Munawar Sultana, one of the early and important voices in Pakistan’s radio and film music, is being remembered as it has been nearly 30 years since her death in Lahore on 20 May 1995.
She is still known for her soulful singing and her strong role in shaping the first generation of Pakistani film songs. She was born in Ludhiana in 1925 during British rule in India. She started her career in the mid-1940s as a radio singer.
She learned music from composer Abdul Haq Shami and later improved her skills under famous music director Master Ghulam Haider. She also worked with Ghulam Ahmed Chishti, who helped develop the early film music scene in Lahore.
Her career included work in both India and Pakistan. She first appeared as a playback singer in the Indian film Dhamki in 1945. After the creation of Pakistan, she became part of the new film industry and gained fame with songs in the film Teri Yaad (1948), one of the earliest films of Lollywood.
She recorded around 181 songs for 54 films in Urdu and Punjabi. She became known for many popular early hits, including patriotic and emotional songs that are still remembered today. She also sang many semi-classical and folk-style songs for Radio Pakistan, which showed her strong range as a singer.
After her marriage to Ayub Romani, a senior official at Radio Pakistan Lahore, she left professional singing and focused on family life and social work. Her songs and music remain an important part of Pakistan’s early film history and continue to inspire new artists.
