Inayat Hussain Bhatti

Inayat Hussain Bhatti (1928-1999) was a multidimensional icon of Pakistan. His body of work includes contributions as a singer, actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a protagonist of the development of Punjabi language and literature.

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Inayat Hussain Bhatti


Img_capt = The legend in 1995
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Inayat Hussain Bhatti
Born = January 12, 1928
Origin = Gujrat, Punjab, British India
Died = death date and age |1999|5|31|1928|1|12|df=yes Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan
Genre = Folk, Pakistani music
Occupation = singer, film actor, film producer
Years_active = 1949–1997

History

Inayat Hussain Bhatti was born in Gujrat on 12 January 1928, the son of Fazal Ellahi Bhatti, a prominent social worker in Gujrat. He attended public high school and later graduated from Zamindar College, Gujrat. During the early phases of his life, Inayat hussain bhatti enjoyed his association with two persons, both from Gujrat. they were Syed Ijaz Hussain Gilani, a practising lawyer, whose abrasive interest in fine arts, especially music and drama, won him the appreciation of a large number of music buffs and connoisseurs, and Mr. Asghar Hayat Jaura, a well known Kabbadi player from Gujrat with whom Bhatti sahib shared many common interests. The late artiste from Mohalla Fattupura, Gujrat, spend several formative years of his life in the company of these individuals in Gujrat and Lahore. He became interested in the lives and works of the Sufi saints and the poetry of Waris Shah, Bulleh Shah, Baba Farid, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh since his early college days, Mainly because of his association with the said two persons.

In December 1948 he came to Lahore with the intention to study law and initially stayed at MAO College hostel, Lahore. His destiny however had different plans for him, A few months after his arrival in Lahore, he made his first performance on stage in the YMCA Hall, Lahore, in a play produced by Syed Ijaz Hussain Gilani, which focused on the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri freedom fighters. After his YMCA auditorium performance, Inayat Hussain Bhatti accompanied Ijaz Gilani to Radio Pakistan, Lahore, where he met and became a formal pupil of Master Niaz Hussain Shami, a composer then working for Radio Pakistan in Lahore. It was his association with and training under Master Niaz Hussain Shami, which facilitated Bhatti sahib's participation in regular radio programs as a singer. He sometimes used to accept character roles in plays broadcast by the Lahore station of Radio Pakistan. once he was memorizing some lines while having tea at the radio canteen when Rafi Peer, a play writer, overheard him. He went up to him and asked whether he would acts as the Hero in his play "Akhian" (Eyes). this was a Godsend for Bhatti sahib who readily accepted the offer and acted to Peer's satisfaction. Rafi Peer wanted Bhatti sahib to speak Punjabi in the Sargodha dialect, this he did excellently and Rafi Peer was happy with his selection.

Bhatti sahib was introduced to composer Ghulam Ahmed Chishti by Master Shami in 1949, who offered him an opportunity to record a few songs in producer-director Nazir's film Phairey (1949). The song “"aakhiyan laanveen naan"”, a duet with Munnawer Sultana for that film was an instant hit. Other songs of that movie, includes the solo recorded in the voice of Inayat Hussain Bhatti, also won wide popularity, and are still remembered for their lively compositions, which brimmed with abundance sonic enchantment. Courtesy G.A.Chishti and the movie Phairey, Inayat Hussain Bhatti became an almost overnight celebrity and fortune began to smile on him. After his debut in the films as play back singer, Inayat Hussain Bhatti's vocal recourses were successfully employed by several music directors. including Ghulam Haider, Master Inayat Hussain and Rashid Attrey, for recording their songs in a number of films. Spotting his histrionic talent producer-director Nazir offered Bhatti sahib the leading role in his Punjabi film "Heer" (1955) against Sawaran lata, which he enacted successfully and to the satisfaction of the inveterate producer, director, actor Nazir. The film did good business at the box office, for several decades thereafter; it was a complete success story for the late singer and actor Inayat Hussain Bhatti.

He was the first superstar play back singer of Pakistan after its independence in 1947. His career spanned for almost five decades, In 1997 he suffered an attack of paralysis, which impaired his speech and kept him bed-ridden for most of the time thereafter. A few days before his death, the septuagenarian artiste was taken to his native home Gujrat, where, on 31 May 1999, He was plucked away from our midst by the inexorable angel of death and way laid to rest beside his late parents.

