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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{short description|Indian poet, writer and lyricist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
| native_name = {{Nastaliq|راجہ مہدی علی خان }}
| native_name_lang = ur
| image = Raja Mehdi Ali Khan.jpeg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1915|9|23}}
| birth_place = [[Wazirabad]] {{small|(present day [[Gujranwala District]], [[Pakistan]])}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1966|07|29|1915|9|23}}
| death_place =
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| other_names =
| occupation = Poet, Writer and Film Songs Lyricist
| years_active = 1946 – 1966
| known_for =
| notable_works =Wrote popular songs for films ''[[Shaheed (1948 film)|Shaheed]]'' ''[[Anpadh]]'' ''[[Woh Kaun Thi?]]'' ''[[Mera Saaya (1966 film)|Mera Saaya]]''
|spouse = Tahira
}}
'''Raja Mehdi Ali Khan''' (23 September 1915 – 29 July 1966) was an Indian poet, writer and film songs lyricist.

==Early life and career==
Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was born on 23 September 1915 at Karamabad village, near [[Wazirabad]], [[Gujranwala District]] of [[Punjab, British India]].<ref name=TFT/><ref name=Dawn/> Mehdi Ali lost his father when he was four. His mother Hubia Khanum who was the sister of [[Zafar Ali Khan|Maulana Zafar Ali Khan]], got him educated and he completed his basic education at [[Islamia College (Lahore)]].<ref name=Dawn/>

As he grew up, Mehdi Ali started working at the editorial staff of ''[[Phool (magazine)|Phool]]'' and ''[[Tehzeeb-e-Niswan (magazine)|Tehzeeb-e-Niswan]]'' Urdu magazineas from [[Lahore]]. Then he joined as a writer at the [[All India Radio]], [[Delhi]] in 1942.<ref name=Dawn/> Here he got acquainted with the noted writer [[Saadat Hasan Manto]]. Manto, who was active in the Hindi film industry, asked film actor [[Ashok Kumar]] to find Mehdi Ali some kind of a job. He soon got a film called ''Aath Din'' (1946) in which he not only wrote dialogues but also acted. [[Sashadhar Mukherjee]], one of the partners in [[Filmistan Studio]], gave Mehdi Ali a chance to write lyrics for his film, ''Do Bhai'' (1947). Songs from the film such as "Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya" and "Yaad Karoge" became instant hits.<ref name=Dawn/><ref name=cinestaan>[https://www.cinestaan.com/people/raja-mehdi-ali-khan-70783/filmography Filmography of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan on Cinestaan.com website] Retrieved 13 January 2021</ref>

In 1947, Mehdi and his wife Tahira decided to stay in India instead of migrating to [[Pakistan]]. They came to this decision despite the wave of riots plaguing the country. In 1948, his patriotism manifested in his songs, "Watan Ki Raah Mein" and "Todi Todi Bachche"'','' which were used in the film ''[[Shaheed (1948 film)|Shaheed]]''.<ref name=cinestaan/>

He worked with music composers including [[Sachin Dev Burman]], Iqbal Qureshi, Babul, [[S. Mohinder]], [[Chic Chocolate]], and Rono Mukherjee. He also wrote songs for [[C. Ramchandra]], [[Datta Naik]] ("Sare Jahan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara"), [[O. P. Nayyar]] ("Main Pyar Ka Raahi Hoon") and [[Laxmikant Pyarelal]] ("Jaal","Anita").

He formed a successful partnership with [[Madan Mohan (music director)|Madan Mohan]] which began with [[Madhosh (1951 film)|Madhosh]] in 1951. It was also [[Madan Mohan (music director)|Madan Mohan]]'s third film as a music director. The two shared a great rapport and their later collaborations in films such as ''[[Anpadh]]'', ''[[Mera Saaya (1966 film)|Mera Saaya]]'', ''[[Woh Kaun Thi?]]'', ''Neela Akash'', ''[[Dulhan Ek Raat Ki]]'', ''[[Anita (1967 film)|Anita]]'' and ''Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah'' proved to be massive hits.<ref name=cinestaan/> His song ''[[Lag Jaa Gale]]'' from ''Woh Kaun Thi?'' was named among the top ten all-time favorites in film history to be "retired" from Antakshari on [[Zee TV]].

