Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – November 2020

Welcome to November 2020 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We first pay our tributes to Soumitra Chatterjee who passed away on 15-11-2020 and Sean Connery who passed away on 31-10-2020.

Phenomenon called Soumitra – In Mrinal Sen’s Akash Kusum, Soumitra Chatterjee plays an ambitious middle-class executive, who is losing everything he values because of one bad decision. The Hindi remake Manzil starred Amitabh Bachchan, but a back-to-back viewing of both these films will tell you how nuanced Chatterjee’s turn as Ajoy was.

Soumitra Chatterjee and Aparna Dasgupta in Akash Kusum. (Express archive photo)

Soumitra Chatterjee dies at 85 – Sandipan Deb – Soumitra Chatterjee was an actor who never appeared in a Bollywood film, in spite of lucrative offers. He received Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2012

My friend, Soumitra Chatterjee – Sharmila Tagore on Soumitra Chatterjee: The basis of our friendship was his persona, his values, just the inimitable way he was. There was so much to learn from him, he leaves behind a rich legacy.

Satish Acharya pays tribute to veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, and his iconic partnership with legendary director Satyajit Ray, with who he worked in 14 films together.

Bidding Adieu to a Colossus – The man who was such a huge part of Ray’s cinema won his national honours for films he did with other directors

Soumitra Chatterjee – A Habit of Our Lives – Amitava Nag attempts at an objective tribute to the magnificence of a true legend

Songs of 1945 @ SoY :: Female Solo Songs – Zeenat Begum

For the year 1945, Zeenat Begum we see her as a sole lead singer in the films, Jhumke, Dhamki etc. along with a major alternative female playback singer in several other films.

HFGK notes that the songs of Bhaijan, which bear name of Zeenat Begum on the records, were rendered by Noor Jehan in the film.

Aye Baad-E-Saba Kuchh Tune Suna, Wah Jalwa Dikhanewale hai – Bhaijaan – Shyamsundar – Padtau Lakkhanavi

Aa Bedardi Aaja Mere Dil Mein Sam Jaa – Bhaijaan – Shyamsundar – Padtau Lakkhanavi

Mere Dil Ki Duniya Se Jao To Janu – Champa – Anupam Ghatak

Dard-e-Muhabbat Aah Se Kah De, Dil Mein Rahe – Dhamki – Pt. Amarnath – D N Madhok

O Mila Ke AkhiyaN… AkhaiyaN Churana Na – Dhamki – Pt. Amarnath – D N Madhok

Aankh Mila Ke Koi Re Apana Bane Koi Re – Dhamki – Pt. Amarnath – D N Madhok

Yaad Mein Raat Kati , Din Hua, Phir Yaad Aayi – Dhamki – Pt. Amarnath – D N Madhok

Phir Barsan Laage HaN Nain Matwale – Dhamki – Pt. Amarnath – D N Madhok

Koi Man Mein Mere Bole – Kaise KahooN – Pt. Amarnath – Moti B A

HFGK does not have singer identified for this song.

Ik Hook Si Uthati Hai Dil Mein Bar Bar KyoN – Ragni – Pt. Amarnath

HFGK does not have singer identified for this song

Uth Soye Hue Husn Tujhe Ishq Jagae – Ragni – Pt. Amarnath

HFGK lists the song in the name of Zoharabai

We will take up Micro View of Solo Songs of Noorjehan for the year 1945 next

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – November, 2020

Welcome to November 2020 edition of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

For the year 2020, we have chosen the core subject of Revisiting Basic Quality Concepts w.r.t. the sustained success of the organization As of now we have visited

History of Quality in January 2020
The Sustained Success of Organization in February 2020
Organizational Context in March 2020
Understanding Needs and Expectations of the Interested Parties in April 2020
Risk Based Approach in May 2020
Opportunity Based Approach in June 2020
The Organizational Knowledge for the Sustained Success in July 2020
Competent people for the sustained organizational success in August 2020
Process Management for Sustained Success in September 2020
Performance Measurement for Sustained Success in October 2020

We take up Improvements for Sustained Success: A canvas of the improvement process to individual and collective mindsets as our next core concept this month–

Continuous Improvement requires a systemic dissatisfaction with the status quo, no matter how good the organization is perceived to be. Real change management is tangible, quantifiable, and critical to driving a sustainable adoption.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” – Maya Angelou.

