Lal Mohammad Iqbal

{{Short description|Pakistani film music composer (1930–2013)}}

{{Use Pakistani English|date=February 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Lal Mohammad Iqbal

| image = Lal_Mohammad_Iqbal.jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Lal Mohammad (1933 - 2009) and Buland Iqbal (1930 - 2013)

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Rajasthan, British India (Lal Mohammad)

| death_date =

| death_place = Karachi, Pakistan (both of them died in Karachi)

| origin = Pakistani

| instrument = Flute, Sarangi

| genre = Contemporary instrumental

| occupation = Composers and music directors of films

| years_active = 1957 – 1994

}}

Lal Mohammad Iqbal were a Pakistani composer duo, consisting of Lal Mohammad (1933 – 29 September 2009) and Buland Iqbal (1930 – 25 July 2013). They were among the leading musicians of Pakistan film industry belonging to the golden era of film songs.{{cite web|url=http://pakfilms.net/musicians/LalMohammadIqbal.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 April 2017|website=Pakistan Film Magazine website|title=Film songs of Lal Mohammad Iqbal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428045747/http://pakfilms.net/musicians/LalMohammadIqbal.php|access-date=4 February 2023}}

Buland Iqbal composed music at Radio Pakistan with his colleague Lal Mohammad and the duo was known as Lal Mohammad Iqbal. They had joined Radio Pakistan, Karachi within a span of six months in 1950. At first, they together composed 'geets' and 'ghazals' for Radio Pakistan. The duo is primarily remembered for their compositions in the voice of playback singer Ahmed Rushdi.{{cite web|title=Tribute to maestro Buland Iqbal|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1035815|newspaper=Dawn (newspaper)|date=14 August 2013|author=Parvez Rahim|access-date=12 July 2021}}{{Cite news|date=23 October 2009|title=Paying tribute to maestros|url=https://www.dawn.com/2009/10/23/paying-tribute-to-maestro/|access-date=12 July 2021|newspaper=Dawn (newspaper)|language=en}}

Early life and career

Buland Iqbal was the son of Ustad Bundu Khan (1880 – 1955), the famous sarangi player of the subcontinent and he was the younger brother of Umrao Bundu Khan, a sarangi player and classical singer. Belonging to a family of classical musicians of Delhi gharana, Buland Iqbal had command over numerous ragas, which he also sang.

Iqbal used to compose music on Radio and then with his mate Lal Mohammad. He started his film career in 1961 with the film Bara Bajey (1962).{{cite web|url=http://pakfilms.net/artists/details.php?pid=1857|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2017|title=Profile of Lal Mohammad Iqbal|website=Pakistan Film Magazine website|access-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629180238/http://pakfilms.net/artists/details.php?pid=1857}}

They were first given the chance for films by playback singer Ahmed Rushdi as Rushdi introduced them to different film producers.{{cite news|url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/274126/lal-mohammad-iqbal-the-forgotten-hero-duo/ |title=Lal Mohammad Iqbal - the forgotten hero duo |author=Amjad Parvez|date=28 July 2018|newspaper=Daily Times (newspaper)|access-date=12 July 2021}}

The duo composed music for at least 40 films and utilized the voices of many playback singers, including three vocalists from India, namely Talat Mahmood, C. H. Atma and Mubarak Begum. Their last film as a music director was Sab Ke Baap which was released in 1994. Lal Mohammad had died earlier on 29 September 2009 whereas over the last two decades, Buland Iqbal devoted his time to teaching classical and ghazal singing. His devotion for music was so intense that till the age of 80, he would come to teach music four to five times in a week driving his motorbike from his residence in Liaquatabad, Karachi to many other parts of the city.

Death

Lal Mohammad and Buland Iqbal were totally forgotten by the Pakistani film industry and spent their last years in anonymity. Buland Iqbal died on 25 July 2013 in Karachi at age 83, whereas Lal Mohammad had died earlier on 29 September 2009.

Popular compositions of Lal Mohammad Iqbal

class="wikitable"
Film SongSingersSong Lyrics ByFilm and year
"Gori zara phir se baja payalya peepal ki chhaon main"

|Muhammad Ifrahim, Nasima Shaheen

|Dukhi Premnagri

|film Jaag Utha Insaan (1966){{cite web|url=http://www.citwf.com/film170219.htm|url-status=dead|title=Jaag Utha Insan (1966 film)|website=Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website|archive-date=1 June 2018|access-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601213050/http://www.citwf.com/film170219.htm}}

"Ae ABr-e-Karam Aj Itna Baras Kay Woh Jaa Na Sakein"

|Ahmed Rushdi,

|Masroor Anwar

|film Naseeb Apna Apna (1970)

"Hai Kahan Woh Kali"

|Ahmed Rushdi

|Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli

|film Anhoni (1973)

"Socha Tha Pyar Na Karein Gey"

|Ahmed Rushdi

|

|film Ladla (1969)

"Duniya Kisi Ke Pyar Mein Jannat Se Kam Nahin"

|Mehdi Hassan

|Dukhi Premnagri

|film Jaag Utha Insaan (1966)

"Rah-e-Talab Mein Kon Kisi Ka, Apnay Bhi Beganay Hayn"

|Habib Wali Mohammad

| Asrar Ahmad (Ibn-e-Safi)

|film Dhamaka (1974)

References

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