Career in folk theatre

During the 1960s Inayat Hussain Bhatti also took to folk theatre acting and singing, and toured the rural hinterland of the Punjab along with his theater group, where he entertained a vast multitude of village folks with his songs and recitation of the works of the great Sufi poets like “Waris Shah, Bulleh Shah, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh , Sultan Bahoo, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai”.

He possessed a strong but melodious voice, particularly suited for the crooning of songs derived from folk melodies of Punjab. he could have prolonged his career in the theaters , but for his acting stints, which kept him away from theater.

In 1996 Mr Bhatti was invited to attend a cultural Mela in Mohali, India, by the then Minister of East Punjab, Mr. Harnek Singh Gharun, the Indian National Congress leader. Inayat Hussan Bhatti enthralled the listeners with immense depth and range of his voice. Beginning with "Heer", he held the audience spellbound for four hours with the choicest Punjabi folk songs, including some popular hits from his own films, "Urdu ghazals", "Maheeya", and ended with "Mirza" the most powerful poetic legend of Punjab.

In 1997 he was invited to attend a musical event at, Chandigarh, India. The event was organized by "the Punjabi Aalam", a cultural organization. Inayat Hussain Bhatti once again captivated the audience for hours and received standing ovation from the audience.

Career in the film industry

Inayat Hussain Bhatti was the only male artist in Pakistan film industry who achieved super stardom both as an actor and a singer simultaneously. His first venture, as a film producer was “Waris Shah” (1962), based upon the life and works of the great Sufi poet of Punjab, the film despite not being a successful box office film, captured the hearts of the entire literary circles. His second film as a producer "Moonh zoor" (1965) was also not successful, but then in 1967 his third film "Chan makhna" in which he played the lead role, proved to be a block buster at the box office and received the Nigar award as the best picture 1967. This was followed by a string of hit movies such as Sajjan paira (1968), "Jind jan" (1969), "Duniya matlab di" (1970), "Ishq diwana" (1971), and "Zulam da badla" (1972) which broke all the previous box office records and transformed Bhatti, into a superstar actor of the Punjabi movies. He also produced, directed and acted in three Saraiki language films simultaneously. The themes of all movies produced by him, were based on some social malady of the Punjabi culture. Because of this, fact these films were popular with the audience and have become true classical Punjabi films. From the late 1960s to the mid 1990s, the name of Bhatti pictures was synonymous with success and fame.

During his celluloid carrier, spanning almost five decades, he produced 30 films under the banner of “Bhatti pictures” and acted in more than three hundred films. He rendered his voice for approximately 500 films, recording more than 2500 film and non-film songs in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Bengali and Saraiki. One of his na'at in “Arabic” is regularly broad casted on Radio Pakistan Lahore, during the holy month of “Ramadan” since the last four decades.

Inayat Hussain Bhatti's patriotic song "Allah-O-Akbar" from the film "Ghengiz khan" (1958) has become a signature tune for the armed forces of Pakistan.

His contribution to Pakistani melodic culture, especially its folk varieties, had been widely acknowledge. Late Inayat Hussain Bhati, who also made significant contributions to the development and promotion of theatre and the Pakistani cinema in its infancy, is remembered fondly by the large number of people specially in the rural areas of Pakistan. A number of his songs recorded for Pakistani films are still recalled with a great deal of nostalgia by the senior music buffs in Pakistan.

