Twenty-five years have passed since the death of the illustrious singer and actor Inayat Hussain Bhatti, with fans observing his 25th death anniversary today.
Inayat Hussain Bhatti was a multifaceted artist—an acclaimed singer, actor, producer, director, scriptwriter, columnist, religious scholar, and a champion of Punjabi language and literature. Born on January 12, 1928, in Gujrat, he moved to Lahore to pursue higher education, where his career in music began. He started singing for Radio Pakistan and quickly rose to fame with his work in the 1949 Punjabi hit film “Pheray.”
Bhatti’s talent caught the attention of composer Ghulam Ahmed Chishti, who offered him a chance to record songs for producer-director Nazir Ahmed Khan’s film “Pheray.” The film’s success catapulted Bhatti to stardom, and he later starred in Nazir’s Punjabi film “Heer” in 1955.
His contributions to music and cinema were vast, with nearly 500 film songs in both Urdu and Punjabi, and a discography boasting 2,500 songs. Bhatti’s interests were deeply rooted in Sufi poetry, and he was known for his soulful renditions of works by Waris Shah, Bulleh Shah, and Mian Muhammad Baksh. In 1960, he established a theatre that became renowned for its powerful performances of Sufi poetry.
In 1997, Bhatti suffered a severe attack of paralysis, which impaired his speech and confined him to bed for the remainder of his life. Despite this, his legacy endures as a testament to his indomitable spirit and unparalleled contributions to music, cinema, and culture. Inayat Hussain Bhatti passed away on May 31, 1999, but his influence remains strong.
