے". BBC Urdu. BBC News. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2018.