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O.P. Nayyar was born as Onkar Prasad Nayyar on January 16, 1926 in Lahore, Punjab (Present day Pakistan).


By Omair Alavi - Images Dawn, Pakistani Newspaper, Memorable song list provided by Ummer Siddique



Memorable Songs

Jab sai pee sang nainan lagey - Rajkumari - Aasmaan
Mujhe dekho hasrat ki tasveer houn mein - Talat Mahmoud - Baaz
Man more ga jhoom kai - Asha Bhosle - Mangu
Babu ji dheere chalna - Geeta Dutt - Aar Paar
Kabhi aar kabhi paar laga teer-e-nazar - Shamshad Begum - Aar Paar
Tou zara sie baat pai khafa na ho - Suraiya/Rafi - Mr. Lambu
Meri neendoun mein tum - Kishore/Shamshad - Naya Andaz
Maang kai saath tumhara - Rafi/Asha - Naya Daur
Yeh hai reshmi zulfoun ka andhera - Asha - Mere Sanam
Thandi hawa kali ghata - Geeta Dutt - Mr. & Mrs. 55
Boojh mera kiya naam re - Shamshad & chorus - C.I.D
Mera naam chhin chhin cho - Geeta Dutt - Howrah Bridge
Chain sai humko kabhi - Asha Bhosle - Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye

          

The king of Bollywood music in the '50s and the '60s, composer O.P. Nayyar died of a cardiac arrest last week at his home in Thane, India. O.P., who was always seen in public attired in white overalls and his signature black felt hat, enthralled generations of music lovers and managed to overtake his more classical-conscious contemporaries S.D. Burman and Madan Mohan. As a matter of fact, he was known to have commanded at one time the highest fee in the industry in the '60s.
     Born Onkar Prasad Nayyar in January 16, 1926 in Lahore, O.P. began his career at the age of 23 years, soon after Partition. He had to wait for another five years to earn recognition, since neither his background score for Kaneez (1949) nor the film could fare well. He got his first break with Aasmaan (1952), which, like his next three films Cham Chama Cham, Baap Re Baap and Baaz, left the box-office cold.
     It was Guru Dutt's light-hearted romantic movie Aar Paar (1954) which was O.P.'s first successful venture and it led to a partnership with Guru Dutt, which saw the duo come up with Mr. and Mrs. '55 and C.I.D. (which Dutt produced) in the '50s. His biggest association was with seasoned director Shakti Samantha, with whom the late 81-year-old musician came up with classics such as Howrah Bridge (1958), Jaali Note (1960), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Sawan Ki Ghata (1966).
      In the '60s, after a couple of years without a major release, O.P. decided to cut down his work and resorted to doing one movie a year. As a result in becoming perhaps the first music director whose name appeared on billboards over the cast and crew of films. He also became one of the earliest music directors to command one lakh rupees for a film.
     O.P. went on to craft exquisite scores for Nasir Hussain's Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Shakti Samantha's Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Amar Kumar's Mere Sanam (1965) but it was B.R. Chopra's Naya Daur (1957) which got him his sole Filmfare Award in 1958.
     But despite having just one Filmfare to his credit, all his work is deemed priceless. With compositions that had a distinct Punjabi influence, O.P. ruled the hearts of thousands, and at the same time, paved the way for many great playback singers like Geeta Dutt (formerly Geeta Roy), Asha Bhonsle, Shamshad Begum and Mohammed Rafi. However, he never worked with Lata Mangeshkar. He is also remembered for inventing unique sound effects in music especially the rhythms that mimicked the clippety-clop of horses for his tonga songs like Maang Ke Saath Tumhara and was paid a tribute by Tushaar Bhatia through Aelo Ji Sanam in Andaaz Apna Apna (1994).

      Though he mostly composed music for north Indian films, he also did the score for some southern films, including Neerajanam (Telugu). O.P. faded away after his break up, first with Mohammed Rafi in the late `60s and then with Asha Bhonsle in 1974, and failed to stay in the top league. Although in the `90s he made a surprise comeback with Zid, his last major film was Vinod Khanna-Salman Khan-Karishma Kapoor starrer, Nishay (1992) in which he unleashed a wave of nostalgia with his unmistakable tunes but which were unable to make the movie fare well at the box office. Be it Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhonsle singing Deewana Hua Badal, Rafi rendering his vocals for Hai Dunya Usi Ki, Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan and Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Geeta Dutt chrooning for Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo, and Babuji Dheere Chalna, Asha rendering her vocals for Aaiye Meherban, Balma Khuli Hawa Mein, Yehi Woh Jagah Hai, Zara Haule Haule Chalo and Woh Haseen Dard De Do, Mukesh rendering Chal Akela, Mahendra Kapoor singing Lakhon Hai Yahan Dilwale or Kishore Kumar giving his best in Tu Auron Ki Kyon Ho Gayee, O.P. composed all songs to perfection. His death may have taken him away from this world, but he shall remain immortalized through his songs.