Altaf Hussain Tafu Khan (1945 – 26 October 2024), better known as Ustad Tafu or simply Tafoo, was a Pakistani musician from

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

, known as a 'master

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

player'. He was especially adept at playing the musical instrument ''tabla''. Ustad Tafu was also associated with

Coke Studio Pakistan ''Coke Studio Pakistan'' () is a Pakistani television programme and a part of the international music franchise, Coke Studio, which features studio-recorded music performances by established and emerging artists. It is the longest-running annua ...

. Tafu was the father of musicians Tariq Tafu, Tanveer Tafu, and Sajjad Tafu.

Life and career

Ustad Tafu was born in

, now in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

, to a musician's family, "a part of a musical legacy that spans seven generations." Tafu started his career in 1970 when his first film song, as music director, sung by

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan (21 September 192623 December 2000) was a Pakistani playback singer and actress who worked in both British India and later in Pakistan's cinema of Pakistan, cinema. Her career lasted over six decades, during which she recorded 10,00 ...

was featured in movie ''Anwara'' (1970). In the following year 1971, one of his hit chartbusters-- ''Mahi Keh Gaya Milan Ga Main Fer Aa Ke Te Dass Ke Tareekh Na Gaya'', was released in movie Sajawal. Another film song was in film ''Sohra Te Jawai'' (1980), sung by

, lyrics by

Khawaja Pervez Khawaja Pervez (; 28 December 1930 – 20 June 2011) was a prominent Pakistani film composer- lyricist and film songwriter for both Urdu and Punjabi language, Punjabi language films. His birth name was Khawaja Ghulam Mohiuddin. His professional ...

"Rab jane sahnoon te tu maar suttia". Ustad Tafu has composed music for over 100 films and has worked with music artists such as

Shaukat Ali Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, (3 May 1944 – 2 April 2021) was a Pakistani folk singer. Early life and career Born on 3 May 1944, into a family of artists in Malakwal, a town in District Gujrat (now falls in new District Mand ...

Inayat Hussain Bhatti Inayat Hussain Bhatti (; 12 January 1928 – 31 May 1999) was a Pakistani film playback singer, film actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and an active advocate of the development of the Punjabi ...

Naheed Akhtar Naheed Akhtar (also spelled Nahid Akhtar; born 26 September 1956) is a Pakistani playback singer. She is tagged as the "''Nightingale of Pakistan''". She was the top Lollywood playback singer during the second half of the 1970s and 80s. She i ...

and

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (, ; born Pervez Fateh Ali Khan; 13 October 1948 – 16 August 1997), also known by his initials NFAK, was a Pakistani singer, songwriter, and music director. Khan was primarily a singer of qawwali, a form of Sufi devot ...

. Ustad Tafu showcased his

playing skills at the Coke Studio Pakistan (season 7) (2014) along with musicians

Bilal Maqsood Bilal Maqsood () is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, composer, music video director and painter, better known for being a founding member of the pop-rock band Strings (1988–2021). Early life and education Bilal Maqsood is the son of the popula ...

and the Pakistani

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...

music group

Strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

. In 2017, Ustad Tafu claimed in an interview that he first introduced

Naseebo Lal Naseebo Lal (born 10 January 1970) is a Pakistani folk singer who sings primarily in Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu and Marwari languages. She performed in traditional Pakistani stage shows. Career She debuted as a featured artist in ''Coke Studio ...

as a playback singer in the

Pakistani film industry The film industry of Pakistan, consisting of motion pictures, has had a large effect on Pakistani society and culture since the nation's independence. Pakistani cinema is made up of various sub-industries, including Lollywood, which mak ...

. He also comes from an extended family of film score composers –

Master Inayat Hussain Master Inayat Hussain (Punjabi language, Punjabi, ; 1916 – 26 March 1993) was a Pakistani film music composer. Early life and career Inayat Hussain was born in the Bhati Gate area of Lahore in 1916. He also lived in the Lohari Gate, Laho ...

being his maternal cousin. In 2018, Ustad Tafu also appeared on

Adil Omar Adil Omar (born 17 May 1991) is a Pakistani rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and filmmaker from Islamabad. In addition to being a solo artist, he is also involved in songwriting and production for other artists. Biography and early l ...

's album Transcendence as an arranger, percussionist and playing harmonium for "We Need to Talk About Adil." Tafu died after a long illness in Lahore, on 26 October 2024, at the age of 79.

Some of his films as a musician

* Sajawal (1971) *'' Ik Madari'' (1973) *

Wehshi Gujjar ''Wehshi Gujjar'' is a 1979 Pakistani Punjabi action musical movie produced by Haji Mohabbat Ali. starring Sultan Rahi, Aasia, Iqbal Hassan, Afzaal Ahmed, and Adeeb. It was written and directed by Yunus Malik, Anwar Kamal Pasha. Plot The m ...

(1979) * ''Dubai Chalo'' (1979) * ''Sohra Te Jawai'' (1980) *

Charda Suraj ''Charda Suraj'' ( Punjabi: ) is a 1982 Punjabi-language Lollywood action film. It was directed by Basheer Rana and produced by Mohammad Naeem Khan, starring Sultan Rahi, Mumtaz, Mustafa Qureshi and Ilyas Kashmiri. Cast * Sultan Rahi as Dila ...

(1982) * Des Pardes (1983) * Madam Rani (1995)

Some of Ustad Tafu's popular songs

Awards and recognition

Nigar Award 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 ...

for Best Music in film ''Dubai Chalo'' (1979) *

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 ...

Award by the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan () is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is the nominal head of the executive and the supreme commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

in 2023.

References

External links

* * 1945 births 2024 deaths Tabla players Pakistani percussionists Pakistani musicians Pakistani composers Pakistani film score composers Nigar Award winners Recipients of the Pride of Performance Punjab gharana {{Pakistan-musician-stub