Ghulam Ahmed Chishti

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Ghulam Ahmed Chishti


Img_capt =
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Background = non_performing_personnel
Alias = Baba Ji
Birth_name =
Born = Gana Chor, Jalandhar,
British India
Died = death date|1994|12|25 (89 yrs) Pakistan
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Playback singing
Occupation = Music Director
Composer
Lyricist
Years_active = 1935–1994

Ghulam Ahmed Chishti (often abbreviated to G.A. Chishti) was a Pakistani music composer, attributed as being one of the founders of Pakistani film music.cite web|url=http://mazhar.dk/film/musicians/chishti.htm|title=Baba G. A. Chishti|publisher=Mazhar.dk|accessdate=2008-07-05] He is also sometimes referred to as Baba Chishti.

Working with filmi music, Chishti excelled at Punjabi compositions and was 'apt at weaving the design of influences around Punjabi music'. With almost 5,000 tunes to his credit, he composed scores for 140-150 filmscite web|url=http://vidpk.com/view_video.php?vid=13661|title=Music Director Baba G.A. Chisti|publisher=VidPK|accessdate=2008-07-06] and was the first musician to reach the 100s threshold. Being a poet, he has written lyrics for 12 songs.

Biography

Early life

Ghulam Ahmed Chishti was born in 1905 in Gana Chor, a small village in Jalandhar. Early in his childhood, Chishti became fond of music and would sing "naats". at his school. He was later noticed by Agha Hashar Kashmiri when Chishti came to Lahore. Kashmiri was a well-renowned writer and his works were praised throughout the Indian subcontinent and would occassionaly compose songs for theatres.

Kashmiri hired Chishti to assist him with his work and offered him a salary of 50-rupees per month. Under Kashmiri's influence Chishti began learning the intricacies of the music industry and trained with him. Upon Kashmiri's death, Chishti joined a recording company and began composing himself. Amongst his first records were those for Jaddanbai and Amirbai Karnataki.

Composing for film

Chishti is responsible for bringing Noor Jehan to the Lahore stage when she was 9-years old in 1935 who since then had worked in accord with Chishti after his later migration to Lahore.cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/noorjehan/melody.html|title=Noor Jehan: Melody Queen|publisher=British Film Institute|accessdate=2008-07-03] He started his career composing music for the films with "Deen-o-Dunya" in 1936. Once he got recognised, he was offered to compose music for L. R. Shori's film "Sohni Mahival" in 1938. Later the Censor Board banned his composition for the song "Aik Shehr Ki Londiya" from the film "Shukriya" in 1944 bestowing much needed attention upon the composer. He became known for his compositions in Urdu and Punjabi both.

Partition and migration

However, things were to take a drastic turn when in 1947, Pakistan was formed out of the partition of India. He decided on migrating to Pakistani in 1949 where the film industry was reeling in its infancy. The new industry was at the mercy of learned musicians and filmmakers and lacked funds to compete with the Indian films imported from India. Chishti offered his services as a musician.

Due to shortage of talent in the music industry, it is reported that Chishti had to compose music for three films at a time. His initial compositions for "Sachai", "Mundri" and "Pheray" were simultaneously produced. Upon its initial screening, "Pheray" became a blockbuster hitcite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/contemporary/pakistani.html|title=Pakistani Cinema|publisher=British Film Institute|accessdate=2008-07-06] and earned plaudits for the composer. It is reported that the sixcite web|url=http://www.mazhar.dk/film/history/40s/1949.htm|title=Pakistani films of 1949|publisher=Mazhar.dk|accessdate=2008-07-06] to seven songs in the film were written, composed and recorded in a single day.

Last days

Chishti was a very simple, affable and kind person. Due to his popularity and venerability, he was called "Baba Ji" in the film industry. He was died at the age of 89 by heart attack, on 25 December 1994, in Lahore.

Notes