SAD NEWS- THE LEGENDARY COMPOSER O P NAYYAR NO MORE...

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From: m.iqbal
Date: Jan 28, 2007 6:21 PM
Subject: SAD NEWS- THE LEGENDARY COMPOSER O P NAYYAR NO MORE...
To: naamhs@gmail.com

O P Nayyar dies of heart attack

Mumbai, Jan. 28 (PTI): Legendary music director O P Nayyar, best known
for classic songs like "Jhumka Gira Re" and "Pukarta Chala Hoon Mein",
died of cardiac arrest at his home in Thane today. He was 81.

Rani Nakhwa, with whose kin Nayyar was living for over 10 years after
being estranged from his family, said, "He was perfectly alright until
3:30 pm, when he went to the toilet and collapsed inside. He was dead
before we could summon medical help."

Born on January 16, 1926 in Lahore (now in Pakistan), Omkar Prasad
Nayyar got his first break as a music composer in the film "Kaneez"
(1949).

Director Guru Dutt's "Aar Paar" (1954) was his first major success.
This led to his successful partnership with Dutt on films like "Mr And
Mrs 55" and "CID".

As news of his death spread, a pall of gloom descended on Bollywood,
where Nayyar was regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time
even though he had not been in the limelight for close to three
decades.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt described Nayyar -- who was always seen in
public in white attire and a hat -- as "an audacious man who was a
king in his time".

"Asha Bhosle owes whatever she is to him. The distinct sensuality that
was injected into Asha's singing was the contribution of this
extraordinary man," Bhatt said.

Extensive use of the typical Punjabi rhythm was the main
characteristic of Nayyar's music, and among his evergreen tunes were
"Kahin Pe Nigahen Kanhi Pe Nishana" (CID), "Mang Ke Saath Tumhara"
(Naya Daur) and "Ello Main Hari Piyan" (Aar Paar.

Nayyar worked extensively with singers Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle and
Mohammed Rafi but never with Lata Mangeshkar. Though he mostly
composed music for north Indian films, he also did the score for some
southern films, including "Neerajanam" (Telugu).

Before fading from the Bollywood scene in the early 1970s, he did the
music for hits like "Naya Daur", "Ek Musafir Ek Hasina" and "Kashmir
Ki Kali". He attempted a comeback in the 1990s with the film "Andaaz
Apna Apna" and recently appeared in the musical TV show "Sa Re Ga Ma",
on which he was accorded a standing ovation during a programme
dedicated to his songs.

Actress and Censor Board chief Sharmila Tagore, who starred in
"Kashmir Ki Kali", said, "We will remember him and his contributions
will be there forever. His name will be there as long as there is the
history of music."

Singer Manna Dey said he was saddened by Nayyar's death as no one
could replace him. Actor Rajesh Khanna said "originality was the
symbol" of Nayyar, whom he described as a "charismatic personality".

TV star and actress Tabassum said, "O P Nayyar's death is yet another
shock for us. We were still to recover from the sorrow at the demise
of (noted writer) Kamleshwarji when we heard of the death of
kind-hearted Nayyar sahab."

(COURTSEY: THE HINDU on
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200701281820.htm)