Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: February, 2017

Some of the Talat Mahmood Duets receding from the memory

All the singing greats at the start of their careers – Talat Mahmood, Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar,  Mukesh, Geeta Dutt, GM Durrani, Meena Kapoor, Kamal Barot, Mubarak Begum and others

In the month of his birth anniversary (24-2-1924) as I sat down to list out Talat Mahmood’s duets that seemed to have receded from the memory, I had not expected to find enough numbers to make a full-fledged article. Nonetheless I had pre-set the conditions that not more than one song will be taken up per pairing partner and the music director. However whatever filters you set up, you can always find enough pearls from the very rich sea of duets of Talat Mahmood.  So here is my pick –

Mujhko  Apna Banaya Kisne Tune Sajania  Tune – Sampatti (1949) – Talat Mahmood,  Suprova Sarkar – Timir Burman  – Pandit Bhushan

For quite romantic banter between the two loved ones, the rhythm of the song may appear faster. But that does not impede understanding the feeling and enjoying the song.

Poochh Rahe Ve Yaar Ki Bibi Kaisi Ho – Shaadi Ki Raat(1950) -Talat Mahmood, G M Durrani, Surinder Kaur – Pt. Govindram – Sarshaar Sailani

We have a typical pre-marriage ceremony folk song from Punjab. Talat Mahmood seems to be enjoying the (musical) company of his partners.

Taqdeer Hansi Ansoo  Nikale, Ik Thes Lagi Dil Toot Gaya – Pagle (1950)  – Talat Mahmood , Rajkumari  – Snehal Bhatkar – Kabil  Amritsari

Here is a duet in which one singer is a just-settled newcomer and the other is a vintage era veteran.

Jawani Ke Zamane Mein Jo Dil Na Lagayega Pichche Pachchatayega – Madhubala (1950) -Talat Mahmood, Shamshad Begum – Lachhiram Tomar – Rajinder Krishna

Talat Mahmood easily matches the light mood of Shamshad Begum.

Tum Kaun Ho Rajkumari Ye Chanda Sa Mukhda Idhar To Karo – Rajput (1951) – Talat Mahmood, Madhubala Zaveri – Hansraj Behl –  Bharat Vyas

Technically, this is the debut film of Madhubala Zaveri. This seems to be the song of ‘swayamvar’.

Manna Dey joins Talat Mahmood and Madhubala Zaveri in this song.

Jao Jao Jao Aagayaa Bulawa Jung Ka

Damdi Damdi Paisa Paisa Jod Jod Mar Jaate Hain – Hamari Shaan (1951)  – Talat Mahmood, Kishore Kumar – Chitragupta – (?)

Talat Mahmood joins Kishore Kumar in a very unique combination. We also hear a very distinct third voice too, which may be that of Chitragupta, however this is just a guess.

Kahin Preet Se Bhara Koi Geet Gaa Raha – Paatal Bhairavi (1952) – Geeta Dutt, Talat Mahmood –  Ghantshala – Pt. Indra Chandra

This film is a remake of the Telugu film, so we see a very young NTR lip singing Talat Mamood’s playback. Geeta Dutt sings for Malathi. (Venkataeshwara Rao)Ghantshala was a highly respected music director of Telugu films.

Pyar Bhi Aata Hai Kabhi Gussa Bhi Aata Hai – Goonj (1952) – Asha Bhonsle, Talat Mahmood – Sardul Kwatra..

The song so vividly captures the small talk between the loved on matters of minor disagreements.

Chalo Chale Chalen Jamuna Ke Paar – Usha Kiran (1952) – Talat Mahmood,  Zohrabai Ambalewali, Uma Devi, Swaroop Lata – Hanuman Prasad – Anjum Pilibhiti

Since we have only the audio clip, it is difficult to imagine who would be the three female actors for this song. The song certainly appears to be a group of friends singing together on some occasion, where the sole male actor sings “Aao Kar Le Karar  {Let us make an agreement)’ in response to the proposal of the female singers.

Chanda Tale Mushkurayen Jawaniya….Hothon Pe Aa Gayi Dil Ki Kahaniyan – Chandi Rani (1953) – Talat Mahmood , P Bhanumathi – C R Subrmanian, M Vishwanathan – Vishwamitra Adil

This film was made in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. NTR is the hero and P Banumathi is the heroin. The additional noteworthy point for this film is that P Bahnumathi was also the director and (one of the) producer.

Here is the Telugu version of the song

Tu Ud Ja Panchhi Bawaare  Ja Dess Begane Jaa –  Aag Ka Dariya (1953) –  Talat Mahmood, Sulochana Kadam – Vinod  – Aziz Kashmiri

The song is set to a rather difficult rhythm, but still retained the melody.

