Akhlaq Ahmed ( ur, ; 10 January 1946 – 4 August 1999) was a Pakistani

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

playback singer A playback singer, also known as a ghost singer, is a singer whose singing is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras; the actual singer does not app ...

and still considered one of the leading voices of the film industry.

Early life and career

He was born in Delhi in 1946 and started as a stage singer in the 1960s in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

, when he was a member of a famous singing group with two other artists, Masood Rana and Nadeem. Akhlaq Ahmad was the third generation of male playback singers in the

Pakistan film industry Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. ...

. He struggled for many years, but gained some recognition in the 1970s as a playback singer. "Sona Na Chandi Na Koi Mahal" film song in film ''

Bandish Bandish, cheez or gat is a fixed, melodic composition in Hindustani vocal or instrumental music. It is set in a specific raga, performed with rhythmic accompaniment by a tabla or pakhawaj, a steady drone, and melodic accompaniment by a sarangi, vi ...

'' (1980), and "Sawan Aye Sawan Jaye" in film ''Chahat'' (1974), are his big hit film songs. Both of these film songs were composed by music director

Robin Ghosh Robin Ghosh ( bn, রবিন ঘোষ, ur, ; 13 September 1939 – 13 February 2016) was a Pakistani-Bangladeshi playback singer and film music composer, best known for singing and composing music for Lollywood films from 1961 to 1986. Pla ...

. His song tally is under one hundred songs. Famous

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n singer

Sonu Nigam Sonu Nigam (born 30 July 1973) is an Indian singer, music director and actor. He has been described in the media as one of the most popular and successful playback singers of Hindi Cinema and Kannada Cinema. He has been honoured by the Govern ...

sang many songs of Akhlaq Ahmed as Sonu's voice closely resembles with Akhlaq's and released these songs in late 1990s.Melodious vocalist Akhlaq Ahmed remembered on death anniversary
Geo TV News website, Published 4 August 2013, Retrieved 17 September 2019 Earlier Akhlaq Ahmed had first started singing for friends at gathering just for fun. Then he was a member of a famous singing group from

with two other artists, film playback singer

Masood Rana Masood Rana ( ur, , 6 August 1941 – 4 October 1995) was a Pakistani film playback singer. He began his singing career in 1962 with the film ''Inqalab'', became one of the top male singers in both Urdu and Punjabi films for more than th ...

and film actor

Nadeem Nadeem (also spelled Nadim or Nedim; ar, نديم) is an Arabic masculine given name. It means "best friend of the drinker" "companion", "confidant" or "friend". Originates from the plural word "Nadama""نَدامَى" which means, drink to forg ...

. At first, he started singing as a stage singer in the 1960s. Akhlaq Ahmed debuted as a film singer in the 1973 film, ''Pazaib'' with music by

Lal Mohammad Iqbal Lal Mohammad Iqbal were a Pakistani composer duo, consisting of Lal Mohammad (1933 – 29 September 2009) and Buland Iqbal (1930 – 25 July 2013). They were among the leading musicians of Pakistan film industry belonging to the golden e ...

. He was unable to get a dominant place in the

because when he started his singing career, at that time

Ahmed Rushdi ), Rushdi Sahab ( ur, ) , birth_date = , birth_place =Hyderabad Deccan, British India , death_date = , death_place = Karachi, Pakistan , origin = Pakistani , instrument = Vocalist , genre = , ...

was the prominent

in the

Pakistani film industry Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. ...

. Despite that, he remained a somewhat successful singer in the late 1970s and 1980s due to his singing talent.

Death

Akhlaq Ahmed spent the last few years of his life fighting the disease of

blood cancer Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (American English) or tumours of the haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (British English) are tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system. Because these tissues are all ...

which was diagnosed back in 1985. His wife, an employee at

Pakistan International Airlines Pakistan International Airlines ( ur, ; abbreviated PIA, ur, ) is an international airline that serves as the national flag carrier of Pakistan under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation. It ...

(PIA) admitted him at a hospital in London. He died on 4 August 1999, at

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and was laid to rest at ''Walthem Forest Muslim cemetery'' London. His last film as a singer was ''

Nikah In Islam, nikah is a contract between two people. Both the groom and the bride are to consent to the marriage of their own free wills. A formal, binding contract – verbal or on paper – is considered integral to a religiously valid Islami ...

'' (1998).

Popular songs

* Sawan Aye, Sawan Jaye, Tujh Ko Pukaren Geet Hamaray... 1974 (Film: Chahat, Music:

* Ae Dil, Apna Dard Chhupa Kar, Geet Khushi Kay Gaye Ja..1975 (Film: Pehchan - Music:

Nisar Bazmi Nisar Bazmi (1 December 1924 – 22 March 2007) was a composer and music director of Indian and Pakistan film industry.

* Raat Bhar Jiya Mora Mujhay Kyun Sataye..1975 (Film: Umang - Music:

* Dekho Yeh Kon Aa Geya, Ban Kay Nasha Chha Geya..1975 (Film: 2 Sathi - Music:

* Ek Thi Guriya Bari Bholi Bhali..1975 (Film: 2 Sathi - Music:

* Main Hun, Rastey Ka Pathar, Hay Naseeb Mera Thokar..1976 (Film: Rastay Ka Pathar - Music:

Nashad Nashad ( ur, ) (11 July 1923 – 14 January 1981) was a film composer and music director of Indian and Pakistani film industry. He composed music for Hindi films in the 1940s and 1950s, credited on-screen under the names Nashad and then later ...

* Sathi Meray, Bin Teray, Kaisay Beetay Gi..1976 (Film: Zubaida - Music: Kamal Ahmed * Sona Na Chandi, Na Koi Mahal, Jan-e-Mann..1980 (Film: Bandish - Music:

* Samaan, Woh Khawab Sa Samaa..1980 (Film: Nahin Abhi Nahin - Music:

* Kabhi Khwahishon Nay Loota..1982 (Film: Mehrbani - Music: M. Ashraf

Awards and recognition

* 7

Nigar Award The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards a ...

s for Best Male Playback Singer – won this award 7 times in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987 and in 1990.

References

External links

Akhlaq Ahmed on IMDb website
1946 births 1999 deaths Muhajir people Pakistani playback singers Urdu-language singers Nigar Award winners 20th-century Pakistani male singers {{Pakistan-film-bio-stub