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 directors of his generation.

He was the Programme Producer (Music) at All India Radio or Akashvani (radio broadcaster), Delhi in 1939, where Indian music director Roshan was also a co-worker and later assisted him in composing film music in the 1940s.

A comprehensive website on his life and works is maintained by his son Khwaja Irfan Anwar. Also a book has been published on him.

Early life Khwaja Khurshid Anwar was born on 21 March 1912 in Mianwali, Punjab (now in Pakistan) where his maternal grandfather Khan Bahadur Sheikh Atta Mohammad (whose eldest daughter was married to philosopher-poet Muhammad Iqbal, to whom he was thus a nephew) was serving as civil surgeon.

His father Khwaja Ferozuddin Ahmad was a well-known barrister settled in Lahore, Pakistan. The ace jurist had a love for music so much so that he had a huge collection of gramophone records of Indian classical and neo-classical music and his precocious son had an unhindered access to them all. Moreover, in the weekly music performances held at the lawyer's home, renowned music masters used to perform, and it was here that the young Khurshid Anwar developed a taste for classical music. Considering Khurshid Anwar's keen interest, Khansahib Tawakkal Hussain agreed to take him as his disciple and train him in 1934.

Filmography

Writer Hamraz: Story, Screenplay and Dialogues (1967) Chingari: Story and Screenplay (1964) Ghunghat: Story and Screenplay (1962)

He has also been praised for his efforts to keep alive classical music not only through his compositions but also through his unique collection of classical music (considered his magnum opus) performances recorded by EMI Pakistan, known as Aahang-e-Khusravi in two parts in 1978.

Awards and recognition Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 1982. 3 Nigar Awards for Best Music in film Zehr-e-Ishq (1958), film Ghunghat (1962 film) and Punjabi language film Heer Ranjha (1970) Mortal-Men-Immortal-Melodies Award in 1982 in India