Noor Jehan
Born: 21 September 1926
Noor Jehan was an absolute legend who basically defined Pakistani cinema and music for over seven decades. Starting her career in the 1930s, she became the voice of an era—literally recording around 10,000 songs across multiple languages and appearing in nearly 1,200 films. What really sets her apart is that she wasn't just a playback singer; she was a triple threat who acted, sang, and even made history as Pakistan's first female film director with "Chann Wey" in 1951. Her achievements speak for themselves: she earned the prestigious title "Malika-e-Tarannum" (Queen of Melody), received the Pride of Performance award, and holds the record for most film songs alongside Ahmed Rushdi. By the time she passed in 2000, she'd become a national treasure. What made Noor Jehan truly special was her versatility and the way she could master any musical style thrown at her—from classical Hindustani to ghazals to film music. She didn't just sing songs; she shaped the sound of Pakistani cinema and became a cultural icon whose influence extended far beyond music. Her granddaughter Sonya Jehan followed her into the entertainment industry, which speaks to the artistic legacy she left behind. Even decades later, her work remains celebrated, and her contributions to South Asian music continue to inspire new generations of artists.
Awards & Nominations
Noor Jehan received more than 15 Nigar Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, eight for Best Urdu Singer Female and the rest for Punjabi Playback. She has also received the Millennium Singer Award in Pakistan. • In 1945, for the film Zeenat, she was awarded a gold medal by Z.A. Bukhari. • Noor Jehan was ranked eighth in a list of Most Influential Pakistanis. • Mohammad Rafi always wished to make duets with her. Asha Bhosle, a Bollywood playback singer, stated in an interview: ::Jehan was one of my favourite singers and when I listened to her Ghazals, I realized how unusual compositions were those, so I decided to take them to a larger audience which they deserve. :She added that; ::The world will never see a singer like her. Just as people have not seen another Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar there would never be another Noor Jehan. • British weekly newspaper Eastern Eye ranked Noor Jehan at 16th in a list of 20 Bollywood singers of all time. The entertainment editor of Eastern Eye wrote that: ::Jehan was the first female singing star of the Indian cinema and helped to lay the foundation of playback singing as we know it. She inspired a generation of singers including Lata Mangeshkar before single-handedly kick-starting music In Pakistan and inspired subsequent generations there. • In 1945, she became the first woman in the subcontinent to sing Qawwali in the film Zeenat. American Queen of Pop Madonna commented that, "I can copy every singer but not Noor Jehan". • In 1957, she received President's Award for her acting and singing in film Intezaar. It was the same film for which Khwaja Khurshid Anwar also received President's Award for Best Music Director. • In 1965, she received Special Nigar Award for her wartime songs. • In 1965, she was awarded Pride of Performance by the president of Pakistan for her singing and acting capabilities. • In 1965, she received Tamgha-e-Imtiaz from the army for her moral support in the Indo-Pak war. • In 1972, she received Silver Disc Award for Best Ghazal Singer followed by Farida Khanum and Roshan Ara Begum was the first to receive the award. • She was the only Pakistani singer to sing with the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. • In 1981, she received Special Nigar Award for her excellence in 30 years of her career in Pakistan. • In 1987, she received NTM Life Time Achievement Award. • In 1991, she became the first Pakistani singer to sing at the Royal Albert Hall London. • In 1996, she received Sitara-e-Imtiaz. • In 1998, she received PTV Life Time Achievement Award. • In 1999, she received Millennium Award for her services to Pakistani cinema. • In August 2014, she was declared as the Greatest Female Singer Of Pakistan of all times. • In August 2017, she was ranked at the top of Female Pakistani Singers. • She also retained the designation Cultural Ambassador of Pakistan. • On 21 September 2017, Google Doodle commemorated her 91st birthday.