Omkar Prasad Nayyar

Born: 16 January 1926

Died:  28 January 2007

• He was an Indian film music composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, and musician.
• He is considered to be one of the most rhythmic and melodious music directors of the Hindi film industry.
• He won the 1958 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director (for Naya Daur).
• He worked extensively with singers Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi, Shamshad Begum, Mahendra Kapoor, and Kishore Kumar.
• Based on a Bengali language work by Rabindranath Tagore, Nayyar composed “Chal Akelaa, Chal Akelaa” (sung by Mukesh in 1969 film Sambandh).
• The song became an enormous hit and the movie celebrated a jubilee at Bombay’s Maratha Mandir.
• In 1957 Filmalaya introduced Nasir Hussain, who wanted a composer to provide romantic scores for newcomers Shammi Kapoor and Ameeta.
• His scores were featured in the Hussain films Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1964).
• During the decade, state-controlled All India Radio banned most of Nayyar’s songs because the broadcaster considered them too “trendy”.

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