Raja Mehdi Ali Khan Biography 
Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was a popular poet, lyrist and writer of Hindi. He is most known for his famous lyrics for movies like Woh kaun thi, Dulhan ek raat ki, Neela aaksah, Shaheed, Bequabar, Naya paisa, Do bhai, Mera sunder sapna, Yaad karoge, Madosh, Anpad and Mera saaya. He is most known for his association with music composer Madan Mohan with whom he has delivered finest songs of Bollywood including Mera saaya, Anpad, Dulhan ek raat ki, Neela Akash, Madosh, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and Woh kaun thi. Lata Mangeshkar’s finest songs in Madan Mohan’s composition were written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan – Aap ki nazrom ne, Nayana barse, Lag gaa gale, Mera saaya saat hoga and Naynom mein badra. In fact, the sizzling number Lag gaa gale comes in the top 10 romantic songs all time and still popular.
His most memorable songs in Madan Mohan’s composition include Nayana barse, Lag gaa gale and Aap kyom roye of suspense thriller Woh kaun thi (1964), Aap ki nazarom ne samcha of Anpat, Nayanom mein badra chaaya, Mera saaya saat hoga and Jhumka gira re of Mera Saaya and Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya and Sapnon Mein Agar Mere of Dharmendra Nutan starrer movie – Dulhan ek raat ki. Their association started with the movie Madosh in the year 1950. He has been nominated only once in Filmfare though he has given numerous songs for Bollywood. He was nominated for ‘Aap ki nazarom ne’ of Anpath in the year 1964 though couldn’t win it.
Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was born in Jhelum of undivided India before independence. He lost his father in his early childhood and he studied lessons from his mother. S.Mukherjee gave him the first chance to write lyrics for movies. The movie was Do bhai released in the year 1946. The songs became huge success and his work was well noted. Songs like Mera Sunder Sapna and Yaad Karoge helped him to earn more opportunities from Bollywood.
Even after India-Pakistan partition in 1947, he insisted to stay in India and wrote a few patriotic songs for Dileep Kumar movie – Shaheed. He was the first writer to introduce the word ‘Aap’ in Hindi lyrics. The songs like Aap ki nazarein, Aap kyon roye and Aap ne apna became quite popular too.
Published: N/A
Updated: July 08, 2013
