The renowned Indian tabla artist, Zakir Hussain celebrates his 71st birthday today (March 9). His talent is unmatched, as he achieved fame at a very young age. Born to tabla maestro, Alla Rakha and Bavi Begum, Hussain learned playing the the instrument from his father when he was three and began performing at concerts by the age of twelve. That's not it, as he’s also the youngest percussionist to receive the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. Zakir Hussain Birthday Special: 5 Lesser Known Facts About India's Famous Percussion Artist.

Having said that, Zakir Hussain's tunes have wowed many across generations, as there's this spark in his music that's magical. His music for Malayalam film Vanaprastham led to the film's nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI fest. And as the legend turns a year older today, we celebrate his composed rhythms for five films that won hearts. AR Rahman Birthday Special: From Deadpool 2 to Lord of War, 7 Times Hollywood Memorably Borrowed Music Maestro’s Indian Musical Gems! 

Heat and Dust

First on our list is Heat and Dust from the year 1983 which marked the artist’s acting debut. Not just this, he also scored music for the same which became quite popular across the globe.

Saaz

Helmed by Sai Paranjpye, this movie saw Zakir acting alongside Shabana Azmi and others. However, it’s his music for the same that grabbed the attention. One of the songs from the film titled “Kya Tumhe Hai Keh Diya” was all about his tabla tunes which happens to be a masterpiece.

Vanaprastham

This Malayalam film was an art in itself, as it ticked all the boxes. Hussain turned composer for the movie that revolved around a lower-caste Kathakali artist Kunjikuttan played by Mohanlal. The movie also achieved heights as it premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 1999.

The Mystic Masseur

Another gem is this flick whose soundtracks were composed by the tabla genius. The plot of the movie narrated the story of a frustrated writer supports himself as a masseur, and soon becomes a revered mystic and politico.

Manto

Last but not the least is this Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rasika Dugal starrer Manto that also got blessed with Zakir Hussain’s BGM. Listen to the melodies from this one and you’ll notice that it's indeed rare and supreme.

That’s it, guys! These are some of the films which saw the maestro’s spellbinding music. He is indeed an inspiration for many young percussionists out there who opened the doors for many Indian artists via his art. Happy birthday, Zakir Hussain!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2022 08:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).