Cinemaazi remembers Sajjad Hussain on his death anniversary

Hindi film music composer Sajjad Hussain passed away this day, 21 July in 1995. He also ranked as a top grade mandolin player in the industry for more than five decades. Born in 1917 in Sitamau, he learnt the sitar from his father, followed by the veena, violin, flute, piano, and mandolin on which he could play Indian classical music . Moving to Bombay in 1937, he worked as assistant music composer, as well as contract instrument player. Composing two songs for the film Gaali (1944), he made his debut as an independent music director with Dost (1944). He created one of his best scores in Rustam Sohrab (1963), as well as Sangdil (1952). The songs he composed for Sri Lankan Sinhala film Daiwa Yogaya (1959) are also considered a landmark in his career. Known for his complex scores, Hussain was regarded highly by his contemporaries, and was even named by Lata Mangeshkar as a favourite. However, in the course of his 34-year-long music career, he composed music for fewer than 20 films. This was largely owing to his insistence on perfection, and his outspoken nature.