Tasleem Fazli

Tasleem Fazli was born in New Delhi in 1947.^[1] He was born into a Kashmiri Muslim family and grew up in Gwalior during British India. His father Syed Murtaza Husain, also known as Dua Dabaivi, was also a well-known Urdu poet.^[2] Two of his other brothers, Nida Fazli and Saba Fazli, were similarly prominent in music and media.^[3] In 1965, eighteen years after the partition of India, his parents and other family members migrated to Pakistan. Tasleem's family settled first in Lahore, later they moved to Karachi.^[4]

Tasleem was approached by director Shaukat Hussain Rizvi to write a song for his film Ashiq which he accepted and composed multiple songs.^[2] Tasleem became known for the song "Dinwa Dinwa Main Ginnun Kab Aayenge Saanwariya" which he wrote for the film Ashiq.^[5][6]

He received several offers to write songs for other films.^[2] He was a lyricist for Pakistani films throughout the 1960s and 1970s, contributing to more than 170 movies and writing 493 film songs.^[2] Some of his well-known works include songs in the films Hill Station (1972), Aap Ka Khadim (1976) and Black Warrant (1982).^[2] He won Nigar Awards for best lyrics in films such as Shabana, Aina and Bandish.^[2]

According to the veteran Pakistan Television Corporation producer/director Khawaja Najmul Hassan, "I was doing a program 'Andaz Apna Apna' at the time (in the 1980s). Khalil Ahmed composed the tune and we asked Farida Khanum to sing it. The song was Mein nay pairon main payal tou bandhey nahin". It was poet Tasleem Fazli's last wish that she sing this song.^[7]

He married Nisho, a popular actress of 1970s, and they had one daughter – Ayesha Fazli. Later, Ayesha married Ali Raza Khan, son of film actress Firdous Begum.^[8][2]

Tasleem Fazli died of a heart attack in Karachi on 17 August 1982, at the age of 35.^[2]