Music composer Robin Ghosh passes away

Noted music composer Robin Ghosh was married to famous Bengali film actress Shabnam. File photo

Ghosh, also the husband of renowned Bengali and Urdu film actress Shabnam, passed away around 8:00am at Cure Care Hospital in Gulshan of Dhaka.

He left behind his wife and only son Ronnie Ghosh.

He was admitted to the hospital with an acute respiratory complication three days ago. He had also suffered a cerebral stroke four months ago.

He was buried today as per Christian rituals at the Old Christian Cemetery near Baldha Garden, Wari in the capital.

Ghosh, the last stalwart of the golden era of music (60s and 70s), was widely known for his great contributions to Bengali and Urdu film music. In his lifetime, he had composed many popular romantic songs like “Tomare Legeche Eto Je Bhalo” (Rajdhanir Buk-e), “Ami Roop Nogorer Rajkonna” (Harano Din) and “Ke Shoronero Prantorey”.

Robin Ghosh rose to fame in the mid-1960s when famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in films like “Chakori”, “Jahan Tum Wahan Hum, “Paisa” and many others.

Ghosh’s father worked for the International Red Cross and was posted to Baghdad, Iraq during the Second World War, where Ghosh was born in 1939 and was educated in a convent school. His mother was of Iraqi origin while his father was a Bangalee Christian. His brother, Ashok Ghosh, was also a famous film director in the film industry of Bangladesh.

When the Second World War ended in 1945, the six-year-old Ghosh along with his family moved to Dhaka, the then undivided Bengal. He showed great interest in music, collecting gramophone records and playing the harmonium, and finally graduated in Music.

In the late 1950s, Ghosh joined the Dhaka Radio Station with a friend. He married famous Bengali film actress Shabnam. Their son, Ronnie, was born in 1966. Robin Gosh lived with his wife Shabnam in Bangladesh.

In the early 1960s, film director Ehtesham visited the radio station, and offered Ghosh a contract as composer for his films. He made his debut as a composer for the Bengali film “Rajdhanir Buk-E” in 1961, and later worked in numerous other Bengali and Urdu films, including “Talaash”, “Paisa”, “Chakori” and “Bhaiya”. After the release of “Tum Merey Ho”, Ghosh moved to Karachi, continuing to compose film music in the 1980s. He composed songs for the film “Aaina”, one of the greatest films ever made in the Pakistan film Industry.

Ghosh is noted for his compositions in numerous Bengali and Urdu films including “Pitch Dhala Poth” , “Talaash” (1963), Chakori (1967), Chahat (1974), Aaena (1977), Amber (1978) and Dooriyan (1984). He earned the Nigar Award for best composer for six times.

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