Lahore—Today marks the 98th birth anniversary of Malika e taran num Noor Jehan’s one of the best subcontinent singers. She never looked back in her respective field; even today, every artist transcends her influence.
Noor Jehan’s Early Life and Start of the Career
Noor Jehan, Ali Wasai or otherwise, was born on September 21, 1926, in Kasur in a family sometimes connected with music. From a young age, her course in the musical world became apparent. At age four, she was placed in the hands of the family tutor, Ustad Ghulam Muhammad, for her musical training. Being only seven years old, she was already competent in performance, so she accompanied her elder sister, Eidan, and her cousin, Haider Bandi, on stage.
At first, she continued to cover songs by famous singers such as Mukhtar Begum and Akhtari Bai Faizabadi. At eight or nine, she and her family moved to Lahore. Where she still performed. At this stage in London, she came in contact with a composer, G.A. Chishti, who polished her skills more and created many songs for Noor.
Rise to Stardom in Cinema
In 1935 Noor Jehan’s made her screen debut as a child actress in ‘Pind Di Kuriyan’ a Punjabi movie. It didn’t take long for her destiny to change her operations in the film industry, where she starred in great films such as Anmol Ghadi, Heer Sial, and Sassi Punnu.
In 1941, the film Khazanchi saw the rise of Noor Jehan as a singer after music director Ghulam Haider introduced her. This same year, she acted in the movie Khandan, which changed her life and professional career. On the sets of this movie Khandan, Noor Jehan’s heart was won over, and they later married the director Shaukat Hussain Rizvi.
Transition from India to Pakistan
Noor’s films, especially Dost, Lal Haveli, Badi Maa, Nadaan, Naukar, Zeenat, Anmol Ghadi, and Jugnu, were the soul of the industry before the partition of India. After the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, Noor Jehan moved her interests to the new country of Pakistan and began her Pakistani film debut with Chan Wey, who also directed it.
Her acting talent was also evident in many other films, such as Gulnar, Dupatta, Patay Khan, Lakhte Jigar, Intezar, Neend, Koel, Chho Mantar, Anarkali, and Mirza Ghalib. However, after achieving such success in acting, Noor Jehan called it a career and devoted herself solely to singing.
A Legendary Stature in the World of Singing
Noor Jehan’s has no match when it comes to providing music. She has been reported to have for as many as 995 films, the last being the movie Gabroo Punjab Da, released in 2000. From the early fifties to the early nineties, her scope was more than a singer; she was one of the celebrated singers and cultural figures in the two countries—India and Pakistan.
Because of her ability to render intricate ghazals and songs with ease, she was popular in the Asian music fraternity. She has sung more than 10,000 ghazals in her lifetime. She was exceptionally good with tunes, and the fact that she could convey every feeling through her voice only made her unique. Some of the best Indian singers appreciated her style and talent.
Noor Jehan, The Artist of The Masses and The Patriot of The Nation
During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, more weight was given to the patriotic songs sung by Noor Jehan. Songs like Ae Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawano became such anthems that it eclipsed her being an entertainer but rather a representation of the nation. Her voice was heard on the battlefields and in homes, becoming part of the culture of Pakistan.
Honors and Legacy
Without a doubt, Noor Jahan’s contribution to the music and movie industry earned her the Presidential Pride of Performance Award and the Government of Pakistan’s highest honor, Nishan-e-Imtiaz. She wore costumes and danced herself; later on, she had many shirts and clothes inspired by her. As a singer and then a T-shirt.
Passing and Final Resting Place
After a prolonged illness, the Malika-e-Tarannum Noor Jehan’s breathed her last on December 23, 2000. She was buried at the Defence Society Cemetery in Karachi and left behind a legacy that was redefined. The paths of music and the film industry. Her voice and legacy live on, and millions still adore her today.
