Beautiful lyrics vital for melodious tunes: Khayyam

PUNE: Noted music director Khayyam on Friday underlined the importance of having superbly written lyrics and said that when one has good lyrics the music to set them to tune comes from a divine source.
He was speaking during an interaction with the media, a day after he received the prestigious SD Burman International Award for creative music and sound at the Pune International Film Festival.
"I feel blessed to have worked with some great lyricists, shayars' and poets. When you have superbly written lyrics, the music to set them to tune comes from a divine source," he said.
The little-known Mohammed Zahur Khayyam' Hashmi delivered Akele Mein Wo Ghabrate To Honge', rendered by Mohammed Rafi in the film Biwi' that went on to become the rage of the nation in the 1950s. That elevated his status as a Hindi film composer and Khayyam, as he came to be known, would deliver immortal sound tracks for celebrated Hindi films like Trishul', Kabhie Kabhie', Noorie', Umrao Jaan', Bazaar', Razia Sultan' and many more.
" Akele Mein Wo Ghabrate To Honge' led to a lot of shayars' in the country becoming fond of me. This song would be played on All India Radio back then. The effort led to me composing music for Footpath'," reminisced Khayyam.
The 84-year-old music composer is credited with giving Asha Bhonsle her big break in the film industry. "I gave Ashaji her first cabaret song. She came to be known for her vocal versatility and began rendering songs for leading ladies in films," said Khayyam, who created waves with the sound track in Footpath.'
Ramesh Saigal-directed Phir Subah Hogi' featuring Raj Kapoor and Mala Sinha has Khayyam giving his exceptional best. Khayyam lent a unique approach to every song written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Mukesh and Asha Bhosale. Most notable amongst them were Woh Subha Kabhi To Aayegi,' Aasman Pe Hai Khauda Aur Zameen Pe Hum' and Chin-o-Arab Humara.'
He considers his musical contribution as a way of educating the masses. "Right from the beginning, my objective was to help educate the listeners of my music, especially the common man. When the aam aadmi' began asking questions about my music and their lyrics, I felt my objective was achieved," said Khayyam.
After winning several prestigious awards, he took a break from film music and concentrated on albums featuring a range of devotional songs, ghazals' and bhajans,' which, too, went to garner equal admiration. It was none other than Hindustani classical doyenne, vocalist Begam Akhtar, who insisted Khayyam write compositions for her.
"It was the first time she insisted that she would sing compositions written only by me, and no one else. Begumji said her experience of recording the ghazals' that I had composed for her, was equally exceptional," said Khayyam.