Sohail Rana

Sohail Rana is a Pakistani music composer for films. He was introduced by actor Waheed Murad in Pakistan film industry and gained popularity when singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in such films as Arman and Doraha.^[1] He is now based in Canada.^[2]

Early life and career

Sohail Rana Akbar Abadi was born in Agra, British India, to renowned Urdu poets Mr.& Mrs.Rana Akbar Abadi. The family moved to Pakistan after the independence of Pakistan in 1947. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Karachi through D.J. Science College initially. Later he received his final B.A. degree from National College, Karachi.

Sohail Rana learned music from various ustads and familiarised himself with the Eastern classical music and the Western music knowledge, which added to his experience. The film Jab say deikha hai tumhain was Waheed Murad's second film as a producer and the musical debut of Sohail Rana. Theatrical release was on 29 March 1963, and huge audiences were drawn to the three highly popular songs of the film, Ye khushi ajab khushi hai (singer: Ahmed Rushdi), Tu haseen tera jahan haseen (singer: Ahmed Rushdi) and Jab say deikha hai tumhain, dil ka ajab Aalam hai (singer: Saleem Raza). The other most popular songs of his are Ko Ko Korina, Bay taab ho udhar tum, Jab pyar mein do dil miltay hain, Oont pay baitha mera munna, which were recorded by Ahmed Rushdi.

Sohail Rana composed the hit songs for the golden jubilee film, Heera Aur Pathar, released on 11 December 1964. The film completed 68 houseful weeks. The film became a musical phenomenon, and Sohail Rana became a well-known name in the Pakistan music industry. The composition of Mujhay tum say mohabbat hai (singers: Ahmed Rushdi and Najma Niazi, and Ja ja ray chanda ja ray (singer: Mala) earned him some fame for the above film.

Pakistan’s first Platinum Jubilee film was Armaan. It is an epic tale of broken hearts and broken dreams. The evergreen song Akele na jaana (singer: Mala), with sixty five musicians then, the biggest orchestra ever gathered until then in Pakistani cinema. Further, Sohail Rana won the prestigious Nigar and Graduate awards for the best composer for the film Armaan.

By the mid-1960s, Sohail Rana had become a successful film composer. He contributed compositions for the film Ehsaan (1967), released on 30 June 1967. The film attained Silver Jubilee with such favourite songs as Ik naye maur pay, Aye meri zindigi aye meray hum safar, Do akhian, ye do sakhian. The songs of the film Doraha (1967) were composed by him, and he was also the producer of the film. The famous tracks are Mujhay tum nazar say gira to rahay ho, Bhooli huwee hoon dastaan, Tumhain kaisay bata doon tum meri manzil ho.

Over the years, he composed for the nazms, Qasm us waqt ki, Jab zindigi karwat badalti hai (Film: Qasam us waqt ki, (singer: Mujeeb Alam) also became a popular film song. Sohail Rana produced lilting music for Nigar Pictures Meray hum safar, released in 1972, three of its popular numbers are Wada karo milo gey (Singer: Ahmed Rushdi, Hai bay qarar tamanna (singer: Mujeeb Alam) and Tujh jaisa dagha baaz (singer: Runa Laila). Similarly, Tujhay apnay dil say mein kaisay bhula doon (singer Ahmed Rushdi) is one of the greatest hits from the film Shehnai.^[3]

From 1974 to 1976, Sohail Rana was appointed as the general manager National Orchestra, for Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), based at Karachi center. His musical masterpieces are Sohni Dharti (singers: Shehnaz Begum, Mehdi Hassan, lyricist: Masroor Anwar) have become part and parcel of Pakistani culture. Likewise, Jeeway Pakistan and Mein Bhi Pakistan Hoon achieved tremendous success. Furthermore, he composed music for 2 MGD's (Mass gymnastic displays)held in 1975 and 1976 in Islamabad. Also in Islamabad in 1989 he composed music for SAF games (South Asian Federation)games with 100 singers, 150 piece brass band and 35 piece orchestra.

Additionally, he devoted his time to compose songs for children. His program for children were telecast from PTV for 19 years from 1968 to 1987, from Kaliyoan Ki Mala, to Sung Sung Chalain.

Given below are the names of some of Sohail Rana's well-known students who attained fame for themselves in Pakistani media. Mohammad Ali Sheyki, Amjad Hussain, Alamgir, Mona sisters, Benjamin Sisters, Adnan Sami, Wasim Baig, Nazia Hasan, Zohaib Hassan, Nazneen,Fatima Jaffrey, Anwar Ibrahim and Mehnaz. Sohail Rana released two cassettes of Na'at by Anwar Ibrahim Jaan-e-Madina vol. 1 and 2. Both of these cassettes contained the Naats and Humds by Sohail Rana's father Rana Akbar Abadi.

The film Badal Aur Bijli was also a huge success, essentially due to his Bansi bajanay walay (singer: Noor Jehan), Dheeray dheeray zara paoon utha (singers: Masood Rana and Mala), Aaj janay ki zid na karo (singer: Habib Wali Mohammad and little later a private recording by Farida Khanum). The Farida Khanum version has been used in an Indian film Monsoon Wedding (though without Sohail Rana's permission). Besides RPG recording company also released an album (Asha)in which two of his compositions "Aaj jaane ki zid na karo" and "Mujhey tum nazar se" were also released without his permission.