Raja Mehadi Ali Khan also worked with [[Laxmikant-Pyarelal]] for [[Raj Khosla]] musical [[Anita (1967 film)|Anita]], 1967
''Samne Mere Sawariyan'', ''Tum Bin Jeevan Kaise Beeta''. Second film was [[Jaal (1967 film)|Jaal]], 1967. Superb music by [[Laxmikant-Pyarelal]].

==Death==
He died on 29 July 1966. He and his wife Tahira, remained childless even though he himself loved to interact with children.<ref name=Dawn/>

It is said that when he was seriously ill and was on his deathbed, even then he kept his humorous side and was seen laughing with his visitors.<ref name=Dawn>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1423744|title=Literary Notes: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan: agony hidden behind laughter|last=Parekh|first=Rauf|date=2018-07-30|newspaper=Dawn (newspaper)|language=en|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref>

==Films and popular songs==

* Mera sundar sapna beet gaya — [[Do Bhai (1947 film)|Do Bhai]] (1947)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/>

* Watan Ki Raah Mein — [[Shaheed (1948 film)|Shaheed]] (1948)

* Preetam meri dunya mein do din tau rahe hotay — [[Ada (1951 film)|Ada]] (1951)<ref name=TFT>{{cite news|url=https://www.thefridaytimes.com/the-punjabi-contribution-to-cinema-xii/ |author=Ishtiaq Ahmed|title=The Punjabi contribution to cinema - XII|date=16 September 2016|newspaper=The Friday Times (newspaper)|accessdate=13 January 2021}}</ref>

* Meri yaad me tum na aansoo bahaana — [[Madhosh (1951 film)|Madhosh]] (1951)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/><ref name=cinestaan/>

* Raat sard sard hai — [[Jaali Note]] (1960)

* Poochho na humein — Mitti Me Sona (1960)

* Aap yuhin agar hum se milte rahe — [[Ek Musafir Ek Haseena]] (1962)<ref name=cinestaan/>

* Maye pyar ka raahi hoon — Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962)

* Aap ki nazron ne samjha pyar ke qaabil mujhe — [[Anpadh]] (1962)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/>

* Hai issi me pyar ki aabroo — Anpadh (1962)

* Jiya lay gayo ri mera sanwaria — Anpadh (1962)<ref name=TFT/>

* Agar mujhse mohabbat hai, mujhe sab apne gham de do — [[Aap Ki Parchhaiyan]] (1964)<ref name=MySwar>[http://myswar.co/lyricist/raja-mehdi-ali-khan Albums with Raja Mehdi Ali Khan as Lyricist] MySwar website, Retrieved 12 January 2021</ref><ref name=TFT/><ref name=cinestaan/>

* Main nigaahen tere chehre se — Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964)

* Jo hum ne dastaan apni sunaai, aap kyun roye — [[Woh Kaun Thi?]] (1964)<ref name=TFT/><ref name=cinestaan/>

* Lagg ja gale ke phir yeh raat ho na ho — [[Woh Kaun Thi?]] (1964)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/>

* Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim — Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

* Aakhri geet mohabbat ka — [[Neela Aakash]] (1965)

* Tere paas aa ke mera waqt — Neela Aakash (1965)

* Nainon me badra chhaye — [[Mera Saaya (1966 film)|Mera Saaya]] (1966)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/>

* Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saaya saath hoga — Mera Saaya (1966)

* Aap ke paheloo me aa kar ro diye — Mera Saaya (1966)

* Jhumka gira re Bareilli ke bazaar mein — Mera Saaya (1966)<ref name=MySwar/><ref name=TFT/>

* Sapno me agar mere tum aao — [[Dulhan Ek Raat Ki]] (1967)

* Kayee din se ji hai bekal — Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967)

* Ek haseen sham ko — Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967)

* Tere Bin sawaan kaise beeta — [[Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai]] (1967)<ref name=cinestaan/>

* Aari o shokh kaliyion muskuraa dena — Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai (1967)

* Akela hoon mein humsafar dhoondta hoon — [[Jaal (1967 film)|Jaal]] (1967)

* Tum bin jeevan kaise beeta poochho mere dil se — [[Anita (1967 film)|Anita]] (1967)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=nm0576397}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728145221/http://www.urduyouthforum.org/biography_Raja_Mehdi_Ali_Khan.php]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Raja Mehdi Ali}}
[[Category:Urdu-language lyricists]]
[[Category:Hindi-language lyricists]]
[[Category:Indian lyricists]]
[[Category:Indian male songwriters]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:People from Wazirabad]]
[[Category:Hindi-language lyricists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]
[[Category:Place of death missing]]

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan - Revision history

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