WE CAN’T FORGET YOU LEGENDARY MUSIC DIRECTOR KHAYYAM SAHIB : OUR RICHEST TRIBUTES
Today is the death anniversary of a leading light of Bollywood and legendary music director Mohammed Zahur Khayyam, popularly known as Khayyam Sahab. Highly revered and an institution in himself renowned music director for four decades Khayyam Sahab had been credited for winning three prestigious filmfare awards for giving best music in super duper hit movies KABHI KABHI and UMRAO JAAN in 1977 and 1982 and finally a LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. Famous for giving background music to several films majority of which had been super duper hits earning accolades globally, Khayyam Sahab’s prominent movies were : KABHI KABHI, UMRAO JAAN, BAZAAR, RAZIA SULTAN, NOORIE, TRISHUL, DIL-E-NADAAN, THODI SI BEWAFAI, PHIR SUBHA HOGI, DARD, AAHISTA AHISTA, AKHIRI KHAT, SHOLA AUR SHABNAM, FOOTPATH, SHANKAR HUSSAIN, KHANDAAN, CHAMBAL KI KASAM, LALA ROOKH, ANJUMAN , SAWAAL, MOHABBAT ISKO KEHTE HAIN, NAKHUDA, BEPANAH, BAWARI, DHOBI DOCTOR, SANKALP, YATRA, SITA AUR GEETA, Mutthi bhar chawal, JAANE WAFAH, LORIE, PARVAT KE US PAAR, ASHIK HOON BAHARON KAA, UPHAAR, ABDULLA, SWAMI DADA, APNE PARAYE, KHUDGARZ, KHANDAAN, etc from 1954 to few years before his sad demise on 19 August, 2019 having born on 18. February 1927 at Rahon Punjab in British India. He was married to Jagjit Kaur, a PLAYBACK singer in 1954 , considered to be the first inter communal marriage in the then Indian Film Industry. Both of them had a son Pradeep whose death in 2012 by cardiac arrest has literally broken both Khayyam and his wife Jagjeet Kaur, who led a lonely secluded life. Khayyam Sahab and his wife Jagjeet Kaur had a very good bonding and the former used to pronounce her as UMRAO JAAN out of love. Jagjit Kaur herself being a singer in and after 1954 has sung songs for several films majority of them under the music direction of Khayyam Sahab including gazals, as well. According to an anecdote both Khayyam Sahab and Jagjeet Kaur met for the first time on DADAR bridge before marriage and this meeting was very interesting. Once while Jagjit Kaur was commuting in foot over Dadar bridge in Bombay, Khayyam Sahab was also walking behind her. On turning back Jagjeet Kaur thought that he is stalking her and questioned him. When Khayyam Sahab clarified that he is not stalking her and that he is a music director, both of them came into cordial relationship since that day, the friendship finally turning into an intense love affair and marriage. During those days Jagjeet Kaur’s at least one song was always there in films directed by Khayyam Sahab with regard to background music. After the tragic demise of their only son Pradeep in 2012, both the parents had bad days and had formed a “JAGJEET CHARITABLE TRUST “, to tender free education to poor children. Khayyam Sahab died after prolonged illness on 19 th August 2019 and just two years after leading a lonely life his wife and playback singer Jagjeet Kaur too breathed her last on 15 August 2021.