A brief chronology of his songs

* "Aakhiyan Laanveen Naan" - Phairay {1949)
* "Suway chooray waliay" - Shammi (1950)
* "Treekaan bugtan ge tere Mapay" - Laarey (1950),
* "Baghaan walayoo naam japho Moula naam" - Shehri Babu (1953)
* "Hoon Birian noo kar lay band ni" - Heer (1955)
* "Sanoo Sajna de milne di tang ay" - Heer (1955)
* "Doli chardian marian Heer cheekan" - Heer (1955)
* "Nikal kar teri Mehfil se" - Ishq-e-laila (1957
* "Mohabbat ka jinaza ja raha hai" - Ishq-e-laila (1957)
* "Sadi nazraan toon hoian kahnu door das ja" - Zulfaan (1957)
* "Ajj muk gaiay a ghamaan wali shaam" - Kartar Singh (1959)
* "Ajj akhan Waris Shah nu" - Kartar Singh (1959)
* "Kare na bhrosa koi Duniya de pyar da" - Mitti dian Moortan (1960)
* "Qadam barhao, Sathio" - Saltanat (1960)
* "Aithe wage ne Ravi te Channa, Belia" - Chacha Khamkha (1963)
* "Tehray ishq nachaya kar kay thaeya thaeya" - Waris Shah (1964)
* "Taynu suttian jaag na aye" - Hadd haram (1965)
* "Wah Moula, teri be-parwai" - Monh Zor (1966)
* "Duniya chala chali ka Mela" - Sham Sevayra (1967)
* "Chan mayreh makhna" - Chan Makhna (1968)
* "Sajjan pyara mile koi dukh pholiye" - Sajjan Paira (1968)
* "Jind aakhan ke Jan o sajana" - Jind Jan (1969)
* "O tak, dilbariya, a dilbariya" - Kochwan (1969)
* "duniya matlab di o yar" - Duniya Matlad di (1970)
* "Main labhna wan us Yaar noo" - Rab Di Shan (1970)
* "Sada na bagheen Bulbul bole" - Sajjan Beli (1970)
* "Baliye, chal Pind noo chali" - Duniya Paisay Di (1971)
* "O marn zara naeen dared" - Geo Jatta (1971)
* "Dushman mare te khushi na kariye" - Ishq Diwana (1971)
* "sucha souda pyar jhoot naeen bolna" - Sucha Souda (1971)
* "Zulf da Kundal khule na" - Dhol Jawanian mane (1972)
* "Dilbar milsi kayroo war" - Dil naal Sajjan de (1972)
* "Milay ga zulam da badla" - Zulam Da badla (1972)
* "Menda ishq vi toon iman vi toon" - Dhian Nimanian (1973)
* "Gum sum rehn layi" - Challenge (1974)
* "Dharti sadi bhagan wali" - Dharti Dey Lal (1974)
* "O jinday, wah jind apni" - Sohna Dakku (1974)
* "Jani raat reh poh gali kreasun" - Rab Da Roop (1975)
* "Nadde naal la ke yaari" - Dankay Di Chot (1976)
* "Chiti blor jeyi Naar" - Jagga Gujjar (1976)
* "Ki haal sunawan dil da" - Haider Dalair (1978)
* "Nashe diye botlay na eini att chukk ni" - Maula Jatt (1979)
* "Tera torhan ga gharoor main Zaroor ni" – Jernail singh (1987)
* "Ranjhan yaara wai" – Jat Majah da (1988)

Inayat Hussain Bhatti's immense talent as a singer was employed by two generations of music directors. In the 1950s, Rasheed Attre and in the 1970s and 1980s, his son, Wajahat Attre, composed many super hit songs by using his vocal talent.

His music directors include: G.A. Chisti, Master Inayat Hussain, Ghulam Haider, Asghar Ali, Mohammad Hussain, Rasheed Attre, Safdar Ali, Gul Haider, Mehnu, Tufail Farooqi, Akhtar Hussain, Rehman Verma, Aashiq Hussain, Qadir Faridi, Rafiq Ali, Shad Amrohi, Taalib Hussain, Kamal Ahmed, Salim Iqbal, Tasudduq Hussain, Mohammad Ali Shabir, Wazir Ali, M. Ashraf, Tafoo, Bhagg Gee, Master Abdullah, Nazir Ali, Bakshi Wazir and Wajahat Attre.

Beside his solo career as a singer, he is credited with hundreds of film duet songs, from Noor jehan and malika pukhraj to Mala, Irene parveen, Zubaida khanam, Munawar Sultana, Kousar Perveen, Naseem Begum, Naheed Niazi, Tasawur Khanum and Afshan.

As a tribute to this legend, his numerous hit songs have been remixed by the new generation of Pakistani singers including Abrar-ul-Haq, Shazia Manzoor, Naseebo Lal, Arif Lohar and many others.

