Music lovers across the subcontinent are commemorating the 25th death anniversary of Madam Noor Jehan, arguably the most venerated singer of the region. Known as the “Melody Queen of Pakistan,” she was born Allah Wasai on 23 September 1926 in Kasur, a small town in Punjab.
From childhood it was evident that she had inherited her mother’s gift for song. Her mother sent her to Calcutta (now Kolkata) to nurture the talent and gain entry into the Indo‑Pak film industry. There she met Mukhtar Begum, who, after hearing her voice, bestowed upon her the name Noor Jehan – a title that would bring her fame across two nations.
Renowned filmmaker Agha Hasher Kashmiri gave her the first break in the film Pind Di Kudi. However, it was the song from Gul Bakoli that made her a household name throughout the subcontinent. From that moment she never looked back, becoming the leading playback singer of her era.
In 1947, together with her husband, film director Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, she migrated to Pakistan after a string of blockbuster movies in undivided India, including Khandan, Naukar, Gaon Ki Gori, Zeenat, Mirza Saheba and Jugnu. In Pakistan, her first film was Chan Vey, where she starred opposite the era’s superstar Santosh Kumar.
Her 1952 song “Chandni Raatein” from the movie Dupatta became an instant classic and cemented her identity as the voice of a generation. In 1963, after a three‑decade acting career, she chose to retire from the screen to focus solely on singing—a bold decision at the height of her fame.
The 1960s saw the rise of other greats—Runa Laila, Mala, Farida Khanum, Roshan Ara Begum and Reshma—but none diminished the queen’s stature. Indian nightingale Lata Mangeshkar repeatedly praised Noor Jehan, calling her a mentor and discouraging any comparison.
During a 1981 visit to India, the legendary actor Dilip Kumar remarked, “Like one sun and one moon, there is only one Noor Jehan in this universe.”
Throughout her life, Noor Jehan received countless accolades, including the Nigar Awards, Tamgha‑e‑Imtiaz, Sitara‑e‑Imtiaz and Pride of Performance. She sang an estimated 20,000 songs in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Saraiki and Bengali, lending her voice to virtually every leading actress of her time.
After battling heart disease, the Melody Queen passed away on 23 December 2000. Though two decades have passed, her voice continues to echo in the hearts of millions.