Roshan Lal Nagrath (14 July 1917 – 16 November 1967), known mononymously as Roshan, was an Indian esraj player and music director.
Roshan's compositions were marked by a melodic sensibility, subtle yet expressive orchestration, and a depth of feeling that distinguished him from many of his contemporaries, having mastered Hindustani classical music, particularly in the ghazal and qawwali traditions. In the qawwali genre specifically, with titles such as "Na Toh Karvan Ki Talash Hai" (Barsat ki Raat, 1960), he was particularly influential, and is said to be the only populariser of this genre of religious music between its founder Amir Khusro in the 13th century and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan of Pakistan a few decades later.
In 2025, Netflix released a four-part documentary series titled The Roshans. The series traces the artistic lineage from composer Roshan Lal Nagrath to his sons Rakesh Roshan and Rajesh Roshan, and to actor Hrithik Roshan, reflecting on how the family’s creative output helped shape mainstream Bollywood music and cinema.
Early life and education
Roshan was born on 14 July 1917 in Gujranwala in the Punjab Province of British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan). Being born in a Brahmin family, he began music lessons at a young age and later attended Marris College in Lucknow, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh under the training of Pandit S N Ratanjankar (principal of the institute). Roshan became an accomplished sarod player under the guidance of Allauddin Khan, the renowned sarod player from Maihar. In 1940, Khawaja Khurshid Anwar, programme producer/music, All India Radio Delhi, hired Roshan as staff artist for esraj, the instrument he used to play. He gave up this job in 1948 to seek fame and fortune in Bombay.
Career
In 1948, Roshan came to Bombay to find work as a Hindi film music director and became assistant of music composer Khawaja Khurshid Anwar in film Singaar (1949). He somewhat struggled until he met the producer-director Kidar Sharma, who gave him the job of composing for his film Neki Aur Badi (1949), a film co-produced by Munshiram Varma and distributed by Varma Films.
In the early 1950s, Roshan worked with singers Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh and Talat Mahmood. Malhar (1951), Shisham, and Anhonee (1952 film) were some of the movies that he scored during the 1950s. During this time, he also composed the Meera bhajan which became a run-away hit, "Aeiri main to prem diwani mera dard na jane koyi" sung by Lata Mangeshkar for the movie Naubahar (1952).
Personal life and death
Roshan married Ira Moitra, his second wife, in 1948 and moved to Bombay.
Roshan had been suffering from chronic heart trouble for over 20 years. He had a sudden heart attack while attending a social gathering, and died in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India on 16 November 1967, aged 50. "Kaahe Tarasaaye Jiyaraa" was recorded for this film but used in Chitralekha many years later
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| 1954
|Chandni Chowk
|Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kamil Rashid, Shailendra, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Saifuddin Saif
|"teraa dil kahaan hai" sung by Asha Bhosle
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|1954
|Mehbooba
|Tanveer Naqvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Indeevar
|Some songs composed by O. P. Nayyar
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| 1955
|Chhora Chhori
|Kidar Sharma, Himmat Rai Sharma, Noor Dewasi
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| 1955
|Ghar Ghar Mein Diwali
|Prem Dhawan, Indeevar
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| 1955
|Jashan
|Rajendra Krishan
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| 1956
|Rangeen Raten
|Kidar Sharma
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| 1956
|Taksaal
|Prem Dhawan
|"dil bhii tera, ham bhii tere" sung by Lata Mangeshkar
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| 1957
|Agra Road
|Prem Dhawan, Bharat Vyas
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| 1957
|Coffee House
|Prem Dhawan, Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri
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| 1957
|Do Roti
|Khumar Barabankvi
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| 1958
|Aji Bas Shukriya
|Faruk Kaiser
|"saarii saarii raat terii yaad sataae" sung by Lata Mangeshkar
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| 1958
|Raja Beta
|Rajendra Krishan
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| 1959
|Aangan
|Rajendra Krishan, Avinash, Pandit Indra
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| 1959
|CID Girl
|Anand Bakshi, Hasrat Jaipuri
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| 1959
|Deep Jalta Rahe
|Shailendra, Rahil Gorakhpuri
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| 1959
|Heera Moti
|Shailendra, Prem Dhawan
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| 1959
|Madhu
|Shailendra, Naqsh Lyallpuri, Prem Dhawan
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| 1959
|Maine Jeena Seekh Liya
| Rahil Gorakhpuri, Anand Bakshi
|"tere pyaar ko is tarah se bhulaanaa" sung by Mukesh
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| 1960
|Babar
|Sahir Ludhianvi
|"salaam-e-hasrat qabuul kar lo" sung by Sudha Malhotra
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| 1960
|Barsaat Ki Raat
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| 1965
|Bedaag
|Shakeel Badayuni, Anand Bakshi
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|1965
|Bheegi Raat
|Majrooh Sultanpuri
|"dil jo na kaha sakaa" in two versions, one each by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, "aise to na dekho ke bahek jaaye kahin hum" sung by Suman Kalyanpur and Mohammed Rafi
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| 1966
|Daadi Maa
|Majrooh Sultanpuri
| "usko nahin dekha hamne kabhi" - an ode to the mother, sung by Mahendra Kapoor and Manna Dey
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| 1965
|Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal
|Neeraj, Manmohan Tiwari
|"caravan guzar gaya" ("swapna jhare phool se"), sung by Mohammad Rafi
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| 1966
|Devar
|Anand Bakshi
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| 1966
|Mamta
|Majrooh Sultanpuri
|"rahen na rahen hum" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, with a different version by Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur
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| 1967
|Bahu Begum
|Sahir Ludhianvi
| "ham intazaar karenge teraa qayaamat tak" sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi
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| 1967
|Noor Jehan
|Shakeel Badayuni
|"sharaabii sharaabii ye saawan kaa mausam" by Suman Kalyanpur
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|1968
|Anokhi Raat
|Indeevar, Kaifi Azmi
|"oh re taal mile nadii ke jal mein" sung by Mukesh
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| 1973
|Dur Nahin Manzil
|Anjaan, Indeevar
|Posthumous Release. Some songs composed by Shankar-Jaikishan
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;Television
- The Roshans (archival, 2025)
Popular film qawwalis
- Naa To Kaarvan Ki Talaash Hai in Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)
- Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai in Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)
- Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahta Hai in Dil Hi To Hai (1963)
- Waqif Hoon Khoob Ishq Ke Tarz-E-Bayaan Se Main and Dhundhke Laoon Kahan Se Main in Bahu Begum (1967)
Roshan's marked specialty was the film qawwali. He was widely hailed for their composition.
Awards
- Filmfare Best Music Director Award for film Taj Mahal (1963)