Naushad misses 'Mughal-e-Azam's tryst with Pak audience

New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) For Naushad, known to the film industry as "the Mughal-e-Azam of Hindi music" as much for his wide repertoire of music compositions as for the memorable songs of the 60s classic by K Asif, there must have been but one regret in death that came knocking at his doors this morning - missing 'Mughal-e-Azam's tryst with the Pakistani audience next month.

Naushad's demise at Mumbai's Nanavati hospital this morning came even as 'Mughal-e-Azam' was all set to release across Pakistani cinema halls next month, on June 2.

Sources in the Sterling Investment Corporation, the negative right holders of 'Mughal-E-Azam' in India, say that the music composer, one of the few surviving titans associated with the epic Mughal-e-Azam along with the veteran actor Dilip Kumar, was keenly awaiting the release of the 60s classic in Pakistan.

In fact, for Naushad, it was a case of double celebration as both the films for which he had composed the music - 'Mughal-E-Azam' and the recently-released 'Taj Mahal' - had been okayed for release in cinema halls in Pakistan.

Sources in the Sterling investment corporation told UNI that Naushad had been instrumental in facilitating the process of adding stereophonic sound to the songs of 60s classic, personally supervising the process of re-recording the songs in Dolby.

It is notable that most of people associated with the 60s classic, including the illustrious director K Asif, the ethereal Madhubala and Prithviraj Kapoor, have passed into the ages.

In fact, efforts were on to take Naushad to Pakistan to grace the premiere of 'Mughal-e-Azam', the sources said.

However, it was not to be and that, undoubtedly will go down as one of Naushad's unfulfilled desires.

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