Urdu poet, lyricist Lyallpuri no more

Mumbai, January 22

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Renowned Urdu poet and lyricist Jaswant Rai Sharma, known to the world by his pen name Naqsh Lyallpuri, died here on Sunday, a family friend said. He was 89.

Lyallpuri had been ailing for some time and breathed his last around 11 am at his Andheri home. His funeral will take place at the Oshiwara crematorium on Sunday evening. Born in Lyallpur in the part of Punjab now in Pakistan, Lyallpuri came to Mumbai in the late 1940s to make a career in Hindi cinema. Though he got his first break in 1952 as a song writer, real success eluded him till the early 1970s. He also worked with the postal department for some time to make ends meet during his early struggling days in Mumbai.

Over the years, he collaborated with some top film directors, music directors and singers, penning soft melodies, romantic numbers and emotional songs that touched the hearts of millions.

Some of his best songs include: “Main to har modh par,” “Na Jane kya hua, jo tune chhu liya,” “Ulfat me zamane ki har rasm ko thukroa” and “Do deewane shaher mein.” Saddened by later day demands to infuse crude lyrics for songs, Lyallpuri retired from Bollywood in the late 1990s and penned songs for television.

He made a brief comeback in 2005-06 penning songs for the films “Taj Mahal” with Naushad and “Yatra” with Khayyam. — IANS