Fayyaz Hashmi

He turned to writing of film songs in 1956. Kunwari Bewa was the first Pakistani film with his songs. He wrote more than 2000 songs for films and the Gramophone Recording Company in his lifetime. He also wrote the stories, dialogues and scripts of many hit films, and received numerous awards during his career.

In 1951, he was transferred by his employer, Gramophone Company of India, to Lahore to organise the music scene in Pakistan. There he promoted many talented artists including Farida Khanum, Zeenat Begum, singer Munawwar Sultana, Saeen Marna, Saeen Akhtar and Saeen Budha.

Fayyaz Hashmi was employed as the resident lyricist by the British-owned Gramophone Company of India from 1943 to 1948. "Fayyaz Hashmi wrote his first verse, 'Chaman mein ghuncha-o-gul ka tabassum dekhne walo - Kabhi tum ne haseen kalyon ka murjhana bhi dekha hai', when he was in 7th class." He wrote his very first full songs that Talat Mahmood sang in 1941 (Sab din ek samaan nahin tha) and the runaway hit Tasveer teri dil mera behla na sakay gi with music composed by Kamal Dasgupta.

Fayyaz Hashmi (Urdu: فیاض ہاشمی; 1920 – 2011) was a Pakistani poet and screenwriter who worked both in the Indian and Pakistani film industry. He penned some memorable songs such as the famous nazm Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo and Tasveer teri dil mera behela nah sakegi. The latter made the singer Talat Mahmood famous in India back in 1944 and was instrumental in introducing him to the Calcutta film industry.

Fayyaz Hashmi was born in Calcutta in 1920. His father, Muhammad Hussain Hashmi, was also a poet with pen name 'Dilgeer' as well as a writer of stage drama. His father also worked for Madan Theatre in Calcutta as a writer and director. The family lived next door to the veteran stage director Agha Hashar Kashmiri who regularly attended the literary gatherings at his father's home.