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 ...

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Punjabi films for more than three decades and remained a busy singer until his death in 1995. Rana still holds the record of singing more than 300 film songs in each of the two languages - Urdu and Punjabi, an all-time record shared with

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

and

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

.

Early life

Masood Rana was born in Mirpur Khas, Sindh, then

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

, on 6 August 1941. He was born in a

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

land-owning family which had migrated from the East Punjab city of

Jalandhar Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...

. He started his singing career on

Radio Pakistan Radio Pakistan serves as the national public broadcaster for radio in Pakistan. Although some local stations predate Radio Pakistan's founding, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Pakistan. The network was established on 14 August ...

,

Hyderabad, Sindh Hyderabad ( Sindhi and ur, ; ) is a city and the capital of Hyderabad Division in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the second-largest city in Sindh, and the eighth largest in Pakistan. Founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro of th ...

in 1955 and later helped establish a singing group 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 ...

in the early 1960s with the Pakistani film actor Nadeem Baig and a fellow singer

Akhlaq Ahmed Akhlaq Ahmed ( ur, ; 10 January 1946 – 4 August 1999) was a Pakistani people, Pakistani film playback singer and still considered one of the leading voices of the film industry. Early life and career He was born in Delhi in 1946 and st ...

.

Film career

Masood Rana got his first breakthrough when the noted Pakistani film actor ''Saqi'' introduced him to producer and director ''Iqbal Shehzad'' and the film composer Deebo Bhattacharya. His first film song was in the film ''Inqalab'' (1962) and the song was ''Mashriq ki tareek faza mein naya savera phoota hay'' composed by music director ''N. K. Rathore''. But he gained more popularity from his second film ''Banjaran'' (1962) which was composed by music director ''Deebo Bhattacharya''. He was initially introduced as "Pakistani Rafi" in the Pakistani film circles due to his vocal singing being similar to that of famous Indian singer Mohammed Rafi. Masood Rana initially tried to live up to this reputation and used to copy the famous Indian singer. Later he changed his mind and developed his own style of singing. He specialized in singing difficult songs in very high-pitched voice and was the first choice for music directors for film title and theme songs. In 1964, the Punjabi song ''Tange Wala Khair Mangda'' in the film ''Daachi'' (1964) was a popular street song composed by veteran music director

Ghulam Ahmed Chishti Ghulam Ahmed Chishti ( Punjabi, ur, ), (often abbreviated to G.A. Chishti) ( Punjabi, ur, ), (17 August 1905 – 25 December 1994) was a Pakistani music composer, attributed as being one of the founders of Indian and Pakistani film music. ...

. He then became the most dominating male singer in both Urdu and Punjabi films when his six songs in film ''Hamarahi'' (1966) became mega- hits. Along with

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

, Masood Rana is still one of the two male singers in Pakistani films who sang more than 300 songs in each of the two languages - Urdu and Punjabi. He sang in more than 550 films and he worked continuously from his first film in 1962 until his death in 1995. Rana was considered to be the most successful singer after Ahmed Rushdi. Masood Rana also appeared as an actor in a few films but he was not successful in this field. He was a lead actor in film ''Shahi Faqeer'' (1970) and a side-hero in films ''Do Mutiaran'' (1968) and ''Yaar Badshah'' (1971). As a guest actor he was seen in films ''Sangdil (1968)'', ''Do Rangeeley (1972)'', ''Noukar Wohti Da (1974)'', ''Ajj Di Gall (1975)'', ''Khushia (1973)'' and ''Dostana (1982)''.

Awards and recognition

*

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 ...

for Best Singer in 1965 *

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 ...

for Best Singer in 1971

Death

Masood Rana died on 4 October 1995 due to a heart attack during his journey on a train. He was laid to rest at Karim Block graveyard, Iqbal town,

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

.Playback singer Masood Rana remembered
Associated Press Of Pakistan website, Published 9 June 2016, Retrieved 3 July 2020Legendary playback singer Masood Rana remembered
The News International (newspaper), Published 4 October 2018, Retrieved 4 July 2020

Works

Patriotic songs

In addition to the film assignments, he also sang patriotic songs which became popular and are still played on the national days of Pakistan such as

Pakistan Day The Resolution Day ( ur, , translit=Yawm-e-Qarārdād), also known as the Pakistan Day ( ur, , translit=Yawm-e-Pākistān) and Republic Day, is a national holiday in Pakistan primarily commemorating the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Mu ...