There are six main reasons why organizations fail to sustain performance improvements[1]:

Winning. can distract an organization from the need to continuously improve.
Change in Leadership.
Impatience. The organization tires of its improvement effort and moves on before it can yield optimal results.
Reduction in Improvement Methods. Infrastructure isn’t maintained.
M&A Activity. forces an initiative’s postponement or derailment.
Global Macroeconomic Events. that it did not foresee or grossly underestimated.

“Creating constancy of purpose towards improving work, product and service levels is the basis of continual improvement.

“It is common to for leaders to speak of change in the same sentence with changing culture. But our own experience with culture change these past 5 years in the Henry Ford Production System across all laboratories of nearly 800 workers in Henry Ford Health System has taught us repeatedly that culture is a desirable but secondary outcome to changing structure and process that enables and expects employees to work differently.”[2]

As we scan through the vast variety of literature on sustained improvements, we see many common threads, like, involvement of people, integration of improvement initiatives into the overall change process, building the culture of improvement to measures of the improvement process over a longer time frame cycles of the changes in the context of the organization. There is also consensus that the improvement initiatives over the long terms should help build sustainable competitive advantage(s) for the business.

Here is very short list of some of the readings that I liked:

Unlocking the future with continuous improvement – Roxann Dawson, MSc, DipQ, CQP MCQI
Sustaining continuous improvement: Five leaders’ views
Keys to a sustainable transformation: A conversation with Seth Goldstrom

The detailed note on Improvements for Sustained Success can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlink.

We will now turn to our regular sections:

In the series the Organizational Culture, we have taken up Improving the organizational culture – The means and speed of the value creation will bring massive disruption. Therefore, the only question that any organizational culture improvement initiative should address is whether your company is going to cause it or fall victim to it.[3].

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about:

PDCA for Improvement – The plan-do-check-act cycle, or PDCA, is a very popular tool that is used in many different sectors, in a wide variety of situations. Learn how to use-and better explain this powerful tool.

Before we take up Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month we have picked up one article, which is relevant to our subject, when viewed in the context of improvements for the sustained success –

“Good to Go” – The three most dangerous words in quality by Ian R Lazarus – As quality managers, it is not only important to understand the difference between “good enough” and great levels of quality, these must be quantified. Fortunately, we have many tools available to quantify the quality of our processes. Probably the most robust of these approaches is to establish the capability of the process. The meaning of the term “capability” is likely intuitive, but in Six Sigma vernacular it refers to a quantitative measure reflecting the probability that a process will meet customer specifications, expressed as a Sigma level. In fact, management has no right to complain about process performance without understanding capability on some level because after all, what is more important than meeting the customer’s expectations?

- - “The Voice of the Process,” in other words, the range of process performance today
  - “The Voice of the Customer,” in other words, the upper and lower specification limits that define acceptable levels of performance in the eye of the customer.

Once the concept of capability is understood, interventions such as error-proofing can be applied.[4]

And now we take up Jim Smith’s article that also links up the subject –

Recognition Power: Recognizing Efforts Supports Excellence : It is well accepted that when people feel appreciated and get recognized, they are more engaged, motivated, and productive.. However, more often not, it is also observed that too few organizations take advantage of this opportunity. Some organizations believe that adequate annual performs reviews and competitive compensation packages should be sufficient to enable the employee engagement. Some other organizations may see employee recognition as too difficult to manage and oversee, too hard to keep from becoming an entitlement or simply too costly. Organizations need to think of employee recognition as a strategic advantage. The five important principles that need be considered for the development of strategy for employee engagement are:

Choose a common strategy and deploy it uniformly across the organization.
Secure top management sponsorship that is fully understood and embraced by the top management in spirit.
Link organization’s values and strategic objectives with employee engagement strategy.
Create a culture which encourages participation across all levels, in a fair, transparent and proactive manner.
Allow for flexibility, for the form, content, and style, for natural differences for those giving and receiving recognition.