Filmography

* Jalan (1949)
* Shehri Babu (1953)
* Heer (1955)
* Morni (1956)
* Kartar Singh (1959)
* Waris Shah (1964)
* Mun Zor (1966)
* Sham Savera (1967)
* Chan Makhna (1968)
* SajjanPaira (1968)
* Danke di chot (1968)
* Jind Jan (1969)
* Kochwan (1969)
* Duniya Matlab Di (1970)
* Sajjan Beli (1970)
* Sucha Souda (1971)
* Ishq Diwana (1971)
* Dhol Jawanian Mane (1972)
* Sajjan Dushman (1972)
* Dil Nal Sajjan Dey (1972)
* Zulam Da Badla (1972)
* Dhian Nimanian (1973)
* Rano (1974)
* Saza-a-mout (1974)
* Dharti Dey Lal (1974)
* Paishaver Badmash (1975)
* Rabb Da Roop (1975)
* Jagga Gugar (1976)
* Altimatum (1976)
* Danke di Chot (1976)
* Sadkey Teri Mout Toon (1977)
* Haider Delair (1978)
* Takht da takhta (1979)
* Lahu Dey Rishtey (1980)
* Mile ga zulm da badla (1981)
* Taqat (1984)
* Jatt Majay da (1989)
* Ishq Roug (1991)

His female co-stars include: Suran lata,Zeenat, Nigar sultana, Bahar, Meena, sherin, Yasmeen, Sabira Sultana, Rani, Firdous, Saloni, Husna, neelo and Khannum.

Television career

Despite his busy schedules he also gave time to television and did numerous programs. In the early 1970s he did "Bhatti da dayreh", a musical cum talk show every week for a year. In the 1990s, Bhatti compered a series of TV programmes entitled "Ujala" on the Sufi saints of Pakistan, and wrote the scripts. The series provided the viewers a look in his Sufistic bent mind, and enlightened them about the lives and works of the Sufi poets. It was a great success and eagerly watched by audience of all description and ages for almost three years. It earned its producer, Qaisar ali shah, the Ptv Award for best religious program.

As a columnist

Mr. Bhatti was at ease in the company of scholars, his keen eye and kind heart made him venture into the realms of journalism as well. For years his column “Challenge” graced the Urdu newspaper "Daily Pakistan". In this column he pointed out the maladies of Pakistani society without any fear. It was a well read column.

As a social worker

Although a movie star, he was God fearing and a philanthropist by nature. He always took time to help the poor and distressed. In 1971 he built and donated a “Complete Tuberculosis treatment ward” for poor and needy patients in “Gulab devi hospital Lahore” in the name of his mother Barkat bibi. Until his death (1999), he supported it financially and with other services.

He was against sectarianism and was respected by religious scholars of all shades; the Government of Punjab had on numerous occasions sought his help in creating religious harmony by way of appointing him as a member of “Ittihad banul muslimeen” and a member of the Peace committee.

Politics

Mr. Bhatti also dabbled in politics by joining Pakistan Peoples Party of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in 1975. He surprised everyone with his speeches and turned out to be an excellent orator, during the elections champagnes of 1977 and 1988, he energetically campaigned for his party, often attending and addressing several different rallies in a day. During the late 1980s. He was appointed “secretary of party’s cultural wing”, a position which he held for a year and then resigned because of his various other commitments. His contribution for “PPP” is fondly remembered and discussed by the senior party members and supporters.

In 1985 elections, during General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq’s regime, he contested for a seat in the National Assembly from NA 95, and lost by a narrow margin. During the evening of his life, he joined “All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference” of Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, with whom he shared a cordial relationship.

He was a protagonist of the development of Punjabi language and literature. In the 1970s, along with two other like minded personalities, Mr. Zia Shahid (now chief editor of daily newspaper, "Khabrain"), and Mr. Masood khaderposh (a retired bureaucrat), he started the publication of a weekly magazine Kahani (story) for the endorsement of Punjabi language and literature. Bhatti sahib was also the chairman of “Punjab workers movement”, founded in the 1980s for the same objectives.

He was also an outstanding speaker on different themes of Islam, addressed hundreds of "majalis" and participated in Muharram congregations regularly.

Achievements

Inayat hussain Bhatti's efforts did not go unrewarded, some of the honors bestowed by the society at large are:

Pakistan

*In recognition of his social services, the Pakistan medical association on 2 January 1974 awarded him with Medical college color, the ceremony was held at Nishtar medical college Multan. He is the first and to date the only non-medical person in the subcontinent to receive this honor.

