Naheed Niazi (born 26 February 1941) is a former Pakistani

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 ...

who performed in the

Lollywood Lollywood ( ur, , translit=lâli vuḍ) refers to Pakistan's film industry based in Lahore, previously the base for both Punjabi and Urdu language film production. Lahore has been the center of Pakistani cinema since the partition of ...

movies during the era of 1960s. She is married to musician Muslehuddin; her sister is the singer Najma Niazi. She is known for her playback songs, "Chali Re Chali Re Main To Des Piya Ke Chali Re", "Raat Saloni Ayi", and others.

Life and career

Naheed was born as Shahida Niazi on 26 February 1941. Her father Sajjad Sarwar Khan Niazi was a poet and musician, and was also a director at

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 ...

. He was also an uncle of the former cricketer and politician

Imran Khan Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...

. Naheed started her career in 1957 by singing a song for the movie ''Laila Majnu'' under the music direction of

Rashid Attre Abdul Rasheed Attra (15 February 1919 – 18 December 1967), also known as Rasheed Attre, was a Pakistani film score composer.St Joseph's Convent School, Karachi St Joseph's Convent School, Karachi is a Private school, private Catholic school, Catholic primary and secondary school for girls located in Saddar Town, Karachi, Pakistan. History In 1861, Monsignor Steins, Vicar Apostolic of Bombay passing thr ...

. Though the first song she recorded was "Mil Gaya Dil Ko Qarar" in ''Ayaz'' (1960) for

Khawaja Khurshid Anwar Khwaja Khurshid Anwar (21 March 1912 − 30 October 1984) was a Pakistani filmmaker, writer, director and music composer who earned recognition in both India and Pakistan. He is credited as being one of the most original and inventive music di ...

though the film released later. One of her earlier songs was "Jaag Taqdeer Ko Jaga Loon Gee" was composed by Muslehuddin for the film ''Aadmi'' (1958). She became well-known in both entertainment and mainstream music because of that song. Then Nahid's rendition of her father Sajjad Sarwar Niazi's poem "Ik Baar Phir Kaho Zara" was also much appreciated. In 1961, she became a well-known playback singer because by vocalizing a duet 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 = , ...

, "Raat Saloni Aaye", again composed by Muslehuddin for the movie, ''Zamana Kia Kahe Ga''. In 1962, the Urdu film ''Daal Mein Kala'' included a Naheed's song "Samajh Na Aaye Dilko Kahan Lay Jaa Oon Sanam" (Musician: Muslehuddin). She sang another duet with Ahmed Rushdi, "Raat Ho Gaye Jawan" for the movie ''Dil Nay Tujhay Maan Liya''. The song "Husn Bhi Mauj Mein Hai" for the movie ''Mujhay Jeenay Do'' (1968) was recorded in the voice of Naheed and is one of her notable melodies. When the song "Chum, Chum, Chum, Milay Hain Sanam, Lut Gaye Hum, Allah Qasam" was first played on Radio Pakistan, Naheed touched peak of her singing career. Later, she recorded several songs during the short time she was a singer. Aside from Moslehuddin, Naheed rendered her voice for nearly all the notable composers of

film industry, including

Rasheed Attre Abdul Rasheed Attra (15 February 1919 – 18 December 1967), also known as Rasheed Attre, was a Pakistani film score composer.Khwaja Khurshid Anwar Khwaja Khurshid Anwar (21 March 1912 − 30 October 1984) was a Pakistani filmmaker, writer, director and music composer who earned recognition in both India and Pakistan. He is credited as being one of the most original and inventive music di ...

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 ...

Safdar Hussain Safdar Hussain (died 1989) was a Pakistani musician who composed playback melodies for Urdu and Punjabi Lollywood films in the decades from 1950s to 1980s. He is known for composing music for movies like, Heer (1955), Ishq-e-Laila (1957), a ...

Rehman Verma Rehman Verma (1927 – 11 August 2007) was a Pakistani music director. He composed playback music for Lollywood's first-ever action movie, ''Baaghi'', in 1956. He was one of the musical duo "Sharma Ji-Verma Ji" along with the Bollywood music ...

, Saif Chughtai,

Khalil Ahmed Khalil Ahmed (3 March 1936 – 22 July 1997) was a Pakistani composer for radio, television, and films. He started his career with film ''Aanchal (1962)'' and remained one of the leading music directors in Pakistan in the 1960s. He composed ...

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

Master Inayat Hussain Master Inayat Hussain (Punjabi, ur, ; 1916 – 26 March 1993) was a Pakistani film music composer. Early life and career Inayat Hussain was born in the Bhati Gate area of Lahore in 1916.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 ...

Sohail Rana Sohail Rana (born 31 March 1938) is a Pakistani music composer for films and television. He was introduced by actor Waheed Murad in Pakistan film industry and gained popularity when singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in such films as A ...

, and Saleem-Iqbal.

Personal life

Naheed married the music director Muslehuddin in January 1964, who had composed most of her songs. The couple left Pakistan for the UK after 1971.

Television

Both Naheed Niazi and her husband Muslehuddin hosted a television musical show for children on PTV in the late 1960s.

Songography

Naheed sang more than 300 songs in Urdu, Punjabi, and Bengali languages, including both film and non-film tracks: * "Mohe Piya Milan Ko Jaane De" — Movie: ''

Zehr-e-Ishq ''Zehr-e-Ishq'' is a Pakistani romantic musical film released in 1958. Following ''Intezaar'', ''Zehr-e-Ishq'' is the second film featuring Masood Parvez as a director, Khwaja Khurshid Anwar as a producer, music composer and writer, Qateel Sh ...

'' (1958), Music:

Khwaja Khurshid Anwar Khwaja Khurshid Anwar (21 March 1912 − 30 October 1984) was a Pakistani filmmaker, writer, director and music composer who earned recognition in both India and Pakistan. He is credited as being one of the most original and inventive music di ...

* "Chali Ray, Chali Ray, Chali Ray," picturized on

Musarrat Nazir Musarrat Nazir Khawaja ( ur, ; born 13 October 1937) is a Pakistani singer and film actress, who acted in many Urdu and Punjabi films. She, many years later, also sang solo, mostly wedding and folk songs. Early life Her parents were a Punja ...

. * "Sayyan Jee Ko Dhoond Nay Chali Jogun Bun Kay", picturized on

Neelo Neelo Begum (born Cynthia Alexander Fernandes; ''née'' Abida Riaz; 30 June 1941 – 30 January 2021) was a Pakistani veteran film actress. She made her film debut in 1956 with Hollywood film ''Bhowani Junction''. She was known as ''The Qu ...

, music by

, film '' Nagin'' (1959) * "Mohay Piya Milan Ko Janay Day", picturized on Musarrat Nazir. * "Kaisa Safar Hai Kahiye, Yoon He Qareeb Rahiye" (duet: Naheed Niazi-

). * "Tujh Ko Maloom Naheen" * "Na Koi Sayyan Mera, Na Koi Piya Ray" * "Aa Tujh Ko Suna Oon Lori, Halaat Say Chori Chori". * "Zamana Pyar Ka Itna He Kum Hai, Ye Na Jana Tha" * "Akasher Oi Mitimiti Tarar Sathe" * "Raqs Mein Hai Sara Jahan"

References

External links

{{Pride of Performance for Arts 1941 births Living people Pakistani playback singers Pakistani women singers Pakistani television people Recipients of the Pride of Performance