The most surprising aspect of Noor Jehan’s life was her decision to migrate to Pakistan at the time of Partition. This move was unexpected because she was then at the height of her career as a playback singer. Unmatched in talent and virtuosity, Noor Jehan’s extraordinary voice played a crucial role in the success of films, as Indian cinema heavily relied on music, particularly songs. Her acting was widely accepted largely due to her vocal prowess, and no other vocalist came close to her caliber.
She gracefully carried forward the singer-actor tradition, and her films such as *Anmol Ghari* and *Jugnu*, released shortly before Partition, were major successes. Therefore, her decision to move to the new country was seen as a huge loss to the Indian film industry, prompting many music composers to weep at her departure.
After Partition, the film world in Pakistan had been severely depleted by the migration of trained personnel. Film production essentially had to begin afresh. Lahore, unlike Bombay and Calcutta, was a much smaller center of production. Shori Studios was allotted to Noor Jehan and her husband, who renamed it Shah Noor, and production started again, albeit in a fragile manner with limited resources.
At that time, there were only a few film music composers in Pakistan, albeit highly talented. However, their careers lacked the versatile experience of their counterparts in Bombay. The industry faced many obstacles and constant struggles against the odds. Nonetheless, by the mid-1970s, Pakistan was releasing around 100 films a year. Much of the credit for this revival goes to Noor Jehan.
Her migration gave new confidence to a depleted industry, and her presence brought glamour and glitz. Noor Jehan’s formidable talent rallied personnel around her, and despite limited means, production was restarted, ensuring continuity in an industry badly shaken by mass migration, destruction, and violence.
Noor Jehan was a woman of high caliber who faced all the challenges that the new order sought to impose. The arts and show business came under scrutiny, with some in authority dismissing such expressions as being against the values of the new state. However, as always, the people defied this narrow interpretation. Cinemas continued to attract audiences, and despite hardships, the industry’s credibility was restored.
Resistance accompanied the establishment of new media as well. When radio was introduced, there was opposition; the same occurred with the launch of television. Yet, every time, the public actively embraced these new mediums, countering the opposition.
Noor Jehan was a pioneer of the film song as the talkies ushered in a new era. In those early years, singers had to perform live on set because playback recording was still years away. Along with KL Saigol, she set trends and laid the foundations of this new form.
She began performing on stage as a child, alongside her sisters. Known as the Punjab Mail, their energetic and full-throated performances quickly drew attention. Soon, she caught the eye and ear of Master Ghulam Haider, who gave her a break in *Sheela Pind Di Kurri*. From there, she never looked back.
In the film *Khandan*, another masterpiece by Ghulam Haider, Noor Jehan cast off her child performer image to take on the role of heroine, cementing her place as the leading vocalist of the industry until her migration to Pakistan.
A fiercely independent woman, Noor Jehan lived life on her own terms. Her only weakness was her children—the world could not have found a more devoted mother.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1344868-the-voice-that-shaped-pakistani-cinema