. For film ''Aag Ka Darya (1966)'', he sang ''Ae watan hum hain teri shama kay parwanon main, Zindgi hosh main hay josh hay eemanon main'', song lyrics written by the noted poet

Josh Malihabadi Josh Malihabadi (born Shabbir Hasan Khan; 5 December 1898 – 22 February 1982) popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution) was a Pakistani poet and is regarded as one of the finest Urdu poets of the era of British India. Kno ...

. The other song is ''Sathio, mujahido, jaag utha hay sara watan, sathio, mujahido'' Masood Rana with

Shaukat Ali Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, (3 May 1944 – 2 April 2021) was a Pakistani folk singer. Early life and career Born on 3 May 1944, into a family of artists in Malakwal, a town in District Gujrat (now falls in new District Mand ...

for film ''Mujahid'' (1965). To pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Pakistani soldiers in the

Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...

, he sang "Yaad Karta Hai Zamana Unhi Insaano Ko" in film Hamrahi (1966) composed by music director ''Tassaduq Hussain'', film song lyrics by

Muzaffar Warsi Muzaffar Warsi (23 December 1933 – 28 January 2011; ur, مظفر وارثی) was a Pakistani poet, essayist, lyricist, and a scholar of Urdu. He began writing more than five decades ago. He wrote a rich collection of na`ats, as well as seve ...

.

Top Urdu film songs

# ''Tum he ho mehboob meray, main kyun nah tumhen pyar karun'' - film ''Aina'' (1966) # ''Karam ki ik nazar hum par Khuda ra, Ya Rasoo Lallah'' (saw) - film ''Hamrahi'' (1966) # ''Koi saath day keh nah saath de, yeh safar akailay hi kaat lay'' - film ''Badnaam'' (1966) # ''Teri yaad aa gaee, gham khushi mein dhal gaey'' - film ''Chand aur Chandni'' (1968) # ''Jhoom ae dil woh mera jan-e-bahar aaey ga'' - film '' Dil Mera Dharkan Teri'' (1968) # ''Mera khyayal ho tum meri aarzoo tum ho'' - film ''Nazneen'' (1969) # ''Mera mehboob aa gaya, mann mera lehra gaya'' - film ''Neend Hamari Khawab Tumharay'' (1971) # ''Tere bina yun gharian beetin, jaisay sadian beet gaeyin'' - film ''Aansoo'' 1971), Music: Nazir Ali # ''Mere dil ke hay awaz keh bichra yaar mile ga'' - film ''

Baharo Phool Barsao ''Baharo Phool Barsao'' (), is a 1972 Pakistani Urdu-language romance film produced and directed by Indian director Mehmood Sadiq (a.k.a. M. Sadiq). He had come from India to produce and direct this film, but died halfway through its production ...

'' 1972) # ''Aag laga kar chhupney walay sun mera afsanah'' - film ''Dillagi'' 1974) # ''Ae dil tujhay ab unsay kaisi yeh shikayat hai, woh samnay baithay hain kaafi yeh inayat hai'' (''Shararat (1963)'')

Top Punjabi film songs

# ''Tange wala khair mangda, tanga Lahore da howe tay phanwen Jhangh da'' - film ''Daachi'' (1964), music by Baba G.A. Chishti # ''Sajna ne buhey aggay chik tann layi'' - film ''Bharia Mela'' (1966) # ''Yaaran naal baharan sajna'' - film ''Yaaran Naal Baharan'' (1967) # ''Soch ke yaar banawin bandia'' - film ''Jigri Yaar'' (1967) # ''Dil dian lagian janay na, mera pyar pachanay na'' - film ''Baooji'' (1968) # ''Tere hath ki bedardey aaya phullan jeya dil tor ke'' - film ''Sheran Di Jori'' (1969) # ''Ya apna kise nu kar lay, ya aap kise da ho belia'' - film ''Dil Dian Laggian'' (1970) # ''Tere madh bharey nain mil pain, te chandra sharab chhad de'' - film ''Jeera Blade'' (1973) # ''Sajno ae nagri daata di aithey aanda kul zamana'' - film ''Nagri Daata Di'' (1974) # ''Yaar mangia si Rabba teithun ro ke, kehri main khudai mang leyi'' - film ''Ishq Nachawy Gali Gali'' (1984)

Top Urdu duets

# ''Sathio, mujahido, jaag utha hay sara watan'' (with

Shaukat Ali Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, (3 May 1944 – 2 April 2021) was a Pakistani folk singer. Early life and career Born on 3 May 1944, into a family of artists in Malakwal, a town in District Gujrat (now falls in new District Mand ...

