| Raja Mehdi Ali Khan | |
| Native Name Lang: | ur |
| Birth Date: | 1915 9, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Wazirabad, Punjab Province, British India |
| Death Place: | Bombay, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Occupation: | Poet, Writer and Film Songs Lyricist |
| Years Active: | 1946–1966 |
| Notable Works: | Wrote popular songs for films Shaheed Anpadh Woh Kaun Thi? Mera Saaya |
| Spouse: | Tahira |
Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (23 September 1915 – 29 July 1966) was an Indian poet, writer and a lyricist.
Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was born in 1915 into a Punjabi Rajput family of the Janjua clan, Mehdi Ali lost his father when he was four. His mother Hubia Khanum who was the sister of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, got him educated and he completed his basic education at Islamia College (Lahore).
As he grew up, Mehdi Ali started working at the editorial staff of Phool and Tehzeeb-e-Niswan Urdu magazineas from Lahore. Then he joined as a writer at the All India Radio, Delhi in 1942. Here he got acquainted with the noted writer Saadat Hasan Manto. Manto, who was active in the Hindi film industry, asked film actor Ashok Kumar to find Mehdi Ali some kind of a job. He soon got a film called Aath Din (1946) in which he not only wrote dialogues but also acted. Sashadhar Mukherjee, one of the partners in Filmistan Studio, gave Mehdi Ali a chance to write lyrics for his film, Do Bhai (1947). Songs from the film such as "Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya" and "Yaad Karoge" became instant hits.[1]
In 1947, Mehdi and his wife Tahira decided to stay in India instead of migrating to Pakistan. They came to this decision despite the wave of riots plaguing the country. In 1948, his patriotism manifested in his songs, "Watan Ki Raah Mein" and "Todi Todi Bachche", which were used in the film Shaheed.[1]
He worked with music composers including Sachin Dev Burman, Iqbal Qureshi, Babul, S. Mohinder, Chic Chocolate, and Rono Mukherjee. He also wrote songs for C. Ramchandra, Datta Naik ("Sare Jahan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara"), O. P. Nayyar ("Main Pyar Ka Raahi Hoon") and Laxmikant Pyarelal ("Jaal","Anita").
He formed a successful partnership with Madan Mohan which began with Madhosh in 1951. It was also Madan Mohan's third film as a music director. The two shared a great rapport and their later collaborations in films such as Anpadh, Mera Saaya, Woh Kaun Thi?, Neela Akash, Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Anita and Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah proved to be massive hits.[1] His song Lag Jaa Gale from Woh Kaun Thi? was named among the top ten all-time favorites in film history to be "retired" from Antakshari on Zee TV.
Raja Mehadi Ali Khan also worked with Laxmikant-Pyarelal for Raj Khosla musical Anita (1967)Samne Mere Sawariyan, Tum Bin Jeevan Kaise Beeta. Second film was Jaal (1967).
He died in Mumbai on 29 July 1966. He and his wife Tahira, remained childless even though he himself loved to interact with children.
It is said that when he was seriously ill and was on his deathbed, even then he kept his humorous side and was seen laughing with his visitors.[2]