This overview represents work towards a forthcoming publication:  Noor Jehan: Melody Queen by Nasreen Rehman to be published by the British Film Institute in 2003

Noor Jehanin Anmol Ghadi (1946). Picture: National Film Archive of India, Pune

Noor Jehan (1926-2000) was born Allah Wasai, in Kasur, in undivided Punjab in British India. Her parents were professional musicians and genealogists working for local landowning families, performing at life cycle events. The family also performed in local theatre at seasonal fairs.

Noor Jehan received her early musical training from Ustad Ghulam Mohammad, who instructed her in classical music and voice production within the framework of the classical forms of dhrupad and khayal. 

In 1935 she traveled to Calcutta with her sister Eidan, cousin Haider Bandi and brother Shafi. Calcutta was an important centre for films and here she acted as a child star, first on stage, and thereafter, doing bit roles in 11 films. Her first song for cinema was Lang ajaa patan Chena daa, in the film Sheila /Urf Pind Di Kuri (dir.K.D Mehra, Punjabi, 1935) She remained in Calcutta for three years, returning to Lahore in 1938. The cognoscenti had already taken note of her voice. Here she was signed up by Dalsukh Pancholi in 1939. She did four Punjabi films for him. Gul Bakavli (1939), Sassi Punnu (1939), Yamla Jat (1940) and Choudhury(1940).  This was a turning point in her life; in her early teens, she was cast in a supporting role, but her songs created a sensation in the Punjab: particularly Bas bas ve dholna. The music director/composer for all these films was Master Ghulam Haider.  It was Master Ghulam Haider who spotted her talent and went on to play a vital role in grooming Noor Jehan for her film career.  He played an equally important role with the legendary Lata Mangeshkar.

In 1941 Pancholi launched Khandaan (1942, dir.Shaukat Hussain Rizvi) in Urdu. Noor Jehaan was cast opposite Pran, who went on to become one of the most hated villains of the Indian film industry. Master Ghulam Haider composed the music and Dina Nath Madhok composed the lyrics. One of the hit songs from this film was Tu kaun si badli men mere chand hai aaja.  This film was a Box Office hit all over India and established Noor Jehan in the line of singing stars, Kanan Bala (Devi), Khursheed and Shanta Apte. Soon there were offers pouring in from Bombay. The producer.director VM Vyas signed her up.

On the sets of Khandaan a relationship had developed between Shaukat Hussain Rizvi and Noor Jehan. The success of their film took both of them to Bombay, though not together.  After a much-publicized and denied romance, they were married in 1944. 

In Bombay, her first film was Duhai (1943 dir.VM Vyas) followed by Naukar (1943 dir.Shaukat Hussain Rizvi). In both these films she was in the supporting role. However, such was her Box Office acclaim that hereafter she got top billing. Nadaan (1943 dir.Zia Sarhadi) marked the beginning of the phase of her career as a top actress/singer. 

In 1944 she acted in two films, Dost and Lal Haveli.  In the latter she was acclaimed for her singing and acting. In 1945 she acted in six films and was in great demand. However her most critically acclaimed film that year was Zeenat.  Directed by her husband, Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, Noor Jehan put in a brilliant performance. The film had some memorable songs. The qawwalli form was used in this film for the first time: the famous Aahen na bharen shikve na karen, Kuch bhi na nazar se kaam liyaa, was performed by women. It was an instant hit and became the standard for qawwalli performances in Bombay films. The film went on to celebrate a silver jubilee. The same year she had the lead role in Badi Maa(dir. Master Vinayak); she was supported by the legendary Kathak dancer, Sitara Devi.  It also featured Lata Mangeshkar, as a child actress. This film has some of Noor Jehan's best songs from her Bombay period. A particularly beautiful number is Diya jala kar aap bujhaaiyaa.  

1946 was a remarkable year even by Noor Jehan's standards:  She starred in Hasnain Fazli's Dil. The film made history by opening in two Bombay cinemas simultaneously, Three weeks later, the Times of India reported, "despite the transport strike Dil still fills two theatres". The same year she made Hamjoli. And cinematic history was made when great Bombay legends converged in Anmol Ghadi. Because of the duo's success in Lal Haveli, Mehboob Khan, the legendary director, cast Noor Jehan as heroine opposite Surender. The inimitable Naushad composed the music. Tanwir Naqvi, composed the lyrics and around this time got married to Eidan, Noor Jehan's sister.  Noor Jehan's songs from Anmol Ghadi were hits at that time. Awaaz de kahaan hai; Mere bachpan ke saathi and Jawan hai mohabat have held their magic even to this day.  Noor Jehan's career was at its peak. She was just twenty years old.  

The following year, 1947 was another landmark for Noor Jehan and the history of Indian cinema. She was the leading lady in Jugnu (dir.Shaukat Hussain Rizvi). Jugnu is a historical film for several reasons. The hero in this film was the rising newcomer, Dilip Kumar. Noor Jehan sang, Yahaan badlaa wafa ka, her only duet with Mohd. Rafi. The songs from Jugnu were super hits and to this day have not diminished in their appeal. In 1947, another Noor Jehan starrer, Mirza Sahiban, was released. As predicted by contemporary critics Noor Jehan's songs from this film too, remain hits to this day.

