Naushad Biography Regarded as one of the greatest music composers of Indian Cinema, Naushad Ali was born on the Christmas Day in 1919. He had spent several nights on the footpath after moving to Mumbai in late 1930s to try his luck as a musician.
Naushad's forte was Hindustani Classical music. His professional training in Hindustani music enabled him in swift adaptations of the ragas into film music.
This led to his coming out with major hits including ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, Mother India and ‘Baiju Bawra’. Lata Mangeshkar , India's greatest playback singer, whom Naushad gave opportunity to sing in the early days, once remarked that the music he composed for ‘Baiju Bawra’ surprised even her.
Besides Lata, Naushad was also instrumental in introducing Mohammed Rafi to Hindi film music.
Naushad was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1981 for lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.