Remembering Naqsh Lyallpuri 1928-2017

Jaswant Rai Sharma (24 February 1928 – 22 January 2017), popularly known by his pen name Naqsh Lyallpuri, was an Indian ghazal and Bollywood film lyricist. He is best known for the songs "Rasm-e-Ulfat Ko Nibhayen" (Dil Ki Rahen, 1973), "Tumhe Ho Na Ho" (Gharonda, 1977), "Yeh Mulaqaat Ek Bahana Hai " (Khandaan, 1979), "Pyar Ka Dard Hai" (Dard, 1981), and "Chitthiye Ni Dard Firaaq Vaaliye" (Henna, 1991).

Jaswant Rai Sharma was born in Lyallpur (now called Faisalabad and in present-day Pakistan) on 24 February 1928 to a Punjabi-Brahmin family. His father, a mechanical engineer, wanted Jaswant to be an engineer, too. He disapproved of Jaswant's affinity for literature. His mother died of chickenpox when he was eight and his father remarried, after which the father-son relationship deteriorated.

In 1946 Sharma worked at a publishing house named Hero Publications and later moved to Lahore looking for work. After the Partition of India, the family migrated to Lucknow. Sharma later took on the pen name "Naqsh" – meaning an impression, a mark or a print – and added "Lyallpuri" to it, following the tradition of Urdu poets to associate with their birthplace.

Lyallpuri moved to Mumbai in 1951 and started working at The Times of India as a proofreader. He married Kamlesh, with whom he has three sons, Bappan, Rajendra, and Suneet. His family members also adopted Lyallpuri as their surname. Lyallpuri credits his wife as his "pillar of strength" who supported him in his unsuccessful years. His son Rajendra "Rajan" Lyallpuri is a cinematographer.

Lyallpuri came to Mumbai in the 1950s seeking a career in the Hindi film industry. He started writing stage plays and was introduced to actor Ram Mohan, who was an assistant to actor-director Jagdish Sethi. Mohan introduced Lyallpuri to Sethi, who listened to his poetry and asked him to write songs for his next film. Lyallpuri debuted as a film lyricist with the 1953 film Jaggu, writing the lyrics of "Agar Teri Aankhon Se Aankhein Mila Doon", rendered by Asha Bhosle and composed by Hansraj Bahl.

Until the 1970s, Lyallpuri's work did not meet with success. He worked in the postal department to earn his living. Music director Jaidev introduced him to television serials and asked him to write lyrics for the Hindi television series Shrikant. Lyallpuri went on to write songs for about 50 TV serials along with nearly 40 Punjabi films.

Lyallpuri collaborated with various Bollywood music directors, including Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Sapan Jagmohan, Jaidev, Naushad, and Ravindra Jain, and Punjabi music composers like Surinder Kohli, Hansraj Bahl, Ved Sethi, and Husnlal-Bhagatram. He had a close association with director B. R. Ishara from their first film, Chetna, in 1970, which made Lyallpuri's song "Main Toh Har Mod Par Tujhko Doonga Sada" performed by Mukesh famous.

Lyallpuri's songs have been noted for being "hummable", although they did not make a major impact on the overall industry. He avoided unwarranted word play and kept the lyrics simple, although he used Urdu words frequently. His command of Urdu made many doubt his Punjabi ethnicity. In his earlier career, he faced competition from Sahir Ludhianvi, Hasrat Jaipuri, and Shailendra and later from other Urdu-poets like Gulzar and Majrooh Sultanpuri, who were all well established in the Hindi film industry. Lyallpuri hence focused on Hindi B-grade films and Punjabi films. His 1973 song "Rasm-e-Ulfat Ko Nibhayen" for the film Dil Ki Rahen was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Mangeshkar counts it as her favourite Lyallpuri song but gives credit for its success to the music composed by Madan Mohan, based on raag Madhuvanti and the lyrics written by Lyallpuri, rather than her own singing.

Lyallpuri is best known for the song "Tumhe Ho Na Ho" from the film Gharonda (1977), sung by Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila. The song is often wrongly ascribed to Gulzar, who wrote the other songs in the film, whereas the song "Do Deewane Shahar Mein" in the same film is misattributed to Lyallpuri.The 1979 song "Yeh Mulaqaat Ek Bahana Hai" in the film Khandaan is noted for its unusual ghazal format. His "Pyar Ka Dard Hai" from the 1981 film Dard has been lauded for Kishore Kumar's soft singing and for using "everyday lyrics". He also wrote the only Punjabi song "Chitthiye Ni Dard Firaaq Vaaliye" in the film Henna (1991).

Lyallpuri published two books: Teri Gali Ki Taref (On Your Street) is a collection of his non-film shayari and Angan Angan Barse Geet features his songs from films, television serials, and music albums.

Lyallpuri took a sabbatical from films in the 1990s, disliking the lyrical style prevalent then, some using profanity and continued with television. He returned in the 2000s penning lyrics for the films Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005) and Yatra (2007), collaborating with his earlier music directors Naushad and Khayyam, respectively. He was a founding\\er member of the Indian Performing Rights Society, which works for royalty rights of music directors and lyricists.

Selective filmography
1952 – Jaggu
1955 – Ghamand
1958 – Rifle Girl
1959 – Circus Queen
1960 – Choron Ki Baraat
1960 – Road No. 303
1968 - Teri Talash Mein
1970 – Chetna
1971 – Man Tera Tan Mera
1972 – Man Jaiye
1973 – Dil Ki Rahen
1974 – Parinay
1974 – Call Girl
1977 – Gharonda
1975 – Kaagaz Ki Nao
1978 – Tumhare Liye
1979 – Khandaan
1981 – Aahista Aahista
1981 – Dard
1982 – Dil-e-Nadaan
1985 – Kala Suraj
1991 – Heena
2005 – Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story
2007 – Yatra
Death
Lyallpuri suffered from a hip bone fracture in March 2016 and was hospitalized in October 2016. He died on 22 January 2017 at the age of 88 at his residence in Andheri, Mumbai and his funeral took place at the Oshiwara crematorium.