Nayyara Noor — A talent lost

KARACHI: Nayyara Noor has left a gaping hole in Pakistan’s music world and the nation has only realised this after her demise. This was stated by Syed Jawaid Iqbal, chairman, Board of Directors, National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa). Jawaid Iqbal said Nayyara Noor’s singing was a priceless treasure for Pakistan, which deserved more recognition from all concerned quarters, including the government and art circles. She did receive the Pride of Performance Award in 2006 and a Nigar Award for her playback songs in Gharana (1973). She also won gold medal awards at All Pakistan Music Conference concerts.

According to the Napa chairman, Nayyara Noor had a wide radius of singing talent, but it was not utilised in the manner that it should have. Nayyara started with Radio Pakistan, Lahore, in the 70s and then moved over to Karachi Television, but her mellifluous voice took her to great heights in subsequent years. She sang in mehfils and recordings for EMI. Her range included TV and radio programmes, films and national songs. Though she sang ghazals and nazms of all major poets, her rendition of Allama Iqbal’s and Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry was incomparable because she applied her talent in a manner that was enjoyed by all age groups. Her rendition of “Ae Jazba-e-Dil Gar Main Chahoon”, by Behzad Lucknavi, was an all all-time classic. It is a fact that she was invited many times by Indian music directors, particularly Anil Biswas, to move over to India and sing for Indian films but she always declined.