Naheed Akhtar (also spelled Nahid Akhtar; born 26 September 1956) is a

Pakistani Pakistanis (, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. As much as ...

playback singer A playback singer, as they are usually known in South Asian cinema, or ghost singer in Western cinema, is a singer whose performance is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and the performers lip-sync the ...

. She is tagged as the "''Nightingale of Pakistan''". She was the top

Lollywood Lollywood is Pakistan's film industry, which has served as the base for both Urdu- and Punjabi-language film production. Lahore has been the center of Pakistani cinema since independence in 1947. However, with the Urdu film hub largel ...

playback singer during the second half of the 1970s and 80s. She is one of the most popular and successful singers of Pakistan. She won 3

Nigar Awards The Nigar Awards () were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema, after having been revived in 2017 following a 15-year absence. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The ...

and a

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance (), officially known as the Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sp ...

in 2007.

Early life and family

Naheed was born on September 26, 1956, in

Multan Multan is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, fifth-most populous city in the Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab province of Pakistan. Located along the eastern bank of the Chenab River, it is the List of cities in Pakistan by populatio ...

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. She has 3 sisters and 4 brothers. A sister of hers, ''Hamida Akhtar'', was also a singer.

Singing career

Naheed's career began in 1970 when she sang a duet with Khalid Asghar in " Raag Malhar" at Radio Pakistan Multan. She has recorded songs in a range of styles, including Pakistani film music,

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

Ghazal ''Ghazal'' is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry that often deals with topics of spiritual and romantic love. It may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss, or separation from the beloved, and t ...

, traditional Pakistani

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

, Punjabi folk songs,

Qawwali Qawwali is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing originating in the Indian subcontinent. Originally performed at Sufi shrines throughout the Indian subcontinent, it is famous throughout Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and has ...

s, Naat & Hamds and others. She was first discovered for films in the mid-1970s by veteran music director M. Ashraf who pursued her to sing in films. She had no well-known person as ''ustad'' (teacher) to train her musically but music director M. Ashraf played a key role in grooming her talent. Her inaugural film "Nanha Farishta" was released in 1974 and in the same year she sang songs in film ''Shama'' (1974). Initially it was said in the film circles that she was introduced to fill the vacuum of

Runa Laila Runa Laila (born 17 November 1952) is a Bangladeshi playback singer and composer. She started her career in the Pakistani film industry in the late 1960s. Her style of singing is inspired by Pakistani playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and also f ...

who had migrated to

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. But later people realized that she had her own original singing style. She was active in the Pakistani film industry all the way through the 1980s.
As a playback singer, Naheed has given her voice to 590 songs in 436

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

and

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

films.

Personal life

Naheed left singing in 1986. Later, she married a journalist ''Asif Ali Pota'' in 1994. Both had a daughter and a son together. Pota died of cardiac arrest in 2017.

Later appearances

Naheed Akhtar made an appearance on stage in 2013, after repeated requests of the management of a TV show, where active and popular singers like

Shabnam Majeed Shabnam Majeed is a Pakistani film and TV playback singer.g Personal life Shabnam Majeed had four children with her former husband Wajid Ali, a music director. Their son, Naqi Ali (Lucky Ali), died at age seven after falling down the stairs in ...

Humaira Channa Humaira Channa, also known as Humera Channa (born on 22 Jun 1966 at Hyderabad), is a 6 Nigar Award winning film playback singer from Pakistan. She has won 3rd most Nigar Awards in history, ranked only after Noor Jehan and Mehnaz. Early life ...

Humaira Arshad Humaira Arshad or Humera Arshad ( Punjabi, ) is a Pakistani pop singer from Lahore born in 1975. Career She started her career as an actress in PTV Home's television series Ainak Wala Jin (a PTV show for children in the 1990s) where she played ...

Fariha Pervez Fariha Pervez () is a Pakistani pop singer-songwriter, and a music producer. She is specially known for the rendition of various popular and famous ghazals (a form of romantic poem). She started her career anchoring and acting from a very youn ...

Saira Naseem Sahira Naseem is a Pakistani singer who formerly was a playback singer in the Lollywood films during the era of 1990s. She has received 4 Best Playback Singer Nigar Awards. Career Naseem started her singing career in the film ''Hum Se Hai Zamana ...

, A. Nayyar,

Hamid Ali Khan Ustad Hamid Ali Khan (; born 1953) is a Pakistani classical singer. He belongs to the Patiala gharana. Being a representative of the Patiala gharana, Hamid Ali Khan is an exponent of ghazal and classical singing. He has released several rec ...

and Saima Jehan sang her songs to pay tribute to her. She stays busy with her family and children, and , is not actively pursuing a singing career.