After partition in 1947, Shukat Hussain Rizvi and Noor Jehan did not go to Pakistan immediately. However, by 1949 they were in Karachi, from where they decided to go to Lahore, a city where they had worked before. Together they set up Shahnoor Studios and Noor Jehan had the singular distinction of being the first woman film Director in Pakistan. Her film, Chan Ve was released in 1951. An all-time favorite song from this film is Ve Mundiya Sialkotia.  In 1952, she starred in Dopatta (dir. Sibtain Fazli). The composer for her first two films in Pakistan was Feroze Nizami, the composer for Jugnu. The film was also released in India to great critical acclaim and all the Noor Jehan songs were hits. Particular favorites were Ban patang ur jaaon and Tum zindagi ko gham ka fasaana bana gaye. This followed a series of films with Directors who had come over from India.  

As with directors, the first composers she worked with as an actress/singer were people she had known or worked with in India. In Gulnar (1953 dir. Imtiaz Ali Taj) the composer was her mentor Master Ghulam Haider. Khwajah Khursheed Anwar composed the music for Intezaar (1956 dir. Masud Pervez) and Koel (1959 dir. Masud Pervez). A memorable song from the former is Chand hanse, duniyaa basay (lyrics: Qatil Shifai) and Mehki fizaayen (lyrics: Tanvir Naqvi) from the latter. However, she struck new working relationships with G.A Chishti, Master Akhtar Hussain and Ustad Nazar Hussain among others. Some of the most challenging and beautiful songs of her career as an actress/singer belong to the 50s. In Neend (1959 dir. Hassan Tariq) she worked with composer Rasheed Attre. Songs like Tere dar par sanam chalay aai demonstrate  how her voice had matured. Her daily riaz and complete dedication to music shone through.

By now she had three children, two sons, Akbar and Asghar and a daughter Zill-e-Huma. She was torn between playing the role of heroine and that of housewife and mother. Additionally, just as her career was going from success to success her marriage was falling apart. After much publicized and very acrimonious confrontations the marriage fell apart. As part of the spoils of war she had to write off her share of Shah Noor studios to S.H Rizvi. She did not remain single for long. In 1959 she married Ejaz Durrani a young actor. She had three daughters from him: Hina, Mina and Tina. It was after her marriage to Ejaz that she decided to quit acting and to take up playback singing. The pressure of being a mother of six and the wife of a demanding 'hero' forced her to give up her career as an actress. However, she turned to playback singing. Perhaps, this was no bad thing as now she was able to sing many more songs in a year. Now thirty-five, all across South Asia she was known as Malika-e-Tarranum/Melody Queen. Additionally, in Pakistan, her studio wallahs referred her to as Madam: not just did she rule the airwaves - she was undisputed Queen of the Pakistani film industry. Her last film as actress/singer was Mirza Ghalib (1961 dir. S. Attaullah Hashmi). In this she sang the ghazals of Ghalib, the greatest Urdu poet. This proved to be a bridge between her past and future. She had developed a great love for poetry and now started recording the works of leading Urdu poets, both classical and contemporary. This contributed to the strengthening of her iconic stature. She gained another audience for herself. Her rendition of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Mujh se pehli si muhabbat meray mehboob na maang is a unique example of tarranum, reciting poetry as song.

The 60s mark the height of proliferation of Noor Jehan songs in Pakistan. Two of her all time favorites as a playback singer are songs from Ghunghat (1962 dir. Khursheed Anwar) composer Khursheed Anwar: Kabhi ham bhi tum bhi the aashna and Man mandir ke devataa from Lakhon Mein Aik (1967 dir: Raza Mir) composer Nisar Bazmi.

She loved to sing and reach out to her fans and admirers.  She had done records, films and radio, and took up the challenge of television in 1967. 1968 she sang the stirring dhamaal Dam-a-dam mast Qalandar (Saraiki/Punjabi) This song, perhaps more than any other typified Noor Jehan's appeal, as it hit international charts: it was heard at shrines along the Indus, in bazaars in Calcutta and in discos in New York.

However, just as she reached unimaginable heights as a singer, in the 70s tragedy struck Pakistan and Noor Jehan. While she was playback singing for the film Heer Ranjha (1970 dir. Masud Pervez), Ejaz was carrying on with Firdaus, on whom Noor Jehan's songs were being picturised. Khursheed Anwar, a composer whom Noor Jehan admired and respected, perhaps, as none other, had composed the songs. As the country was torn apart in 1971, when East Pakistan seceded as Bangladesh, Noor Jehan's life was torn apart, as Ejaz walked out on her.

The 1970s saw a gradual rise in Punjabi film culture in Pakistan and Noor Jehan was very prominent in Punjabi cinema with a huge following in towns and cities. According to Producer Sajjad Gul, "Audiences did not even bother to find out the names of the actors; it was enough that Noor Jehan's songs were there"

The 1980s, dominated by General Zia-ul-Haq's repressive Martial law and the Afghan war, rang the death knell for the Pakistani film industry. Noor Jehan made a much-publicized visit to India in 1982.  Here she was able to renew ties with her old friends and colleagues.  Lata Mangeshkar and Dilip Kumar were among the many others who were there to wine and dine her. Throughout her life she retained a warm and affectionate relationship with both.

By the 1990s the Urdu film industry had sunk, almost without a trace. However, the Punjabi industry was alive - and Noor Jehan was singing for almost every film. Due to failing health she had to cut back her recording commitments. Ironically, the last song she recorded was Ki dam da bharosa? (Punjabi/1998, Master Nazar). What faith in breath? She breathed her last, in Kararchi, on 20^th December, 2000. For fifty years Noor Jehan reigned as a supreme cultural icon, in India and Pakistan and the diasporas, transcending prejudice, xenophobia and difference.