Fading Memories….Unforgettable Songs: February 2020

Talat Mahmood duets with Geeta Dutt [1]

Talat Mahmood (Born: 24 February 1924, Lucknow) was as handsome as his voice was soft spoken. Before physically shifting to (the then ) Bombay in 1949, he had already made his presence felt in Calcutta During his Calcutta career, Talat Mahmood gave playbacks and played minor roles in Hindi and Bengali films. His first disc was cut by HMV in 1941, the song was Sab Din Ek Saman Nahin Tha, Ban Jaoonga Kya Se Kya Main, Iska To Kuchh Dhyan Nahin Tha

To commemorate the birthday of Talat Mahmood we have commenced a series of annual articles on this plat form, wherein we bring up Talat Mahmood’s Rare Duets. We have covered –

2017: Some of the Talat Mahmood Duets receding from the memory

2018: Talat Mahmood’s Duet Combinations with Rare Co-singers

2019: Talat Mahmood Duets with Mubarak Begum and Madhubala Jhaveri

Presently, we will take up Talat Mahmood’s Duets with Geeta Dutt.

Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; 23 November 1930. Faridpur) was an accomplished singer who has left her deep imprint over film and non-films songs over several Indian languages, with her mellifluous, vivacious voice. She got her first break in Bhakta Prahlad (1946), when Pt. Hanuman Prasad gave her two lines to sing in two songs – Ab Jaani Re Pahchani Re and Suno Suno Binati Hamri Prabhu Ji Bhool Hui Mujhse Bhaari. However, the very next year she shot to big league with Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya (Do Bhai, Music: S D Burman; Lyrics: Raja Mehandi Ali Khan).

Talat Mahmood had his first big box office success in Ae Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal (Arzoo, 1950, Music: Anil Biswas; Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri). In between his busy film and radio schedules, Talat Mahmood also used to travel over India for his singing concerts. Geeta Dutt would also accompany him in many such concerts. Both had excellent professional rapport.

However, the number of their duets are, relatively, few in numbers. With a silken voice quality of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt’s wide range in low as well as high scales, it is no surprise that their duets left listeners with an ethereal trance. However, the inherent difference I their individual singing styles resulted in, relatively, fewer number of their duets.

Armaan Bhare Dil Ki Lagan Ter Liye Hai – Jaan Pahechan (1950) – Khemchand Prakash – Shakeel Badayuni

There could not have been a better opening to the Talat Mahmood’s duets with Geeta Dutt. The song, very rightly, sets up, and deservedly so, very high expectations for the duets of this pair.

Ham Hai Tere Diwane…Kisse Hai Ye Purane, Agar Tu Bura Na Mane – Shabistabn (1951) – with Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Qamar Jalalabadi

The second pearl from our jackpot is also such a sweet, known, duet. Only when you closely look at the vide, you get the feeling that song indeed is a teasing song, but the actors , and so too Talat, would be too chivalrous, to cross the gentleman-border-line, even in such romantic situations.

Hai Ye Mausam-e-bahar, Sun Jawani Ki Pukar – Shabistan (1951) – Madan Mohan – Qamar Jalalabadi

The films had two music directors recording four songs each.

Relatively, this would be ranked as less known one duets. The song is classic example of higher pitched Geeta Dutt vocal matching the lower scales of Talat in a perfect harmony.

Chitalkar sings the first line for some distant singer, which prompts Shyam to take up the main song in Talat Mahmood’s voice.

Kaho Ek Bar Mujhe Tumse Pyar.. Mujhe Tumse Pyar – Shabistabn (1951) –C Ramchandra – Qamar Jalalabadi

C Ramchandra sets the different scale ranges of the two singers to a romantic mood.

The song seems to have one more video link. I am not sure whether it is the second version in the film.

Kaise Rokoge Aise Toofan Ko – Anand Math (1951) – Hemant Kumar – Shailendra

Geeta Bali seems to be in two moods – one to keep the English officer on a wild hunt, and the other not only to inform her fugitive freedom fighter informed about the chase but to also tease the shy love of the impending implosion of their feelings when they will meet.

Ye Pyar Ki Raatein Ye Aaj Ki Baatein – Baghdad (1952) – with G M Durrani – Bulo C Rani – Raja Mehandi Ali Khan

Talat and Geta Dutt rhyme in perfect foil in this romantic song. G M Durrani joins Geeta Dutt in the second and fourth stanza. Why the song will have been so composed?

Chori Chori Dil Mein Samaya – Kaafila (1952) – Husnlal Bhagatram – Moti B A

Geeta Dutt’s soft vocals dominate in the duet with Talat singing just a word or two in the mukhda…and also it can be seen clearly that the last antara of Talat is clearly done in a lower note, so as to fit in his range. Use of piano in the orchestration adds to the melody of the song.

Sham Suhani Nadi Ke Kinare – Nishan Danka (1952) – Basant Prakash – S H Bihari

The song is set to leisurely waltz tune. succeeding so well the mood of the song that would come up in the minds of the two love birds strolling on a serene river front, the fading light of the setting sun. The serenity mood seems to interspersed with some quick teasing too.

Kahin Preet Se Bhara Koi Geet Ga Raha – Paatal Bhairavi (1952) – Ghantshala – Pt. Indra

Ghantsala (Venkateshwara Rao) is a legend composer and singer of Telegu cinema. Here he has so deftly blended Talat and Geeta Dutt’s voices into a sweet melody.
The original Telugu version of the film was the then roaring hit.

Aaj Ki Raat Bhag More Jaage, Dekhun Piya Mukha Chanda – Ratan Deep (1952) – Robin Banerjee – Vidyapati

This relatively very obscure song epitomizes contrasting vocal styles of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Deep. Talat opens mukhada in lower scale., then joins Geeta Dutt on higher scale in the stanzas.

The song is really very pleasant experience listen to.

Sun Lo Ek Kahani Sun Lo – Ratan Deep (1952) – Robin Banerjee – Mahendra Pran, Mathur

Robin Banerjee once again deftly uses the contrasting vocal styles of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt.

Here is the Bengali version of the song, in Hemant (Kumar) Mukherjee and Supreeti Ghosh’s voices.

Both version show how music director has made subtle changes in the compositions to leverage the inherent vocal qualities of the singers.

Asides Trivia:

Ratnadeep is remake of original 1951 Bengali original version. The film had a Tamil version as well.

Abhi Bhattacharya debuted in Hindi cinema with this film.

We will continue with Talat Mahmood’s duets with Geeta Dutt in our next episode net year.

We will continue remembering 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.

Author: ASHOK M VAISHNAV

In July 2011, I opted to retire from my active career as a practicing management professional. In the 38 years that I pursued this career, I had opportunity to work in diverse capacities, in small-to-medium-to-large engineering companies. Whether I was setting up Greenfield projects or Brownfield projects, nurturing the new start-ups or accelerating the stabilized unit to a next phase growth, I had many more occasions to take the paths uncharted. The life then was so challenging! One of the biggest casualty in that phase was my disregards towards my hobbies - Be with The Family, Enjoy Music form Films of 1940s to mid-1970s period, write on whatever I liked to read, pursue amateur photography and indulge in solving the chess problems. So I commenced my Second Innings to focus on this area of my life as the primary occupation. At the end of four years, I am now quite a regular blogger. I have been able to build a few very strong pen-relationships. I maintain contact with 38-years of my First Innings as freelance trainer and process facilitator. And yet, The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. View all posts by ASHOK M VAISHNAV