Sardul Singh Kwatra

Sardul Singh Kwatra (1928 2005) was an Indian film producer, director and music composer. He is widely considered to have the skill of simplifying classical ragas to portray romantic nuances in his music.

He composed music for Hindi and Punjabi films.

Early life
Kwatra was born in 1928 to a Sikh family in Lahore in British Punjab. He was very fond of music since his childhood. During his school days, he got his initial training in classical music from Avtar Singh of Lahore. Later joined popular music director Hansraj Behl as an assistant.

Career
After partition of India in 1947, Kwatra's family moved to Amritsar and then to Bombay. The first film of Kwatra Production was a Punjabi film, Posti (1950).

The entire cast were refugees from Lahore. Kwatra picked Shyama for the female lead. The music of the film was a hit and critically acclaimed. Kwatra modified the folk tunes of Punjab and introduced Asha Bhosle and Jagjit Kaur, who was married to Mohammed Zahur Khayyam, as playback singers for Punjabi films, with Asha Bhosle making her debut. In 1953, another Kwatra Production, Kaude Shah with Shyama as heroine, became a success at the box office. Kwatra also composed the music of another Punjabi film Vanjara (1954 film), in which Lata Mangeshkar sang majority of the songs. He also introduced Shaminder as a playback singer. After Hansraj Behl, Sardul Singh Kwatra is widely considered to be the prominent music director of Punjabi films in India.

In the mid 1970s, Kwatra moved to Chandigarh and established the Chandigarh Film Institute. His last assignment was a Punjabi film, Unkhilli Muttiar in 1983. Kwatra lived in Bombay after 1975 with his eldest son. He was great friends with actor Pradeep Kumar.

Death
Kwatra left for the United States in 1978 where he died on 6 July 2005.

Personal life
Kwatra was in love with a Muslim woman and composed some music celebrating her femininity and charm. He left Lahore in 1947 but his partner's appearance was constantly on his mind and once admitted that he "can't create good music without being in love."

Filmography

 * Ek Teri Nishani (1949)
 * Jalte Deep (1950)
 * Man ka Meet (1950)
 * Posti (1950) Punjabi movie
 * Shagan (1951) along with Husnlal Bhagatram (Sardul Kwatra initially worked as his assistant)
 * Goonj (1952) - A movie under Kwatra Productions banner
 * Bewafa (1952)
 * Mirza Sahiban (1953)
 * Koday Shah (1953) Punjabi movie under Kwatra Productions
 * Pilpili Saheb (1954) - Kwatra Productions
 * Vanjara (1954) Punjabi movie
 * Tees Maar Khan (1955)
 * Son of Ali Baba (1955)
 * Kala Chor (1956)
 * Char Minar (1956)
 * Adalat (1958 film)
 * Lady Robinhood (1959)
 * Heer Sayal (1960) - Punjabi movie directed by his brother H.S Kwatra under Kwatra Productions
 * Air Mail (1960)
 * Dekha Jayega (1960)
 * Gypsy Girl (1961)
 * Khilari (1961)
 * Billo (1961) Punjabi movie
 * Deccan Queen (1962)
 * Kala Chashma (1962)
 * Chandrashekhar Azad (1963)
 * Satluj De Kande (1964) Punjabi movie
 * Accident (1965)
 * Raj Karega Khalsa (1971) - Shabad Gurbani with Mahendra Kapoor, lyrics by H.S. Kohli
 * Daku Mansingh (1971)
 * Yamla Jatt (1977) Punjabi movie
 * Lambardarni (1980) Punjabi movie
 * Do Posti (1981) Punjabi movie
 * Bagga Daku (1983) Punjabi Movie
 * Patwari (1983) Punjabi movie
 * Unkhilli Muttiar (1983) Punjabi movie