Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

Early life and career

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was born on 23 September 1915 at Karamabad village, near Wazirabad, Gujranwala District of Punjab, British India, now Pakistan. Mehdi Ali lost his father when he was four. His mother Hubia Khanum who was the sister of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, got him educated and he completed his basic education at Islamia College (Lahore).

As he grew up, Mehdi Ali started working at the editorial staff of Phool and Tehzeeb-e-Niswan Urdu magazineas from Lahore. Then he joined as a writer at the All India Radio, Delhi in 1942.

In 1947, Mehdi and his wife Tahira decided to stay in India instead of migrating to Pakistan. They came to this decision despite the wave of riots plaguing the country. In 1948, his patriotism manifested in his songs, "Watan Ki Raah Mein" and "Todi Todi Bachche", which were used in the film Shaheed.

He worked with music composers including Sachin Dev Burman, Iqbal Qureshi, Babul, S. Mohinder, Chic Chocolate, and Rono Mukherjee. He also wrote songs for C. Ramchandra, Datta Naik ("Sare Jahan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara"), O. P. Nayyar ("Main Pyar Ka Raahi Hoon") and Laxmikant Pyarelal ("Jaal","Anita").

He formed a successful partnership with Madan Mohan which began with Madhosh in 1951. It was also Madan Mohan's third film as a music director. The two shared a great rapport and their later collaborations in films such as Anpadh, Mera Saaya, Woh Kaun Thi?, Neela Akash, Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Anita and Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah proved to be massive hits. His song Lag Jaa Gale from Woh Kaun Thi? was named among the top ten all-time favorites in film history to be "retired" from Antakshari on Zee TV.

Raja Mehadi Ali Khan also worked with Laxmikant-Pyarelal for Raj Khosla musical Anita (1967) Samne Mere Sawariyan, Tum Bin Jeevan Kaise Beeta. Second film was Jaal (1967).

Death

He died in Mumbai on 29 July 1966. He and his wife Tahira, remained childless even though he himself loved to interact with children.

It is said that when he was seriously ill and was on his deathbed, even then he kept his humorous side and was seen laughing with his visitors.

Films and popular songs

• Mera sundar sapna beet gaya — Do Bhai (1947)

• Watan Ki Raah Mein — Shaheed (1948)

• Preetam meri dunya mein do din tau rahe hotay — Ada (1951 film)

• Meri yaad me tum na aansoo bahaana — Madhosh (1951)

• Raat sard sard hai — Jaali Note (1960)

• Poochho na humein — Mitti Me Sona (1960)

• Aap yuhin agar hum se milte rahe — Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962)

• Maye pyar ka raahi hoon — Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962)

• Aap ki nazron ne samjha pyar ke qaabil mujhe — Anpadh (1962)

• Hai issi me pyar ki aabroo — Anpadh (1962)

• Jiya lay gayo ri mera sanwaria — Anpadh (1962)

• Agar mujhse mohabbat hai, mujhe sab apne gham de do — Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964)

• Main nigaahen tere chehre se — Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964)

• Jo hum ne dastaan apni sunaai, aap kyun roye — Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

• Lagg ja gale ke phir yeh raat ho na ho — Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

• Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim — Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

• Aakhri geet mohabbat ka — Neela Aakash (1965)

• Tere paas aa ke mera waqt — Neela Aakash (1965)

• Nainon me badra chhaye — Mera Saaya (1966)

• Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saaya saath hoga — Mera Saaya (1966)

• Aap ke paheloo me aa kar ro diye — Mera Saaya (1966)

• Jhumka Gira Re Bareilli Ke Bazaar Mein — Mera Saaya (1966)

• Sapnon me agar mere tum aao — Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967)

• Kayee din se ji hai bekal — Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967)

• Ek haseen sham ko — Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967)

• Tere Bin sawaan kaise beeta — Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai (1967)

• Aari o shokh kaliyio muskuraa dena — Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai (1967)

• Akela hoon mein humsafar dhoondta hoon — Jaal (1967)

• Tum bin jeevan kaise beeta poochho mere dil se — Anita (1967)

References

References

1. "Filmography of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan".
2. Parekh, Rauf. (2018-07-30). "Literary Notes: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan: agony hidden behind laughter". Dawn newspaper.
3. Ishtiaq Ahmed. (16 September 2016). "The Punjabi contribution to cinema - XII". The Friday Times newspaper.
4. "Albums with Raja Mehdi Ali Khan as Lyricist".