Nayyara Noor 1950 – 2022. With A Heavy Heart, We Bid Farewell To Pakistan’s Nightingale.
She was called The Bulbul-e-Pakistan & rightly so. Nayyara Noor was a playback singer who lent her voice to some of the most memorable songs & ghazals of our time. She was awarded the Pride of Performance in 2006 & The Nigar Award in 1973. Although she had no formal musical background or formal training, she was requested to sing for Radio Pakistan in 1968 after Professor Asrar Ahmad at the Islamia College in Lahore heard her sing at an annual dinner at the National College of Arts in Lahore.
In 1971, Nayyara made her public singing debut in Pakistani television serials, beginning with films like Gharana (1973) and Tansen. She has sung ghazals penned by celebrated poets like Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz and performed with legends like Ustad Mehdi Hassan.
Nayyara Noor was the heart of many musical mehfils & mushairas in a time when Pakistan’s literary, art & cultural circles flourished. Her most popular ghazal was Ae Jazba-e-Dil Gar Main Chahoon penned by song & naat writer Behzad Lucknavi for which she won many awards.
However, Nayyara Noor officially announced in 2012 that she will no longer sing professionally. Though many songs of Nayyara Noor will forever be etched in our hearts & memory, Roothe Ho Tum Tumko Kaise Manaon Piya from the film Aina picturized on the evergreen onscreen couple Shabnam & Nadeem will always be special. This was penned by Tasleem Fazli & composed by Robin Ghosh.
Her milli naghma Wattan Ki Mitti Gawah Rehna is another song that will always stay memorable.
She left her voice to countless musical melodies & it was her soul stirring, effortless vocals that set her apart as a singer who lives in our hearts forever.
Some of her notable songs include ‘Phir Sawan Ruth Ki Pawan Chali, Tum Yaad Aaye’ penned by poet Nasir Kazmi, ‘Kabhi Hum Bhi Khoobsoorat Thay’ from poet Ahmed Shamim for the PTV drama serial ‘Teesra Kinara’ ‘Jalay Tau Kalao Gori’ from poet Ibn-e-Insha
