Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Aata Hai… In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke Mastaane Hazaaron Se Hai… Khayyam, who composed melodious tunes for hundreds of popular songs, was a composer who achieved a unique position in the film industry. Neither was he ever influenced by western music, nor was he in any hurry to give tunes that grabbed headlines overnight. He never compromised with classicalism.
Musicians like Naushad and Shankar-Jaikishan were also famous in front of him, but Khayyam made his own place. Even after years, his songs and music give peace to people, take them to a different world. Although his full name was Mohammad Zaheer Khayyam Hashmi, while in the profession of music he became famous only by the name of Khayyam. Very few people would know that his name was also a Sharmaji and Prem Kumar.
Khayyam's first desire was to become an actor. Since childhood, I was fond of watching movies secretly. At the age of about ten-eleven years, after walking from Ludhiana in Punjab, he came to his uncle in Delhi. Started education in Delhi itself. But the mind used to be in films – wanted to act.
Coincidentally, Khayyam's uncle was acquainted with Pt. Amarnath, a famous musician of that time. He expressed his nephew's wish to Pt. Amarnath. Pt. Amarnath said – it is necessary to sing and play for acting. Since most of the acting actors used to sing themselves in that period. After this Khayyam joined Pt. Amarnath's team and started learning music. But he used to say again and again – I want to become an actor.
kept learning music for 10 to 15 years
Khayyam was a part of Pt. Amarnath's team for about five years. It was here that he met Husnlal-Bhagatram, both the younger brothers of Pt. Amarnath. Husnlal-Bhagatram is called the first music composer pair of Hindi films. In the era of forties, the success of these three brothers used to kiss the sky. Khayyam lived among these three brothers and learned the nuances of music.
Lahore visit changed fate
Khayyam turned about fifteen-sixteen years old. Pt. Amarnath said- For the last five-six years you have been learning from us- now go to the people in the industry and tell about yourself. Pakistan was not formed in those days. Khayyam met G A Chishti, a famous musician from Lahore. He made Khayyam his assistant as soon as he heard the name of Pt. Amarnath. From here, Khayyam started getting work as an assistant musician. But the mind was still engaged in acting.
When Khayyam got his first salary
The surprising thing is that till now Khayyam was working without taking any remuneration. The age was such that no one kept him with him as a professional. So he went on learning while working for many years without taking any money. At that time G. A. Chishti b. R. Chopra's film - when he came to know that this boy was working without taking any money, he was surprised and his first salary was fixed - one hundred and twenty five rupees. In a conversation, Khayyam had told that then he was very happy, even the family members became emotional after knowing about it.
Pt. Amarnath gave the name – Sharmaji
Khayyam worked with music composer G A Chishti for many years. Sometimes Mumbai and sometimes Kolkata kept coming and going. But one day G A Chishti returned to Lahore after finishing the work while Khayyam remained in Mumbai. After this he once again reached Pt. Husnlal-Bhagatram. He gave Khayyam the opportunity to sing many songs in many of his films.
The next film in which I got a chance to give music was Heer Ranjha. It was released in the year 1948. There was another disciple of Chishti who lived with Khayyam – Rahman. Khayyam has told in a conversation that his guru then changed his name and said-many people in films are known by different names-so Khayyam was named Sharmaji and Rahman was named Vermaji. However, after partition, Rahman went to Pakistan and continued to give music in some films under the name Khayyam Sharmaji.
The story of Khayyam becoming Prem Kumar
The country was going through the horrors of partition. Not only people going to India-Pakistan were being massacred, but communal violence was also spread inside the country. The atmosphere in Mumbai was also turbulent. Khayyam was alone in this city. Looking at the situation, the musicians Husnlal-Bhagatram gave him a place to live in their own. Until the atmosphere in the city calmed down, Khayyam remained as a guest in his building.
Husnlal's wife Nirmala Devi, who lived near the Imperial Cinema in Karol Bagh, Delhi, told me in a conversation that at that time there was rioting all over the city - and we kept Khayyam in our house like a child of our family. Wasn't allowed to move anywhere. Whenever people ask us, who is this - we say - his name is Pram Kumar and he is a member of our family.
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