Film Music

In 1963, Azad Rahaman made his debut as a music director (jointly with Subir Sen) in Miss Priyangboda  in Kolkata. In that movie, released in August 1967, he composed songs by illustrious artists like Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Arati Mukhopadhyay and Pratima Mukhopadhyay and earned critical acclaim.

After moving to Dhaka in the mid-1960s, he joined Radio Pakistan (Dacca) as a composer, music director and producer and started captivating music enthusiasts with a refreshing musical delight.  His foray into the East Pakistan film industry occurred with Aguntuk in 1969 for which he scored some hugely popular songs, including ‘Ami Je Kebol Bolei Choli’ sung by the legendry crooner, Shanaz Begum (Rahmatullah) and ‘Bondi Pakhir Moto’ that gave stardom to the debutant singer Mohammad Khurshid Alam. After Bangladesh’s independence, Azad Rahaman composed music for such hit films as ‘Badi Theke Begum’, ‘Epar Opar’,’ Jadur Bashi’, ‘Pagla Raja’, ‘Ananta Prem’, ‘Amar Sangsar’, ‘Masud Rana’, ‘Uttor Falguni’ and many more. Azad Rahaman’s compositions were like a whiff of fresh air in the Bangladeshi Music industry. He was known for experimenting with new melodic themes, rhythm patterns and soundscape that initiated a new era in film music in the country. Diversity was his forte. One unique quality of his musical genius was his phenomenal skill in mixing the structure of light classical, folk and western styles in the same song. Melody and purity were the dominant traits of Rahaman’s melodies. Every song contains an euphony that lingers in the minds of all—young and old. In 1977 and 1993, He won National Awards for Best Music and Best Male Vocalist in 1977 and 1993.