It is always vital to recognize that sustainable competitive advantage is delivered, and sustained, by the people who work for the organization.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the subjects of Basics of Quality and Organizational Culture and their role in Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[1] Six Paths to Sustained Results—Part I – Joseph A. DeFeo

[2] Creating, Structuring and Sustaining a Culture of Continuous Improvement in Healthcare

[3] Value creation in the future

[4] Voice of Process vs. Voice of Customer

Improving the Organizational Culture

Changing an organization’s culture is no small feat. It takes time and persistence. But a lean organization is one that is fundamentally human-centered, one that enables people to thrive and grow. If we focus more on leadership mindset and behavior, and less on the mechanical aspects of operational excellence, it should be easier to create the culture we want.[1]

The literature on organizational culture improvement is agog with principles of improvement in culture as well as keys to creating a high performance culture. We will leave detailed browsing of these to more interested quality professionals. I have picked up one topic for a closer view here.

What follows in extracted script of the video The Westrum Model for Improving Organizational Culture

In 1988, Ron Westrum developed a typology of organizational cultures.

Pathological or power-oriented organizations are characterized by large amounts of fear and threat. People often hoard information or withhold it for political reasons or distort it to make themselves look better.
Bureaucratic, rule-oriented organizations protect departments. Those in the department want to maintain their turf, insist on their own rules, and generally do things by the book, their book.
Generative or performance-oriented organizations focus on the mission. How do we accomplish our goal? Everything is subordinated to good performance, to doing what we’re supposed to do.

Westrum’s further insight was that the organizational culture predicts the way information flows through an organization. Westrum provides three characteristics of good information.

First, it provides answers to the questions that the receiver needs answered.
Second, it is timely.
Lastly, it is presented in such a way that it can be effectively used by the receiver.

Good information flow is critical to the safe and effective operation of high-tempo and high-consequence environments, including technology organizations.

Additional insight from Westrum was that this definition of organizational culture predicts performance outcomes.

To go into more detail regarding the typology, this table on screen helps with describing the behavior seen in three types of cultures outlined: pathological, bureaucratic, and generative.

This shows the high-performing organizations are actually continuously learning and improving and trying to get better.

Culture enables information processing through three mechanisms.

First, in organizations with a generative culture, people collaborate more effectively and there is a higher level of trust both across the organization and up and down the hierarchy.
Second, generative culture emphasizes the mission, an emphasis that allows people involved to put aside their personal issues and also the departmental issues that are so evident in bureaucratic organizations. The mission is primary.
Third, generativity encourages a level playing field, in which hierarchy plays less of a role.

A good culture is reflected in the high level of collaboration and trust inside the organization. In addition, a better organizational culture can indicate higher-quality decision making. In a team with a generative culture, not only is the better information available for making decisions, but those decisions are more easily reversed if they turn out to be wrong, because the team is more likely to be open and transparent. Problems are also more rapidly discovered and addressed.

Ultimately, culture predicts software delivery performance, organizational performance, and leads to higher levels of job satisfaction.[2]

Value creation in the past was a function of economies of industrial scale: mass production and the high efficiency of repeatable tasks. The value of products and services today is based more and more on creativity – the innovative ways that they take advantage of new materials, technologies, and processes.

The means and speed of the value creation will bring massive disruption. Therefore, the only question that any organizational culture improvement initiative should address is whether your company is going to cause it or fall victim to it.[3]

[1] Why You’re Struggling to Improve Company Culture? = Dan Markovitz

[2] The Westrum Model for Improving Organizational Culture

[3] Value creation in the future

Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: November 2020

Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra’s Songs Fading From the Memory: 1957

Salil Chowdhury (10 November 1922 – 5 September 1995) was undoubtedly a versatile music personality – writer, lyricist, script writer, activist and of course one of the most respected music composers. His music was rooted as much in the folk music of Bengal and Assam as it was in the Western symphonies. His compositions and orchestrations had a very district style. Most of his compositions would be incredibly challenging to sing. And yet, the sheer melody that it offered made many of his difficult tunes are also his immensely popular songs. His lyricists for a good many films, Shailendra (B: 30-8-1923/ D: 14-12-1966), too, was a person rooted to the basic of life. Shailendra may not be considered a poet in the traditional literary parlance, but his simple lyrics had had profound impact on his listeners. His command of delivering an immensely powerful idealistic message or describing a complex feeling in the simple words was unparalleled.