Apart from that, Sohail Rana also composed music for the films, Phir chand niklay ga (1970) and Usay deikha Usay chaaha (1974). He also served as Resident composer in PIA Arts Academy sponsored by Pakistan International Airlines from 1972 to 1974, where he conducted Ballet Heer Ranjha, composed and re-arranged music for folk dances and under the directorship of Zia Mohyeddin and with a team of eighty-eight dancers, musicians, singers, he toured the whole world performing in prestigious auditoriums and earned the appreciation of international audience.

Sohail Rana also composed the Summit Anthem Allah-O-Akbar, for Pakistan Television Corporation, in the voice of Mehdi Zaheer and a group of hundred singers, for the first Islamic Summit conference held in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1974.

Sohail Rana also gave music for the following films: Saughat, Dil Dekay Dekho, Dil Diwana, Shehnai and Baazi.In total he has composed music for about twenty-four movies. The film Hesaab which was released in 1986 happened to be the last movie for which Sohail Rana composed music. Three of those movies, Guriya, Pagal and Hulchul could not be released. However, popular numbers from the film Guriya and Hulchul are available on cassettes and vinyl Eps.

Rana, during his early years, maintained an enviable position of scoring lilting master pieces for films, memorable children's programs for Pakistan Television (PTV), Ghazals, Classics and Albums for EMI and Shalimar Recording Company. He also composed countless national songs which have gained popularity day after day within and outside Pakistan which some of which are listed hereunder:

   National Songs                              Singers

1. Allah tera Shukr........................Young ambassadors.
2. Sohni Dharti............................Shehnaz Begum / Mehdi Hassan.
3. Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan..................Shehnaz Begum.
4. Tera Pakistan hai yeh mera..............Amjad Hussain.
5. Mere chand sitaro.......................Manzoor Niazi and humnawa.
6. Ik daali ke phool.......................Sohail Rana and young ambassadors
7. Diyai jalayai rakhain...................Mona and young ambassadors.
8. Jagta rahiyo meray laal.................Young ambassadors.
9. Tu hai des mera.........................Mona and young ambassadors.
10. Aye mere des............................Young ambassadors.
11. Yeh des humara hai......................Mona and young ambassadors.
12. Teri waadi waadi ghumoon................Anwar Ibrahim and young ambassadors.
13. Main bhi Pakistan hoon..................Mohd. Ali Shehki / Wasim Baig
14. Zameen ki goad..........................Mohd. Ifrahim.
15. Iqbal humara............................Young ambassadors.
16. Mera dil hai Pakistan...................Mona and young ambassadors.
17. Mera des mera mahiya....................Anwar Ibrahim and young ambassadors.
18. Lehraata rahai parcham..................Mona / Rakhshanda
19. Sooraj karay salaam.....................Sohail Rana and Mona.
20. Parcham hai chand tara..................Tahira Sayyed.
21. Yeh pak sarzameen hai...................Mohd. Ifrahim.
22. Woh tamaam din..........................Nayyara Noor.
23. Nayyar o tabaan.........................Habib Wali Mohd.
24. Unhain kaisay bhool jaoon...............Humaira Channa.
25. Sohna des humara sohna Pakistan.........Chorus.
26. Pak Cheen dosti.........................Chorus.
27. Dosti ka haath..........................Wasim Baig and chorus.
28. Jaana likhoon ya jaan likhoon...........Akhlaq Ahmed.
29. Yeh jaan yehi pehchaan..................Nayyara Noor.
30. Meray des rahat rasaan..................Sohail Rana and young ambassadors.
31. Mera Pakistan...........................Mona and young ambassadors.

Life in Canada

Sohail moved to Mississauga, Ontario in Canada in 1990 where he has opened a school for singers and musicians. In 1997 Punjabi playwright and director Dr. Atamjit visited Canada and also directed his play 'Rishtiaan da Kee Rakhiye Naa' that is based upon Saadat Hassan Manto's well known story Tobha Tek Singh. Suhail Rana composed the music of this play that was sung live in Missisauga. The pain of the independence of Pakistan in 1947 was revisited jointly by the artistes and spectators of the two countries. Later Suhail Rana was honoured for his music. As of 2005, he was starting to perform live with interactive multi-media and gave series of concerts in Toronto involving artists from Pakistan and India. He made a huge appearance on the Geo TV special in 2009 Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo (THE TRIBUTE) Sohail Rana was invited to Pakistan by GEO TV, where he, with the stars like Shafqat Amanat, Fariha Parvaiz, Ahmed Jahanzeb, Ali Haider, Mohd Ali Shehki, Humera Channa, Sajjad Ali, along with an orchestra of 37 members presented his master pieces of yester years.

Awards

He received the prestigious Presidential Award Pride of Performance in (1981), Gold Discs from EMI in (1974) for the vinyl album, Khyber Mail and his musical works touching the highest sales figures of EMI's records from 1954 to 1974 in their final sales figures. Pakistan Television (PTV) awarded him with (PTV Awards in 1982 and 1989). Also in 2007 he received the LifeTime Achievement Award from PTV. He was also given the United Nations Peace Messenger Award, conferred on him, at the United Nations headquarters in New York in 1987. In 2012, he received the award Sitara-i-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan, the highest civilian award in the country.

References

External links

• Official fansite of Sohail Rana, Retrieved 23 November 2015
• "South Asian Canadian anthem to be unveiled in Toronto", DNA India, 18 May 2006, Retrieved 23 November 2015