"Aawaz de kahan Hai", "Jeevan Apna Wapas le le jeevan Dene Wale, Oo Duniyake Rakhwale"! Naushad Ali is no more. The man who gave the Indian film industry the whole concept of playback singing as a passionate expression of popular angst died here Friday. He was 87. Naushad was one of the last links of an era when Hindi cinema gained momentum as a vehicle of cultural continuity. Born in Lucknow in 1919, Naushad was the first and perhaps only music composer of Hindi cinema whose name appeared before the actors of the films. Many film personalities believe Naushad was the star of the films for which he chose to compose music.
(News credit Malayala Manorama)