Even when they had fundamentally very similar sociopolitical mindsets, the chemistry of apparently two different music personalities created very unique set of Hindi film songs. In terms of ratio of memorable songs to total songs or variety of moods represented, qualitatively quite comparable to Shailendra-Shankar Jaikishan or Shailendra -S D Burman, Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra quantitatively have composed songs only next to these two combinations.

To commemorate the memory of Salil Chowdhury, we have been devoting our November episode to Salil Chowdhury’s compositions receding from our memory. We had remembered Salil Chowdhury’s Hindi Film Songs in Other Languages in 2017. We then commenced a series of Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra’s Songs Fading From the Memory, wherein we took up their films together in the chronological order of release for remembering the songs receding from the memory from these films. Till now we have covered the years

1953-1955 in 2018, and

1956 in 2019.

Presently, we will take up Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra’s songs receding frm the memory form the three films – Ek Gaon Ki Kahani and Musafir for the year 1957. Salil Chowdhury had composed music for Apradhi Kaun and Laal Batti (with Majrooh Sultanpuri) and Zamana (with Indeevar and Prem Dhawan; the film had two songs composed by Anil Biswas, too).

Ek Gaon Ki Kahani (1957)

Ek Gaon Ki Kahani is a film directed by Dulal Guha, wherein Talat Mahmood has also acted as the lead actor. The films had two of Talat Mahmood’s all-time-great songs – Jhoome Re Neela Ambar Jhhome Re and Raat Ne Kya Kya Khwab Dikhaye – and a Lata Mangeshkar solo – Boley Pihoo Pihoo Pee Papihara – which as sweet and playful as is a difficult tune.

Kana Kubda Langda Loola Budha Doctor Aayega – Asha Bhosle

Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra have produced a light-mood, thoroughly enjoyable, song.

O Haay Koi Dekh Lega – Talat Mahmood, Lata Mangeshkar

The song opens with a very lilting prelude. The duet, though extremely sweet, is indeed a difficult composition.

Chale Thhumak Thhumak Taare Meethe Sapno Ke Dware – Lata Mangeshkar

This is a lullaby. Salil Chowdhury has used relatively easier composition Use of soft sounds of ensemble of violins. The main song as well as the interlude orchestration has Salil Chowdhury’s signature flute pieces

Din Holi Ka Aa Gaya Rang Dalo Hoji Ho – Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar. Chorus

The occasions of festivals like Holi have provided ideal situation for songs in Hindi films. Different directors have used the situation for different purposes – sometimes the song just comes in as a filler or sometimes as an important element of the story. Lyricists compose the lyrics accordingly. Different directors also have adopted very different approaches in composing the song, even if they have stuck to the normal Holi song tunes of North India. Salil Chowdhury has provided ample improvisations in the songs to make it sound very realistic composition.

Musafir (1957)

Based on the Ritvik Ghatak story of three families’ ’traveler’ stay at a house, Musafir was the maiden directorial venture of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. In effect, it connects up three stories with a common link of a house. Every time the family leaves the house, like a traveler on the move, at least one member of the family will state that she will always remember this house. The film was awarded a Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature Film in Hindi for the year 1957.

Man Re Hari Gun Gaa, Un Sang Preet Lagaa – Lata Mangeshkar

Filmed on Suchitra Sen, the lead actress of the first of the three episodes, is a simple bhajan, in terms of the song genres. The song has a special important place in the narrative of the episode.

Munna Bada Pyaara, Ammi Ka Dulara, Koi Kahe Chand Koi Ankh Ka Taara – Kishore Kumar

This is a song pertaining to the second story in the film. Shailendra has weaved in wonderful dreams of the middle-class people in each stanza. Salil Chowdhury has composed a very pleasant tune, and Kishore Kumar is at his usual maverick improvisation best.

Tedhi Tedhi Humse Phire Saari Duniya… Har Koi Najar Bacha Chala Jaye Dekho…Jaane Kahe Hamse Kaatey Saari Duniya – Manna Dey, Shamshad Begum, chorus

The song have several unique features.

First, Shailendra has made a cameo appearance of street song performer, with a harmonium strung on. This is second such on-screen performance. The first one was in the song Chali Kaun Se Desh Gujariya Tu Saj Dhaj Ke (Boot Polish, 1954).