) - film ''Mujahid'' (1965) # ''Door veeraney mein ik shama hay roshan kab se'' (with Mala) - film (''Naila'' 1965) # ''De ga na koi sahara, in bedard fazaon mein'' (with

Naseem Begum Naseem Begum ( ur, ), (24 February 1936 – 29 September 1971) was a popular, and well known Pakistani film playback singer. She was known as ''The Tradegy Queen'' for singing sorrowful and downhearted songs in films. She rose to promine ...

) - film (''Kon Kisi Ka'' (1966) # ''Madeenay waley sey mera salaam keh dena'' (with

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

) - film ''Bhayya'' (1966) # ''Ik aur baat mani, ik aur zakham khaya'' (with

Irene Parveen Irene Perveen also spelled as Irene Parveen is a Pakistani playback singer from the 1960s, who mainly sang for Pakistani films. She gained popularity for her film song, "''Tumhi ho mehboob mere''" for movie ''Aaina'' (1966). Early life Irene w ...

) - film ''Badnaam'' (1966) # ''Tujhe pyar ki qasm hay, mera pyar ban ke aaja'' (with Mala) - film ''Chand aur Chandni'' (1968) # ''O mere shoukh sanam, hua deevana tera jab se tumhe'' (with Mala) (''Sangdil'' 1968) # ''Haar dena na himmat kahin, ek sa waqt rehta nahin'' (with Mala) - film ''Pak Daman'' (1969) # ''Bheegi bheegi thandi hawa'' (with

Runa Laila Runa Laila ( bn, রুনা লায়লা, ur, ; born 17 November 1952) is a Bangladeshi playback singer and composer. She started her career in Pakistan film industry in the late 1960s. Her style of singing is inspired by Pakistani p ...

) _ film ''Ehsas'' (1972) # ''Yeh waada karo ke mohabbat karen ge'' (with

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

) - film ''Daman Aur Chingari'' (1973)

Top Punjabi duets

# ''Sadi ajab kahani ae, bhul ke puraney dukhray'' (with Mala) - film ''Mera Mahi'' (1964) # ''Nikke hundian da pyar, wekhin devin na wisar'' (with

Irene Parveen Irene Perveen also spelled as Irene Parveen is a Pakistani playback singer from the 1960s, who mainly sang for Pakistani films. She gained popularity for her film song, "''Tumhi ho mehboob mere''" for movie ''Aaina'' (1966). Early life Irene w ...

) - film ''Mirza Jatt'' (1967) # ''We lakh tarley pawen mundia, teinu pyar nein karna'' (with

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

) - film ''Dhee Rani'' (1969) # ''Teri akh da nein jawab, tey bhulian khiria surkh gulab'' (with

Naseem Begum Naseem Begum ( ur, ), (24 February 1936 – 29 September 1971) was a popular, and well known Pakistani film playback singer. She was known as ''The Tradegy Queen'' for singing sorrowful and downhearted songs in films. She rose to promine ...

) -''Mukhra Chann Warga'' (1969) # ''Dil de ke te nasiye na, je ro ke wikha dena'' (with

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

) - film ''Nikkay Hundian Da Pyar'' (1969) # ''Lal meri patt rakhio bala Jhooley Lalan Dey'' (with Sain Akhtar and Munir Hussain) - film ''Varyam'' (1969) # ''Lang aa ja pattan Chanaan da yaar'' (with Tasawur Khanum) - film ''Ajj da Mehinwal'' (1973) # ''Chup ker ke gaddi day wich beh ja, jai bolain gee chapair khaain gee'' (with

Mehnaz Mehnaz Begum (1958 – 19 January 2013) was a Pakistani TV, radio, and film singer. She was well known as a film playback singer in the 1970s and 1980s. She was the recipient of Nigar Awards.Naheed Akhtar Naheed Akhtar (also spelled Nahid Akhtar) is a Pakistani playback singer. She is tagged as the "''Nightingale of Pakistan''". She was the top Lollywood playback singer during the second half of 70s and 80s. She won 3 Nigar Awards and a Pride o ...

) - film ''Baadal'' (1987) # ''Yaad sataey, chain na aay, kalian nein jee sakna'' (with

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

) - film ''Aan Milo Sajna'' (1994)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rana, Masood 1938 births 1995 deaths Nigar Award winners Pakistani playback singers People from Mirpur Khas District Punjabi people 20th-century Pakistani male singers Punjabi-language singers