Sajjad Hussain (composer)

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Sajjad Hussain (15 June 1917 – 21 July 1995) was an Indian film score composer and a renowned mandolinist who worked in Mumbai for more than five decades. He was born in Sitamau, in central India (now part of Madhya Pradesh). As a child he learned sitar from his father and later studied veena, violin, flute and piano, becoming skilled on many instruments, especially the mandolin.

In 1937 he moved to Bombay with his brother Nisar Hussain to pursue film music. He started at Minerva Movietone and then worked for Wadia Movietone, earning modest salaries. He learned from established composers and worked as an assistant to several music directors before becoming independent in the mid-1940s. He first contributed songs to Gaali (1944) and then created the music for Dost (1944), which became very popular. After Noor Jehan got credited for the songs from Dost, Sajjad Hussain vowed never to work with her again.

Sajjad Hussain collaborated with many famous singers, including Suraiya, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. His scores were known for their complexity and musical depth. One of his celebrated works is the score for Rustam Sohrab (1963). Lata Mangeshkar later said in a 2012 interview that Sajjad Hussain was her favorite composer. He was highly regarded by many peers for his musical knowledge and craft, though he was also famous for his short temper and perfectionism, which sometimes caused controversy and fewer film opportunities. He even missed the chance to score Mughal-e-Azam (1960) because of disagreements with the producer.

A notable milestone in his career was the Sinhala film Daiwa Yogaya (1959) from Sri Lanka, whose songs helped make the film a hit there. He composed a long mandolin piece for the Telugu film Muthyala Muggu (1975). His last film as a music director was Aakhri Sajda (1977), though he continued to perform in concerts into the 1980s.

Sajjad Hussain lived in Mumbai’s Mahim neighborhood in his later years and had five sons and a daughter; all five sons became musicians. He passed away on 21 July 1995. His friends and fans remember him as a gifted musician with a deep understanding of lyrics, orchestration and voice, someone who could master many instruments, including violin, veena, jaltarang, flute, piano, banjo, mandolin and more. Quotes from Naushad and Anil Biswas praise his talent and originality, even as they note his difficult temperament. He left a lasting mark on Indian film music, including a memorable mandolin contribution to cinema.