Overview
Roshan (1917–1967), born Roshan Lal Nagrath, was an Indian music director who worked in Hindi cinema during the 1950s and 1960s. He is remembered for his classically rooted compositions, his mastery of the qawwali form, and a distinctive lyrical sensibility shaped by Hindustani classical music. Despite a relatively short career cut short by his early death, Roshan composed for several enduring films and is regarded among the finest melodists of the golden era of Hindi film music.
Key facts
| Full name | Roshan Lal Nagrath |
|---|---|
| Known as | Roshan |
| Born | 14 July 1917, Gujranwala, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan) |
| Died | 16 November 1967, Mumbai, India |
| Profession | Music director, composer |
| Industry | Hindi cinema |
| Active years | 1949–1967 |
| Instrument | Esraj, sarod (training) |
| Spouse | Ira Roshan (Ira Moitra) |
| Children | Rakesh Roshan, Rajesh Roshan |
| Grandson | Hrithik Roshan |
Background and early life
Roshan was born in Gujranwala in undivided Punjab. He received formal training in Hindustani classical music, and studied at the Marris College of Music (later the Bhatkhande Music Institute) in Lucknow, where he came under the influence of Pandit S. N. Ratanjankar. He specialised in the esraj, a bowed string instrument, and worked for some time at All India Radio in Delhi as a staff musician before moving to Bombay to seek a career in films.
Career
Entry into films
Roshan began his career as a film composer with Neki Aur Badi (1949), produced by Kidar Sharma. The film did not succeed commercially, but his next assignment, Baawre Nain (1950), also for Sharma, gave him his first hit, with songs such as "Khayalon Mein Kisi Ke" and "Teri Duniya Mein Dil Lagta Nahin", sung by Mukesh and Geeta Dutt.
Rise during the 1950s
Through the 1950s, Roshan worked steadily, composing for films such as Malhar (1951), Anhonee (1952), Naubahar (1952), and Chandni Chowk (1954). He developed a reputation for melodies grounded in raga-based structures and for sensitive use of folk idioms. His collaborations with lyricists such as Sahir Ludhianvi, Indeevar, and later Sahir again on multiple films defined much of his output.
Peak years
The late 1950s and 1960s marked Roshan's most productive phase. Notable films from this period include:
- Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), featuring the celebrated qawwali "Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai" and the title song "Zindagi Bhar Nahin Bhoolegi".
- Aarti (1962), with songs such as "Ab Kya Misaal Doon".
- Taj Mahal (1963), for which Roshan won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director; the film featured "Jo Wada Kiya Woh Nibhana Padega" and "Paaon Chhoo Lene Do".
- Chitralekha (1964), with "Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare" and "Sansaar Se Bhaage Phirte Ho".
- Mamta (1966), featuring "Rahein Na Rahein Hum" and "Chhupa Lo Yun Dil Mein Pyar Mera".
- Bahu Begum (1967), Anokhi Raat (1968, released after his death), and Noor Jehan (1967).
Style and contribution
Roshan is particularly associated with the cinematic qawwali, a form he reshaped with elaborate orchestration and counter-melodies. His compositions in Barsaat Ki Raat and Dil Hi To Hai (1963), including "Nigahein Milane Ko Ji Chahta Hai" and "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag", are often cited as benchmarks of the genre. He also drew extensively on classical ragas — Yaman, Pahadi, Bhairavi, Pilu, and Bhimpalasi appear repeatedly in his work.
Timeline
- 1917: Born in Gujranwala.
- Late 1930s–1940s: Trained at the Marris College of Music, Lucknow; worked at All India Radio, Delhi.
- 1949: Debut film as music director, Neki Aur Badi.
- 1950: Breakthrough with Baawre Nain.
- 1960: Barsaat Ki Raat establishes him as a leading composer.
- 1963: Wins the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Taj Mahal.
- 1966: Composes the score for Mamta.
- 1967: Dies in Bombay on 16 November.
Personal life and family
Roshan married Ira Moitra, a singer and a Bengali Brahmo. The couple had two sons, both of whom became prominent figures in Hindi cinema: Rakesh Roshan, an actor, director, and producer, and Rajesh Roshan, a music director who has won a Filmfare Award. His grandson, Hrithik Roshan, son of Rakesh, is a leading Hindi film actor. Roshan died of a heart attack in 1967 at the age of 50.
Significance
Roshan's work bridged the classical and the popular in Hindi film music. His emphasis on melody, his orchestration of qawwalis, and his adaptations of ragas to film situations influenced later composers, including his son Rajesh Roshan and admirers across generations. Songs such as "Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare", "Rahein Na Rahein Hum" and "Jo Wada Kiya" remain part of the standard repertoire of Hindi film music.