Tassawar Khanum: Biography
Tassawar Khanum, a good looking singer with good voice sang lots of Urdu and Punjabi songs in Pakistani films and on TV between 70' and 80's. She still has good voice and maintained her beauty after all these years. People or her fans still listen to her with same interest because of her unique singing style and her voice which capture listeners heart. She still ruling on her fans hearts.
Tassawar Khanum's popularity has a history. After Zubeida Khanum, there was no singer who could bring the same vitality, naughtiness and a village belle's sensuality to the film song, until Tassawar came along. She wasn't traditionally gifted with a soft voice, but her songs became popular on the ingredients that were essential for commercial hits. It was difficult for any female singer to make a name for herself amidst such brilliant names like Noor Jahan, Runa Laila and Mala. Yet, Tassawar managed to hit the jackpot with her own determination and verve. One hopes that some senior music directors of the film industry would realize her caliber and will give her a chance again to use the same spirit in the music.
She sang lots of good numbers in her early 70's and 80"s which still listen by her fans. Nisar Bazmi employed her voice to best effect in films like Mastani Mehbooba, Anmol etc. She also sang duets. When Anmol's hit titled "Aisi chaal main chaloon" was first run on the radio, it was such a hit that for months nobody listened to any other song but this number, which was filmed well on heroin Shabnum. Aisi chaal is one of the mega-hits of all time in Pakistani films music. Similarly, her other numbers from film Imandar "Agar tum mil jao" and "Tu meri zindagi He" from film Muhabat Mer Nahin Sakti became a raging hits and they are still popular numbers of her. In the same way her Punjabi number "Ve Sub Tun Soniya" also broke records of popularity in its days.
Later in 1990 Mahesh Butt copied same song in his movie Ashquie, and became a hit number. Similarly, her other hit number "Agar tum mil Jao" also became a raging hit in film Imandar (1974), which recently copied in another Bollywood movie Zehar, not only lyrics but melody is also the same and young generation thinks that Bollywood is really creative because they don't know about the original version.
She is traveling in USA and Canada these days (July - August 2008) and all her shows went very well and successful.
Persoanl Life: She got married right after she recorded her song in film Rangela with Mr. Rais Ghulam Ali Khan Muree, who was belong to a Sindhi family. She has one son and two daughters and now she has one grandson and one grand daughter and she is very proud to be a grand mother. Her husband passed away eighteen years ago and since then she is struggling to raise her family. When she became mom she took some time off from her singing career in her peak time, because she wanted to be a full time mom and house wife. Tassawar said about her husband that he was very loving and carrying husband and father and never try to put any restrictions in her singing carrier. Now children are grown up she is back into her career and have same popularity as before.
She said, "I sang many famous hits songs in films and TV during 70's and 80's, which are still remembered by the music enthusiasts, but it's sad that even after a lot of efforts; I have been unable to convince the film media to employ my voice in their movies". After her return in her singing career she sang only one duet with music director Nashad son in Wajhat Attre music "Main Tera Dil Kho Liya Mundiya". These days she is singing in private parties and TV shows and her fans still listen and watching her with same interest because of her voice , style and off course her beauty she maintained her self very well.
Awards: She received different films awards along with Life time achievements and Pride of Performance awards.
Likes/dislikes: She said I like eating "Methay Gudh ke chawal" specially when its raining. She also likes bhindi ghost and Urad ki daal. Her favorite color is black and in perfume she likes to wear any flowery fragrance. Her favorite flower is motiaya.
Early Life: She was born in Karachi (1950) her doctor gave her name Tassawar, later when she first time appeared on PTV they gave her name Tassawar Khanum. In her childhood she was neighbor of singer Pervaiz Mehdi and her father and Pervaiz Mehdi father were good friends. She used to go Pervaiz Mehdi house with her father and listened to Pervaiz while he was practicing. She starts copying him and one day Pervaiz Mehdi father listened to her and ask her father to give her music education. She starts taking music lessons with sarangi nawaz Ustadd Butta Ali Khan.
Career: She was first introduced by Rafiq Ali Shah's film "Baap Baitt" which was never released; she sang one song in that film music was composed by Nazir Ali. Later, she was signed in film Rangela and her first debut song was "Ve Sub Tun Soniya" became a supper hit, she start signing by other musicians. Her another movie Anmol's song "Esi Chal Main Chaloon" was such a hit for months.
She sang duets with male and female singers except Mehdi Hassan Saheb. She sang a song "Tu Meri ZIndagi he" on TV in early 70's which become very popular and later Noor Jahan sang same song in film "Mohabat Mer Nahin Sakti" in 1974.
