Mukhtar Begum

Mukhtar Begum was a Pakistani classical, ghazal singer and actress.[2][3] She was known as The Queen of Music for singing songs in films and on radio.[1] She worked in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu films and was known for her roles in films Hathili Dulhan, Ali Baba 40 Chor, Nala Damayanti, Dil ki Pyas, Ankh ka Nasha, Muflis Ashiq and Chatra Bakavali.[4][2]

For the Pakistani actress born Mukhtar Begum, see Sabiha Khanum.

Mukhtar Begum
Born
Mukhtar Khanum

(1901-07-12)12 July 1901
Amritsar, British India, (present-day India)
Died25 February 1982(1982-02-25) (aged 80)
Karachi, Pakistan
Other namesThe Queen of Music[1]
EducationPatiala Gharana Music School
Occupations
  • Singer
  • Actress
  • Dancer
  • Composer
Years active1920 – 1982
SpouseAgha Hashar Kashmiri (husband)
Children1
ParentGhulam Muhammad (father)
RelativesFarida Khanum (sister)
Sheeba Hassan (niece)

Early life

Mukhtar Begum was born in 1901 in Amritsar, British India. Mukhtar was the older sister and she had four siblings, a sister including Farida Khanum and three brothers.[2][5]

She attended Patiala Gharana's Classic Music School. A teacher named Ustad Mian Meherbaan Khan there liked her singing and he was the teacher of Ustad Aashiq Ali Khan. So he trained Mukhtar Begum in Hindustani vocal classical music since the age of seven.[2]

Career

In the 1930s, she moved to Kolkata and she did stage plays and theatre which were written by famous Urdu playwright and poet Agha Hashar Kashmiri.[6][2] Mukhtar Begum also went to Bombay and there she also worked in theatre.[7] After doing theatre, she started working in silent films and made her debut in 1931 and she appeared in both Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu films including Nala Damayanti, Dil ki Pyas, Ankh ka Nasha and Muflis Ashiq.[2] Mukhtar Begum also composed songs for two films in which she worked including Prem ki Aag and Bhesham.[8]

In Calcutta, She met Noor Jehan and her family and she encouraged Noor Jehan and her sisters to join films and theater. So she introduced them to some producers and to her husband Agha Hashar Kashmiri.[9]

Mukhtar Begum, along with her family, moved to Pakistan after Partition and she settled in Lahore.[10][2] She continued to sing ghazals for radio and television.[11][12][13] At Lahore, Mukhtar Begum then went to Radio Pakistan. From there, she sang many songs.[14][15][16]

Mukhatr Begum also worked as a music teacher and she trained singer Naseem Begum and her own younger sister Farida Khanum in classical music singing and ghazals.[17]

Personal life

Mukhtar married Urdu poet, playwright and dramatist Agha Hashar Kashmiri and Mukhtar's younger sister Farida Khanum is also a famous ghazal singer and her niece Sheeba Hassan is also an actress.[18][2][19]

Illness and death

Mukhtar Begum suffered a paralysis and contracted a prolonged illness from which she died on 25 February 1982 at age 80 in Karachi and she was laid to rest at Society's Graveyard in Karachi.[20][21][2]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Language
1932Ali Baba 40 ChorHindi, Urdu
1932Chatra BakawaliHindi, Urdu
1932Hathili DulhanHindi, Urdu
1932HindustanHindi, Urdu
1932IndrasabhaHindi, Urdu[2]
1932Krishna Kant ki WasiyatHindi, Urdu
1932Muflis AshiqHindi, Urdu
1932Shravan KumarHindi, Urdu
1933Ankh ka NashaUrdu, Hindi
1933Aurat Ka PyarHindi, Urdu[22]
1933ChantaminiHindi, Urdu
1933Nala DamayantiUrdu, Hindi
1933RamayanHindi, Urdu
1934SeetaUrdu, Hindi
1935Dil ki PyasHindi, Urdu
1935Majnu 1935Hindi, Urdu[2]
1936Prem ki AagHindi, Urdu
1937BheshamHindi, Urdu
1940Matwali MiraPunjabi[2]
1941Chatra BakvaliPunjabi

References
  1. "فلمی و ادبی شخصیات کے سکینڈلز۔ ۔ ۔قسط نمبر356". Daily Pakistan. 28 April 2022.
  2. "Mallikas of yesteryear". Himal Southasian. 26 March 2022.
  3. Indian Horizons, Volume 53. New Delhi, Indian Council for Cultural Relations. p. 55.
  4. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. Oxford University Press. p. 40.
  5. Who's Who: Music in Pakistan. Xlibris Corporation. p. 179.
  6. India's Shakespeare : translation, interpretation, and performance. Newark : University of Delaware Press. p. 289.
  7. "From here to Bombay". The News International. 6 September 2021.
  8. Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969. Bombay J. Udeshi. p. 90.
  9. DOUBLE X FACTOR. JAICO Publishing House. p. 100.
  10. "Lahore a part of me". The News International. 12 July 2021.
  11. "The history, art and performance of ghazal in Hindustani sangeet". Daily Times. 15 January 2022.
  12. "Daagh and ghazal singing". The News International. 10 June 2021.
  13. "Experimenting with ghazal". The News International. 24 December 2021.
  14. Lahore: A Musical Companion. Lahore : Baber Ali Foundation. p. 23.
  15. Lahore: A Musical Companion. Lahore : Baber Ali Foundation. p. 69.
  16. Lahore: A Musical Companion. Lahore : Baber Ali Foundation. p. 70.
  17. Who's Who: Music in Pakistan. Xlibris Corporation. p. 187.
  18. Let's know music & musical instruments of India. London ibs BOOKS. p. 59.
  19. Bayād Jālib. Karācī, Pākistān : Pākistānī Adab Pablīkeshanz. p. 1.
  20. "کلاسیکی گائیکی میں نام وَر مختار بیگم کی برسی". ARY News. 10 May 2022.
  21. Asiaweek, Volume 12, Issues 27-39. Asiaweek Limited. p. 28.
  22. Urdu/Hindi : an artificial divide : evolution from African genes, Mesopotamian roots, and Indian culture. New York : Algora Pub. p. 319.
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