Renowned musician, composer Rasheed Attre remembered on death anniversary

Lahore (Web Desk): The 58th death anniversary of renowned musician and composer Abdul Rasheed Attre commonly known as Rasheed Attre is being observed today.

Born on February 15, 1919, in Amritsar, he began his musical journey under the guidance of Khan Sahib Ashfaq Husain, quickly demonstrating a remarkable aptitude for music. He not only mastered various musical instruments but developed a particular expertise in playing the tabla.

In the early 1940s, Rasheed Attre focused his energies on music composition, launching his career at Mahishori Pictures in Lahore, where he composed two songs for the film Pagli. His talent soon earned him the position of music director for Bombay Talkies’ first Muslim social film, Nateeja (1947).

Following the partition, Attre moved to Pakistan with his family in 1948. In the early years of his career in Pakistan, he worked with playback singers Zubaida Khanum and Naseem Begum.

Over time, he created memorable compositions for legendary singer Noor Jehan, including the iconic ghazal of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, “Mujh se pehli si Mohabbat meray mehboob na maang,” featured in the 1962 film Qaidi.

Rasheed Attre’s contributions to Pakistani cinema earned him three awards for Best Music Director for the films Saat Lakh, Neend, and Shaheed.

He passed away on December 18, 1967, at the age of 48. Even after his death, his musical legacy lived on, with films like Zarqa (1969) and Bahisht (1974) releasing posthumously, showcasing his enduring influence on the music industry.