Nashad

Nashad Biography

Nashad was one of the earliest music composers of Indian film industry. He later worked for Pakistani movies. Often referred to as Shaukat Haidari, he moved to Pakistan in 1964. He composed music for early talkies of Hindi cinema and was active during the period - 1940s and 1950s. This music director belongs to contemporary instrumental genre of music composers and believed in popular film music. Nagma (1953), Aiye (1949), Gazab (1951), Dada (1949), Baradari (1955), Toote Taare (1948), Jeene Do (1948) and Payal (1948) are some of his works as a music composer. "Naushad: Zarra Jo Aaftaab Bana" is his autobiography work.

His birth name is Shaukat Ali Hashmi and he was born in Delhi in 1923. During his school days in Delhi, he learnt to play flute. His immense love to music prompted him to move to Mumbai in the early 1940s. He composed music under different names and finally took the name – Nashad. 1947 movie Dildaar marked his debut as a music director for movies. Lyrics were written by C.M. Muneer.  He used the name Shaukat Husain for the 1948 film Jeene Do. He used the real name Shaukat Ali to compose for the 1948 film Payal and used the name Shaukat Dehalvi for composing music of Toote Taare (1948). "Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon" of Toote Taare was quite popular in those days. In 1953, he permanently changed his name to Nashad and retained it throughout his life. He has got the privilege to work with Ghulam Haider and Naushad.

Flying man (1965) was Nashad's last Indian film as a music composer. Later he moved to Pakistan and permanently settled there. 1964 film Maikhana, directed by Nakhshab Jarachavi marked his Pakistani debut as a music composer. He was married to an Indian and had 15 children. His oldest son, Wajid Ali Nashad, was a Pakistani music composer. Nashad died in January 1981 at the age of 57.

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Updated: November 17, 2015