# Tanvir Naqvi

Tanvir Naqvi (born Syed Khursheed Ali; 16 February 1919 – 1 November 1972), also spelled Tanveer Naqvi, was a British Indian and later Pakistani film songs lyricist and poet.
He wrote lyrics for over 200 films, including Lollywood and Bollywood films. He made his debut in Indian cinema with Swami film directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar, and later remained active in Pakistani film industry for over fifteen years. Naqvi earned recognition after writing "Aawaz De Kaha Hai" song for Anmol Ghadi (1946 film) and "Rang Laayega Shaheedon Ka Lahoo" song covering 1965 India-Pakistan war.

## Early life and career

He was born in 1919 in Lahore, British India (in modern-day Lahore, Pakistan). He originally belonged to a family of Persian writers from Iran and started writing poetry at the age of 15, He later married notable singer and actress Noor Jehan's older sister, Eidan Bai. His first poetry collection, Sunehre Sapne, was published by the time he was 21, in 1940.
As a film songs lyricist, he started his career around 1946 at early age, but after moving to Pakistan, he wrote lyrics for Urdu and Punjabi language films, including Pakistan's first feature film Teri Yaad. He also wrote for Salma (1960), Noor Jehan's first film exclusively as a playback singer.
In 1933, he went to Bombay when the film director Abdur Rashid Kardar invited him there. Prior to his debut in films, he was writing ghazals, but later wrote songs for Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi films. He is also credited for writing lyrics for Pakistan's patriotic song titled "Rang Laye Ga Shaheedon Ka Lahoo", sung by Noor Jehan. He wrote this song from one of his poems. During his career, he wrote two prominent naats such as "Shah-e-Madina Yasrab Ke Wali" and "Jo Na Hota Tera Jamal Hi". Before the split of Indian subcontinent, Naqvi was recognized one of the greatest classical writers in Punjabi poetry and literature between the 1950s and 1970s.
After partition, the Pakistan film industry didn't produce many films, and by the end of 1952, it had made only five films. Later, Khwaja Khurshid Anwar, a Pakistani filmmaker and a music director teamed up with several other people, including Tanvir Naqvi as songwriter. The team succeeded in making some films between 1956 and 1959, focused on psychological issues experienced by actors due to multiple cultural conflicts.

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Remarks denote a short description of the work where available. |
| # | Title | Year | Type/Credited as | Remarks |
| 1 | Anmol Ghadi | 1946 | Lyricist | Wrote the highly popular song Aawaz De Kahan Hai, composed by Naushad for this film |
| 2 | Jugnu | 1947 | Lyricist | — |
| 3 | Teri Yaad | 1948 | Lyricist | — |
| 4 | Naata | 1955 | Lyricist | — |
| 5 | Anarkali | 1958 | Lyricist | Wrote the song Kahan Tak Sunoge, Kahan Tak Sunauon, sung by Noor Jehan and music composed by Master Inayat Hussain |
| 6 | Jhoomer | 1959 | Lyricist | Wrote the hit song Chali Re Chali Re, Barri Aas Laga Ke Chali Re, sung by Nahid Niazi and composed by Khwaja Khurshid Anwar |
| 7 | Neend | 1959 | Lyricist | — |
| 8 | Koel (film) | 1959 | Lyricist | Won Best Lyricist Nigar Award for film songs in Koel (1959) |
| 9 | Shaam Dhalay | 1960 | Lyricist | Won Best Lyricist Nigar Award for film songs in Shaam Dhalay (1960) |
| 10 | Salma | 1960 | Lyricist | Wrote the film song Zindagi Hai Ya Kisi Ka Intezar |
| 11 | Gulfaam | 1961 | Lyricist | — |
| 12 | Ghunghat | 1962 | Lyricist | — |
| 13 | Azra | 1962 | Lyricist | Wrote Jaan-e-Baharan-Rashk-e-Chaman film song, sung by Saleem Raza composed by Inayat Hussain |
| 14 | Seema | 1963 | Lyricist | — |
| 15 | Hamraz | 1967 | Lyricist | — |
| 16 | Behan Bhai | 1969 | Scriptwriter | — |
| 17 | Att Khuda Da Vair | 1970 | Lyricist | Wrote the highly popular film song Jadon Hauli Jai Laenda Mera Naam, sung by Noor Jehan, music composed by Bakhshi Wazir |
| 18 | Dosti (Pakistani film) | 1971 | Lyricist | Won Best Lyricist Nigar Award for film songs in Dosti (1971) |

## Death

He died on 1 November 1972 in Lahore, Pakistan and was buried in Miani Sahib Graveyard in Lahore, Pakistan.