Asad Bhopali (birth name: Asadullah Khan) was born on July 10, 1921 as the eldest son of Munshi Ahmed Khan. When he moved to Bombay at the age of 28 to write lyrics for the film, “Duniya” (1949), he was the first poet from Bhopal in the industry. Eventually he came to be known as Asad Bhopali.
He wrote two songs in “Duniya” of which Mohammad Rafi sang, “Rona Hai To Chupke Chupke Ro” and “Armaan Loote Dil Toot Gaya” was recorded in Suraiyya’s voice.
The film that catapulted his lyrics into fame was B.R. Chopra’s “Afsana” where he penned six out of the nine songs which were sung by Shamshaad, Lata and Mukesh. Though a brilliant lyricist, Bollywood did not shower fortunes on him and he struggled throughout his life.
Some of his famous lines are “Woh Jab Yaad Aaye, Bahut Yaad Aaye” and “Hasta Hua Nooraani Chehra” from “Parasmani" (1963), “Dil Ki Baate Dil Hi Jaane” from “Roop Tera Mastana” (1972), “Dost Banke Aaye Ho, Dost Banke Hi Rehna” from “Bin Phere Hum Tere” (1979) and “Pi Ke Shankarji Ki Booti” from “Rang Bhoomi” (1992).
He has worked with most prominent music directors of his time namely Shyam Sundar, Husnlal-Bhagat Ram, C. Ramachandra, Khayyam, Dhani Ram, Manas Mukherjee, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji and Hemant Mukherjee.
He had two wives and nine children of whom Ghalib Asad is part of the film industry.
In 1990, his song “Kabootar Ja Ja Ja” from “Maine Pyar Kiya” for which he was the prime lyricist won him a Filmfare Award. However, by then he was bedridden from a paralytic stroke. He passed away on June 9, 1990.
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