ग़ुलाम मोहम्मद

Ghulam Mohammed (1903–1968) was a Hindi film composer whose command of rhythm gave his music an unmistakable pulse. Born in Bikaner into a family of musicians — his father Nabi Baksh was a tabla player — he began performing as a child with the New Albert Theatrical Company before moving to Bombay in 1924. After years of struggle he found work as a tabla player, appearing on the soundtrack of Raja Bharthari (1932), and his percussion skills made him one of the most sought-after rhythm arrangers of the studio era. He spent more than a decade as assistant to Naushad at Kardar Productions, while also working alongside Anil Biswas. His first break as an independent composer came with the stunt film Mera Khwab (1943), followed by Tiger Queen (1947) and a steady run of scores including Shair (1949) and Pardes (1950). His crowning achievement was Mirza Ghalib (1954), whose ghazal settings for Suraiya and Talat Mahmood won him the 1955 National Film Award for Best Music Direction. He composed the songs of Pakeezah (1972) but died in March 1968, four years before its release; Naushad completed the background score. Pakeezah's immortal mujras and ghazals remain his enduring monument.