Renowned Bangladeshi and Pakistani music composer Robin Ghosh has passed away in Dhaka, Bangladesh today. He was 76 year old. Robin Ghosh was married to Bangladeshi/Pakistani artist Shabnam (real name Jharna Besak). The couple has one son Ronnie Ghosh who lives in Spain.
Born in a Bengali family in 1939 in Baghdad , Iraq, Robin Ghosh raised to fame in former East Pakistan now Bangladesh. He started his music career from films and composed the music of few Bengali films in early 1960’s. In early 1960’s Urdu film making also started in Dhaka and Robin Ghosh was soon famous throughout Pakistan after the success of films like Chanda and Chakori. He married Shabnum in 1964.
Chakori in 1967 proved block buster through out Pakistan with evergreen songs like Kahan Ho Tumko Dhoond Rahin Hain Yeh Baharain (vocals by Nadeem, Firdosi Begum, Ahmed Rushdi), Woh Mera Samnay Tasveer Bani Bethi Hain (vocals by Ahmed Rushdi). After working in the film world of Dhaka, Robin Ghosh and Shabnam came to West Pakistan to work in Lahore the most established film centre of Pakistan Lahore.
In 1971, East Pakistan separated and became Bangladesh and at that time Shabnam and Robin Ghosh were in Lahore. They continued working in Urdu films. Shabnam proved the most successful heroine of the Urdu cinema with many hits throughout 1970’s and 1980’s. In 1977 Aaina proved the height of the career of both Shabnum and Robin Ghosh. The film proved all time block buster and its screening continued for four and a half years in Karachi. Aaina was directed by Nazrul Islam who also hails from the East Pakistan/Bangladesh. Having Shabnum and Nadeem in the leading roles, all the songs of Aaina also proved successful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCU9Jz-3qlo
Kabhi Mein Sochta Hoon (Mehdi Hassan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJNKZ4QGGYE
Wada Karo Sajna (Mehnaz, Alamgir)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lntlxNcIvI
Roothay Ho Tum Tum Ko Kesay Manan Piya (Nayyara Noor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLCU0RSSiVQ
Mujhay Dil Se Na Bhulana (Alamgir, Mehnaz, Nayyara Noor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVG-9NmZ42c
Haseen Wadiyon Se Poocho (Ikhlaq Ahmed, Nayyra Noor)
After Aaina, Bandish in 1980 revived the success of Shabnum, Nadeem, Robin Ghosh and Nazrul Islam. Bandish proved successful not only in Karachi but also in Lahore and other cities of Punjab. It was the first Urdu film which celebrated Platinum Jubilee in Lahore. All the songs of Bandish also proved successful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fhBYZEs06A
Sona Na Chandi Na Koi Mehal (Ikhlaq Ahmed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVDVNYfw48w
Do Pyase Dil (Mehdi Hassan, Mehnaz)
Tujhe Dil Se Laga Loon (Mehnaz)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETqrLh_R0BI
Accha Accha Lagay Re (Nayyara Noor, A. Nayyer)
The popularity of Urdu cinema gradually declined in 1980’s and in late 1980’s Shabnum and Robin Ghosh went back to Dhaka, Bangladesh. In mid 1990’s Urdu cinema enjoyed a mini revival for few years and Shabnum and Robin Ghosh returned to Lahore, Pakistan. This time Robin Ghosh composed the songs of the movies Jo Darr Gaya Woh Mar Gaya (1995), Ghoonghat (1996) and Nikah (1998). Again the magic of Robin Ghosh is heard in the songs like Zindagi Mein Mujh Ko Itna Pyar Mil Gaya (Shabnam Majeed) and Tu He Dil Ki Dharkan (Ghulam Abbas). In late 1990’s Shabnam and Robin Ghosh permanently returned to Dhaka, Bangladesh. The visited Pakistan in 2012 on an official visit. During his career spawning over three decades Robin Ghosh won many Nigar Awards for the music of the films Aaina and Bandish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOX9PVGtJ9I
Zindagi Mein Mujh Ko Itna Pyar Mil Gaya (Shabnam Majeed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ_1DUIO5TE
Tu He Dil Ki Dharkan (Ghulam Abbas)
The distinction of Robin Ghosh was his sweet and melodious tunes in light notes. The impact of Bengali music was evident in his music. As a musician he never composed any loud tune, all of his tunes were melodious and light. He mostly utilized the voices of Mehdi Hassan, Mehnaz, Nayyara Noor, A. Nayyer, Shabnam Majeed, Fariha Parvez, Ghulam Abbas. Another distinction of Robin Ghosh was he never used the voice of the legendary singer Madam Noor Jehan. He is perhaps the only musician of past era who rose to fame without ever working with Madam Noor Jehan.
Indeed With Robin Ghosh an era of filmi music of Urdu cinema has ended.
Rashid Nazir Ali
