Robin Ghosh passes away

Legendary music composer Robin Ghosh passed away at a city hospital yesterday.

He was 79.

Robin, also the husband of renowned Bangali and Urdu film actress Shabnam, breathed his last around 8:00am at Cure Care Hospital in the capital's Gulshan.

The composer of many popular romantic songs like Tomare Legechhe Eto Je Bhalo (Rajdhanir Buke), Ami Roop Nogorer Rajkonna (Harano Din) and Ke Shoronero Prantorey, he left behind his wife, son Ronnie Ghosh and a host of relatives and admirers.

Robin, famous for his great contributions to Bengali and Urdu film music, was admitted to the hospital after he suffered acute respiratory complications three days back. He also suffered a cerebral stroke four months ago.

He will be buried today at the Old Christian Cemetery near Baldha Garden in Wari.

Robin was born in Baghdad where his father worked for the International Red Cross. His mother was of Iraqi origin while his father was a Bangali Christian.

When World War II ended in 1945, six-year-old Robin along with his family moved to Dhaka.

In the late 1950s, Robin was offered a job at the Dhaka Radio Station by a friend. This friend's sister, Jharna Basak (film actress Shabnam), who occasionally played roles in various Bangla films, became friends with him. The two finally got married and the couple's son, Ronnie, was born in 1966. Until his death, Robin lived with Shabnam in Bangladesh.

In the early 1960s, film director Ehtesham visited the radio station, and offered Robin a contract as a composer for his films. His debut was for the Bengali film “Rajdhanir Buke” in 1961.

After the release of “Tum Mere Ho”, Robin moved to Karachi in the 1980s. He composed songs for the film “Aaina”, one of the greatest films ever made in the Pakistan film industry.

In his lifetime, Robin composed many popular songs for many famous films, including “Pitch Dhala Poth”.

Legendary singers Mehdi Hassan, Noor Jehan, Ahmed Rushdi, Mala and Runa Laila rendered songs composed by Robin Ghosh.