Biography

Married to playback singer Jagjit Kaur and father of actor/director Pradip Khayyam.

For Khayyam, Asha Bhosle was a very special vocalist who had been singing songs from his films from 1953 to 2012, especially Umrao Jaan (1981). Khayyam's first hit was "Phir Subah Hogi" (1958).

Rajesh Khanna's home production Majnoon had Khayyam as the music director and starred Rakhee.Khanna always liked to pick up tunes and used to sit for music sessions.He liked the tune of the song so much that Khanna gifted a car to Khayyam in 1978.Unfortunately the film was left incomplete after shooting for 40% and no scene in bits ever released.Khayyam still has the car.

He without succumbing to pressure from producers made singers like Anwar, Sulakshana Pandit, Yesudas, Suman Kalyanpur sing songs for him in his career. He approached Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi and Mukesh only when he felt they are must for songs. He supported Asha Bhosle in 1950s and 1960s when she was living under shad own of her sister Lata and gave Asha different numbers from various genres to sing.

Rajesh Khanna always preferred R D Burman or Laxmikant Pyarelal over other music directors. But after working on Majnoon with Khayyam, he ordered the directors and producers to have Khayyam as the music director for three films - Dard, Thodisi Bewafaii, Dil E Nadan.All 3 were box office hits and music was praised. Khayyam had also composed for Rajesh 's debut film Akhri Khat on recommendation of Chetan Anand.