Nasir Hussain

Nasir Husain (3 February 1931 – 13 March 2002) was an Indian film producer, director and screenwriter.

Early career
Husain first worked with A.R. Kardar when he joined Filmistan as a writer in 1948. The famous films he wrote for Filmistan include Anarkali (1953), Munimji (1955), and Paying Guest (1957). Filmistan was the breakaway studio from Bombay Talkies, and used mid-budget formula productions and sold on star value and music. Sashadhar Mukherjee was a part of the breakaway team, and he gave Hussain Tumsa Nahin Dekha to direct. The film made a star of Shammi Kapoor.

Shammi Kapoor and Nasir Hussain made another hit Dil Deke Dekho (1959) for Filmalaya, the breakaway group of Filmistan. The film introduced Asha Parekh, who would be the lead in all of Hussain's films until Caravan (1971).

Own production
Hussain then set up his own Nasir Hussain Films and turned producer-director. He made musical hits like Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), Caravan (1971), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973) and Hum Kisise Kum Naheen'' (1977).

Nasir Hussain, Majrooh Sultanpuri, and R.D. Burman collaborated in Teesri Manzil, Baharon Ke Sapne, Pyar Ka Mausam, Caravan, Yaadon Ki Baraat and Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.

Nasir Hussain wrote and produced the musical cult hit Teesri Manzil. Vijay Anand directed the film that starred Hussain's regular actors Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Originally Dev Anand was signed for the film but due to some differences with Nasir he opted out and Shammi Kapoor was taken.[ Interview by Shammi Kapoor to CNN IBN telecast after his death, on 15 August 2011] He also hired R.D. Burman for the first time to compose the songs ("O Haseena Zulfonwali", "O Mere Sona Re", "Deewaana Mujhsa Nahin", "Tumne Mujhe Dekha", "Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera"). After the songs became evergreen hits, Burman would compose for all of Hussain's films for the next 19 years, ending with Zabardast (1985).

Hussain's Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973) was written by Salim-Javed who had written Zanjeer the same year and both stories dealt with the hero wanting to avenge his father's death. (And Ajit being the villain in both.)

Late career
Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981), Manzil Manzil (1984) and Zabardast (1985) all flopped so Hussain's son Mansoor Khan took over the reins of Nasir Hussain Films although Hussain continued to write dialogues for films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992). In Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, he introduced his nephew Aamir Khan as a hero. Hussain got a special Filmfare Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema.

Nasir Hussain died in Mumbai on 13 March 2002 following a heart attack. Asha Parekh said that she hadn't seen him the last year of his life, as he became reclusive because of his wife's death, but she spoke to him on the phone the day before his death.

Associations
Nasir had several "favourites" with whom he worked repeatedly.
 * The first was mentor Sashadhar Mukherjee, for whose Filmistan Studio Nasir wrote and directed his earlier films.
 * Sashadhar's brother Subodh Mukherjee directed a couple of these early films that Nasir wrote, Dev Anand was the hero and S.D. Burman composed the music.(Munimji and Paying Guest). Nasir cast Dev Anand in his own first production ''Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai.
 * Pran was also a constant villain in Ziddi, Love in Tokyo, Paying Guest and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon.
 * Nasir also produced a film and cast his mentor Sashadhar's son Joy Mukherjee in Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon.
 * Nasir used Majrooh Sultanpuri in 10 of his productions, apart from working with him in Paying Guest.
 * Nasir directed Shammi Kapoor in his early hits and created Shammi's image with films like Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Dil Deke Dekho as well as his later production Teesri Manzil.
 * Actor Rajindernath was a fixture in almost all of his early productions. He was in Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), Zabardast (1985) and Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981).
 * One of his longest associations was with Asha Parekh, from Dil Deke Dekho, through Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Ziddi, Love In Tokyo, Teesri Manzil, till Caravan.
 * He worked with R.D. Burman in 9 films from Teesri Manzil, through Baharon Ke Sapne, Pyar Ka Mausam, Caravan, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai, Manzil Manzil and Zabardast.
 * Hussain also collaborated with writer Sachin Bhowmick, comic Wasti, editors Babu Lavande and Gurudutt Shirali in many of his films.

Awards and nominations

 * Filmfare Best Screenplay Award —Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
 * Filmfare Best Movie Award — Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)
 * Filmfare Special Award (1996)