Who was Musician Ustad Tafu Khan?

Altaf Hussain known as  Ustad Tafu Khan was a Legendary Pakistan musician and “tabla” player. He passed away at 80 in Lahore on Saturday after a prolonged illness.

Ustad Tafu ruled Pakistan’s film industry for nearly 60 years through his music. In addition to the tabla, Tafu had special expertise in playing 14 other musical instruments and was the creator of numerous magnificent melodies.

Tafo was also among the mentors of Noor Jahan. He was a student of Qadir Bakhsh Pakhawaji, who has been a mentor to all the renowned tabla players of the subcontinent.

He started his career in 1970 when he directed a film song, Sunn wey balori akhh waaliya. The track was sung by Noor Jehan for the movie Anwara.  Ustad Tafu was also associated with Coke Studio in Pakistan. He was the father of musicians Tariq Tafu, Tanveer Tafu, and Sajjad Tafu.

Ustad Tafu was born in Lahore, Pakistan to a musician’s family, “a part of a musical legacy that spans seven generations. Tafu started his career in 1970 when his first film song, Sunn wey balori akhh waaliya as music director, sung by Noor Jehan was featured in movie Anwara (1970).

In the following year 1971, one of his hit chartbusters– Mahi Keh Gaya Milan Ga Main Fer Aa Ke Te Dass Ke Tareekh Na Gaya, was released in movie Sajawal. Another film song was in film Sohra Te Jawai (1980), sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Khawaja Pervez “Rab jane sahnoon te tu maar suttia”. Ustad Tafu has composed music for over 100 films and has worked with music artists such as Noor Jehan, Shaukat Ali, Inayat Hussain Bhatti, Naheed Akhtar, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

In 2017, Ustad Tafu claimed in an interview that he first introduced Naseebo Lal as a playback singer in the Pakistani film industry. He also comes from an extended family of film score composers – Master Inayat Hussain being his maternal cousin.

In 2018, Ustad Tafu also appeared on Adil Omar’s album Transcendence as an arranger, percussionist, and playing harmonium for “We Need to Talk About Adil.”

Tafu died after a long illness in Lahore, on 26 October 2024, at the age of 80.