I am greatly saddened by O P Nayyar’s demise. I knew him since 1950-51, right from the beginning of his music career, through the crowning glory he achieved with Naya Daur to his gradual disappearance and a memorable comeback with Kashmir Ki Kali. His was a kind of macho music. It had a distinct Punjabi rhythm to it, especially in his use of the dholak and the way he constantly kept innovating with various instruments and folk music. His greatest contribution was that he gave style to Mohd. Rafi and Asha Bhonsle. The differential in their singing was achieved under his baton and for me and my films, his music made all the difference. The style that he gave Rafi as a singer, the latter carried on all through his life. He composed amazing peppy numbers. Can you forget Udi jab jab zulfen and Maang ke saath tumhara from Naya Daur or Sar pe topi lal (Ek Musafir Ek Hasina)? Where will you get music like that? Maang ke saath was actually a song composed by Naushad, which he improvised, but he did it so well that none remembers the original today. Of the songs he composed for my films, my personal favourites are Yun to humne lakh haseen dekhe hain (Tumsa Nahin Dekha), Deewana hua badal and Tareef karun kya uski (Kashmir Ki Kali).(As told to Piyush Roy)
