Khayyam.....The Evergreen Music Director.

 
Mohammed Zahoor Khayyam Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam, evokes memories of soothing, lilting melodies. Since the late 40s, the veteran composer has done films at his pace - less than one film a year - but oh, what songs he has given us! The great man, who turned 80 on February 18, talks about the power of a simple life and his songs which have shaped many a film.
 
Think Footpath, Kabhi Kabhie, Umrao Jaan and Razia Sultan... and Khayyam springs to your mind like the smell of green grass in spring. He has also been associated in mega-serials including Great Maratha, Dard, and Jai Hanuman and many non-film albums. All his songs have the ability to evoke nostalgic memories in music lovers. Not surprising, since Khayyam himself is a philosopher who says he owes his success to God, his wife, singer Jagjit Kaur and the blessings of his gurus, Pandit Amarnath, Husnlal and Bhagatram.
 
Not once do you hear him referring to his talent. Humble to the core,Khayyam continues to be one of Hindi film music’s great finds. His house serves as a study in simplicity with relics of all religions and multi-religious ceremonies are a part of his daily life. God, to him, is a single Power.
 
Currently, Khayyam is doing two films Benares 1918 - A Love Story and Yatra. He reveals that he chooses which films he composes for and he chose to do these two films since every film is a labor of love. In Yatra, for instance, Rekha plays a dancer which gives a lot of scope for music. Asha Bhosle, the playback voice of Rekha in Umrao Jaan, also sings for this film.
 
Khayyam is welcoming the new generation of lyricists and singers. Still, he feels that his generation had many great filmmakers and visionaries which made it that much easier to produce great music.  He also blesses Anu Malik in his endeavor to compose music for the remake of Umrao Jaan. The original was unforgettable with Rekha playing the legendary courtesan and Khayyam composing the music.

Khayyam reflects that a film’s music today seems to depend more on TV promos than on the music itself. He has been vocal about his opposition to remixes.  Remixes are hits because of the strength of the lyrics and the melody, he says. He wonders why the younger generation mutilates the great classics and not concentrates on creating something new.
 
He was also clear about never working for money alone which explains why he has done less than 60 films in more than 50 years. His wife was an ardent support of his views and has been a great friend and teacher to him which made it easier for him to stick to his ideals. Most of his songs have been in Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan films. He reminds us that while he has not composed in films, he has 225 non-film songs in genres like ghazal, bhajan, geet and naat (Muslim devotional songs).
 
In his early films, Khayyam was known as Sharmaji. He explains that when he got the change for composing 12 songs in Heer Ranjha (1948), his music gurus told him that his name was too long and he should re-christen himself as Sharmaji. However, when he signed Footpath (1953) starring Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari and director Zia Sarhadi, the latter felt that Khayyam was very distinctive. So, he became famous with his original name.
 
Khayyam became a household name with his songs in Footpath, Mohabbat Issko Kehte Hain, Lala Rukh, Shagun, Shola Aur Shabnam, Aakhri Khat and Phir Subah Hogi. After a hiatus, he made his comeback with Kabhie Kabhie. Yash Chopra thought he was the best choice to compose for a film about the love story of a poet. He was right.

Fame has not changed Khayyam. He continues to remain the same humble man he has always been continuing to value original music and lyrics. He hopes that Indian film music will reach the glory of its golden days. We hope so too.