Ek Dil… Do Hain Talabgaar Badi Mushkil Hai, Kashmakasha Mein Hai Mera Pyar Badi Mushkil Hai  – Darwaza (1954) – Talat Mahmood, Suman Kalyanpur – Shaukat Dehlvi ‘Nashad’ – Khumar Barabankvi

This is debut duet that Suman Kalyanpur recorded for Hindi films, when she was Suman Hemmady, a budding artist from AIR stable. In an interview, this is what she said about this song: “I was thrilled to sing with a singer, who was blessed with the best of aesthetics and melody. Talat Mehmood gave a divine effect to the song with his silk voice and I tried my best to match him. He was very pleased with my rendering..”

Aankhen Bhari Hui Hai Aur Dil Bhara Hua Hai – Majboori (1954) – Talat Mahmood, Meena Kapoor Robin Chatterjee – D  N Madhok

The song is set in soft tone in consonance with the words of the song. That has given full expression to Talat Mahmood’s velvety voice. Meena Kapoor matches every note.

Tera Bachpan Ek Kahani – Sangam (1954) – Talat Mahmood, Mubarak Begum – Ram Ganguli –S H Bihari

This is second of the three films that were named Sangam. This song definitely shows that Ram Ganguli was very much beyond Aag (1948).

Door Hote Nahin Jo Dil Mein Raha Karte Hai – Waris (1954) – Talat Mahood, Suraiya – Anil Biswas – Majrooh Sultanpuri

 Talat Mahmood – Suriya’s duet – Dil-e-Naadan Tujhe – from Mirza Ghalib or Raahi Matwale from this film itself have attained so high popularity that some of the other duets, like the present one, have been overshadowed.

Thandi Hawaon Mein Taaron Ki Chhaon  Mein Aaj Balam Mora Dole Jiya  – Bahu (1955) – Geeta Dutt, Talat Mahmood – Hemant Kumar – S H Bihari

In so far as I am concerned, the song has not at all receded from the memory. But A very unique combination of Hemant Kumar, Geeta Dutt and Talat Mahmood ought to yield such a sweet result!

Nazar Aa Nigahon Se Chhup Jane Wale – Piya (Unreleased film of 1950s) – Talat Mahmood, Nirmala – S Banerjee – Majnoon Lucknowi

The lady singer is none other than famous singer Nirmala Devi. The younger generation would like to know her as mother of 90’s dashing actor Govinda.

Main Padh Rahi Hoon Tumko, Mery Kitab Tum ho – Captain India (1960) -Talat Mahmood, Sudha Malhotra – Hemant Kedar – Rajaram Saki

Quite an out-of-box way of explain the fact that both the loved ones are trying to understand each other by really trying to read each other.

Jay Jay Bharat Desh – Matlabi Duniya (1961) – Talat Mahmood, Ameerbai Karnatki, Chorus – Shushant Banerjee – Jayanti Joshi

We have made one exception to our original filter because this is the only duet of  Talat Mahmood and Amirbai Karnataki together.

Tum Pe Quarban Dil…Shukria Aap Ke Pyar Ka – Sakhi Lutera (1969)  – Talat Mahmood, Usha Balsaver – B N Bali – Aziz Ghazi

The female singer and the music director are quite unknown names. The song is set to a brisk dance tune.

Mohabbat Ki Kahaniyan Sunane Lagi Hai Jawaniyan – Talat Mahmood, Lata Mangeshkar – Woh Din Yaad Karo (1971) – Laxmikant Pyarela – Anand Bakshi

Except Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar singing in a duet, we have quite a rare set of combinations in this song. If Laxmikant Pyarelal using voice of Talat Mahmood and that too at almost the fag end of his career, for Sanjay Kumar on the screen is not enough of such rare combinations, Sanjay Khan and Nada pairing as lead actors gets added to.  The song is quite different from LP signature compositions, except the orchestration of the second interlude. Of course, all other male songs of the film are in Mohammad Rafi’s voice.

Here is the full song, in audio format-

We will end our present Talat Mahmood episode with two instances of his Mohammad Rafi associations –

Ek Nazar Mein Dil Le Jaaye..Surat Ho To Aisi Ho – Baarish (1957) – Talat Mahmood, Mohammad Rafi, Franciz Vaz, Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Rajendra Krishna

Today, this song would have been the cause of nation-wide agitations by the feminists – not one but four, clearly rogue-looking youths of the locality, serially, teasing the girl who has come to fill up her pots at the public tap.

The famous recording of K.Asif’s magnum opus “LOVE AND GOD”, in which Naushad got the top 7 playback singers of the film Industry to agree to sing as a chorus for one song  – TALAT MAHMOOD, MOHD. RAFI, MANNA DEY, HEMANT KUMAR, SUMAN KALYANPUR, KHAN MASTANA, and BALBIR photographed during the rehearsals of the recording! (www.talatmahmood.net)

Rahega Jahan Mein Tera Naam  – Love & God (1986) – Mohammad Rafi, Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey & Balbir –  Naushad Ali – Khumar Barabankvi

The film had got mired in several glitches and took a very long time in making. By the time film got released, two of its heroes, Guru Dutt and then his replacement, Sanjeev Kumar and K Asif, the director, had passed away.

These songs represent only a one of the many shades of Talat Mahmood’s duets. So, when we get the next opportunity, we will look at other shades of Talat duets.

We will continue our search for Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.