Popular songs

A list of Naheed's popular songs includes:

Film

Television

* ''Main Noo Soda Water Le De We Roz Baalma Kehndi (

Folk music of Punjab Punjabi folk music (, or Punjabi Folk) is the traditional music on the traditional musical instruments of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. There is a great repertoire of music from the time of birth through the different stages of j ...

)'' * Shikar Dopehre Wangan Waala Aa Ni Gaya (

) * Aap Sass Palange Lait Dee (

Folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

) * Sui We Sui Tanghi Saarhaane Meri Sass (

) * Pehron Aas Na Paas Hai Koi Aisi Bhi Kya Veerani Ho (

) * Rut Rangeeli Aayi Kalli Kali Muskhayi (

Pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...

) * Nazar Se Nazar Kya Mili Zindagi Mil Gayi Ajnabi Ajnabi (

) * Jaaneman Jaane Jaahan Bolo Na Kahan Ho Tum Bin Laage Sooni Sooni Shaam (

) * Kuch Din To Basoo Meri Aankhon Main Phir Khwaab Agar Ho Jaao To Kya (

) * Aankhain Jhin Ko Dekhna Paayen Sapnon Mein Bikhra Dena (

) * Kyoon Dekhoon Main Aur Kissi Ko Woh Hain Jab In Aankhon Main (

) * Bohat Dinon Sey Mujhe Tera Intezar Hai Aa Jaa Aur Ab To Khaas Wahi (

) * ''Aati Hai Pawan Jaati hai Pawan (

)'' * ''Hamara Parcham Ye Piyara Parcham (National Song)'' * Tujh Sey Hum Mansoob Hain Aise Aasman Se Taare Jaise (National Song) * Jug Jug Jiye Mera Pyara Watan Lab Pe Dua Hai Dil Main Laagan (National Song) * Zindagi Apni Watan Ki Zindagi Ka Naam Hai (National Song) * ''Kabhi Bindiya Hanse Kabhi Nain Hanse

Geet (song) Geet (song or lyrical poetry) (Hindi:गीत) (Urdu:گیت) in Hindi and in Urdu may refer to any poem set to music that can be sung alone or as a duet or in Choir, chorus. It has remained popular in all parts of the Indian sub-continent particu ...

'' * Urtey Lamhon Ne Pehni Hai Dhanak Rang Ki Maala

* Ab Ke Saawan Bhichde Saathi Dil Ki Nagri Aana Waada Bhool Na Jaana

* ''Shabe Gham Mujh Se Mil Kar Aise Royi (

)'' * ''Tumse Ulfat Ke Takaze Na Nibhaaye Jaate (

)'' * ''Jahan Tera Naqsh e Qadam Dekhtay Hein (

)'' * ''Chaap Tilak Sab Chheen Li Re Mosay Naina Milaaike (

Sufi music Sufi music refers to the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets like Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusrow, and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. Qawwali is the best-known form of Sufi music and is most commonly found in ...

)'' * ''Mere Roothe Sanam Tujhe Meri Kasam Na Jaana Dil Thor Ke, Music Composer (

Nisar Bazmi Nisar Bazmi (1 December 1924 – 22 March 2007) was a composer and music director of Indian and Pakistan film industry. Nisar Bazmi was known as one of the accomplished musician of South Asia. He also introduced new singers like Alamgir and Me ...

)'' * Thak Gayi Hai Nazar Chale Aao Chale Aao Hogayi Hai Saahar Chale Aao * Ghannan Ghannan Ghann Gaarje Baadarwa (

Classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

) * Kat Hi Gayi Judaai Bhi Kab Yeh Hua Ke Mar Gaye (

)

Radio

* ''Phir Chiraghe Lala Se Roshan Huye'', (Kalam e Iqbal) * ''Ik Kiran Muskhurati Huyi Ik Kiran'' * Saawan Rut Main Tujhe Pukaaron Geet Milan Ke

* Jutti Kasuri Pehri Na Poori (

) * Kaala Doriya Kunde Naal Ariya (

) * Yeh Haadsaate Mohabbat Jahan Jahan Guzare (

) * Kahiye To Kiya Sunaon Afsana Zindagi Ka (Ghazal) * Saat Rangee Meri Odhani Ka Ek Ek Rang Nirala

* Sajna Noon Kadi Jhutaa Laara Nai Laai Da (

Punjabi Music The music of Punjab reflects the traditions of the Punjab region associated with Punjabi language. Punjab is currently divided into two parts: East Punjab, in India, and West Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. The Punjab has diver ...

)

Television programmes

Awards and honors

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Akhtar, Naheed Living people Pakistani playback singers People from Multan Radio personalities from Lahore Nigar Award winners Recipients of the Pride of Performance Pakistani radio personalities 20th-century Pakistani women singers 20th-century Pakistani singers 1956 births PTV Award winners 21st-century Pakistani women singers 21st-century Pakistani singers