*After Prince Karim Aga Khan IV and the late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he became the third person to be given honorary life membership of the Punjab press club during the mid 1970s.

*Gold medal from the chief minister of Sind for his patriotic song "Allah-o-akbar".

*Gold Medal from Pakistan Peoples Party (1976).

*Lifetime achievement award from Nigar Awards.

*Life time achievement award from Bolan Academy.

*Honorary life membership of the Pakistan producers' association.

*President of Rajput Bhatti association of Pakistan

*Life chairman of Pakistan singers' association.

*Chairman of rehabilitation council of Gulab devi hospital Lahore.

*Shields and trophies presented to him by Lions Clubs International and Rotary club Multan on 2 January 1974, for his services to promote Saraiki culture through his Saraiki films and songs.

*EMI recording company awarded him a silver disc for his 25th year of association with the company (7 December 1976).

*Golden Jubilee film award from Jung group of newspapers on 4 July 1996.

*numerous other awards, medals, shields and commendation certificates from various literary Punjabi committees and associations.

For his patriotic songs, Bhatti was bestowed with the following honors by the Pakistan armed forces:

*He was the honorary member of numerous army units.

Shields of honor from:

*12 Medium Regiment, Artillery [on the eve of 32nd raising day] .
*Officers of 43 Baluch Regiment.
*48 Signal Battalion [7 January 1993] .
*The Century six Artillery unit.

India

He was equally popular across the border in East Punjab (India) and was bestowed with the following honors.

*Awarded with a shield and a trophy by Rotary club Amritsar south [23 July 1980]
*Awarded with a medallion and a trophy on the occasion of 11nd international Punjabi cultural festival at Mohali [26-27 November 1996]
*Awarded a shield by Chandigarh press club, Chandigarh India, presented to him by the honorable Mr. Justice Amarjit Chaudry acting chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court [22 October 1997] .
*Awarded a shield by the Punjabi intellectual forum Chandigarh [25 October 1997]
*shield and a medallion by Sur layamunch Jalandhar [24 December 1997]
*shield and medallion by Prof. Mohan Singh Foundation Amritsar [1997]

After his demise in 1999, Prof. Mohan Singh Foundation Amritsar, announced the “Inayat Hussain Bhatti Memorial Award” as a tribute to him. The first award under this category was awarded to “Jasbir Jassi Gurdaspuria of "Kudi Kudi" fame, in 2001 at Ludhiana.

Descendants

Inayat Hussain Bhatti got married in 1953 with Mohtarma Shahida Banoo, the daughter of Mr. Ahmed Din Butt, a retired superintendent of the Indian Railways, she passed away on 12 March 1997. Bhatti's progeny includes two sons, three daughters, eleven grandsons and five granddaughters. His elder son Nadeem abbas bhatti a film producer, played a lead role in the movie "Ishq roug" (1991) but then shifted his focus to film distribution. His youngest son Waseem Abbas bhatti is a well known film, TV and stage artist.

Inayat hussain bhatti's younger brother Kaifi, was a popular actor and director from mid 1960s till the late 1990s.

References

Encyclopedia "First in Pakistan" [Pakistan mayn Awal Awal] by Zahid Hussain Anjum, published in 1992.Page 286,287.

[Special editions on Inayat hussain bhatti after his demise on 31 May 1999] .

Daily newspaper "Khabrain", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Khabrain", 11th June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Khabrain", 31st May 2000.

Daily newspaper "Jang", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Din", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Pakistan", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Nawa-i-waqt", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Awaz", 2nd June 1999.

Daily newspaper "Dawn", Lahore. 15th March 1997.

Daily newspaper "The Tribune", Chandigarh, India. 16th October, 1997.

Online edition "Ludhiana Tribune" Chandigarh, India. October 22, 2001.

See also

* [http://mazhar.dk/film/urdu/inayatbhatti/ Inayat Hussain Bhatti's memorable songs]

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1531125/ Inayat Hussain Bhatti profile - IMDb.com]
* [http://www.mazhar.dk/film/singers/inayatbhatti/ Pakistan Film Magazine]
* [http://mazhar.dk/film/singers/inayatbhatti/songography.htm Songography]
* [http://www.apnaorg.com/music/inayat/ music]
* [http://www.folkpunjab.com/inayat-hussain-bhatti/ www.folkpunjab.com]