Second, is Keshto Mukherjee’s maiden appearance on Hindi cinema. Her he comes up in the role of a autistic handicapped person, a very routine feature of such travelling street performers so as to encash some human pity into more alms catch. At the end of the song ,just watch him approaching Kishore Kumar to part with some cash, all in sign language !! What a pity that such a wonderful comedy actor remained typecast as THE drunkard in the films!

Third, of course, is use of Shamshad Begum by Salil Chowdhury. Shamshad Begum plays back to Heera Sawant, the dance performer of the troupe.

Shailendra is at his usual egalitarian best mood at every word of the song!

Laagi Nahi Choote Rama Chahe Jiya Jaye – Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar

First, of course, the most novel feature of the song – Dilip Kumar singing his own song. The songs, for a non-regular singer like him, is not that easy to sing. But, Dilip Kumar has done such a marvelous job of it.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee has filmed the Lata Mangeshkar part as a memory recall running at the back of mind of Usha Kiran. As such, the voice seems to come from deep within!

Ek Aaye Ek Jaaye Musafir -Shyamal Mitra

The title and theme song that carries the message of the film, is filmed on Mohan Choti (a.k.a. Mohan Goraskar).

The song comes up once more in the film. The clip here has both versions.

We normally take up one Mohammad Rafi song to end the episode. However, in the present case, we do not have any Mohammad Rafi song in either of these films. So, we will take a small detour, and import one song from Salil Chowdhury’s 1957 films with other lyricist.

Naiya Ka Meri Tu Hi Khewaiya – Zamana (1957) = Lyrics: Indeevar

Salil Chowdhury has used chorus both as chorus accompaniment and as counter music support.

Our journey of Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra’s receding from the memory songs on this platform.

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.

Songs of 1945 @ SoY :: Female Solo Songs – Mohantara Talpade | Rajkumari | Hamida Bano

Solo Songs of Mohantara Talpade

Mohantara Talpade was a well-recognised playback voice in mid’40s. It seems 1945 was not a very productive year for her.

Ghat Ghat Ki Tum Janate…Bhool Na Jana Hey Girdhari – Dhanna Bhagat– Khemchand Prakash – Pt. Indra

Main Janam Janam Ki Dukhiyari — Dhanna Bhagat– Khemchand Prakash – Khavar JamaN

Solo Songs of Rajkumari

Rajkumari has a fairly respectable solo songs this year, but more than two thirds of the songs listed in HFGK, I have not been able to fin the digital link.

O Peenwale Pee Le, Pee Le, Peene Ke Din Aaye – Din Raat – Dada Chandekar – Santosh Nadim

Meri Aankho Ke Aansu AankhoN Hi Mein So Jao – Ghar – Alla Rakha – Roopbani

Unhein Yaad Aaye….Guzara Jamana – Naseeb – Pt. Govind Ram – Ishwar Chandra Kapoor

Meri Pukar Sun Le O Jag Ke Rakhwale – Ratnavali – Pt. Govind Ram – Ishwar Chandra Kapoor

So Ja Mere Pyare Mere Jivan Ke Sahare – Yateem – Khursheed Anwar – Zia Sarhadi

Solo Songs of Hamida Bano

Hamida Bano also does not seem to have had a very productive year.

Aanewale Jab Aayenge Jeevan Ki Shaam Ho Jayegi – Dharma- Sajjad Hussain –

We do not find this song listed in HFGK.

Bhali Nibhayi Preet Re Pardesi, Maine Jhoothe Gaae Geet Re Pardesi – Moorti – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra

Saawan Aaya Saajan Nahi Aaya Re Daiya-Daiya – Moorti – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra

Dil Tu Hi Bata De, Yeh Pyar Hai Kya – Sharabati Aankhen – Firoz Nizami B A- Tanvir Naqvi

The song also has a sad version for which I have not been able to locate digital version on net.

We will take up Micro View of Solo Songs of Zeenat Begum for the year 1945 next

Songs of 1945 @ SoY :: Female Solo Songs – Zohrabai Ambalewali

Zohrabai Ambalewali was one of the front raw female singers of vntage era style sininging. To appreciate her style, even seniors of 50s and 60s -born generation, who were fond of listening to Bhule Bisre Geet on Radio Ceylon in their days. would require a conscious effort. For the year 1945, we het to listen a fairly wide range of songs.

Rain Andheri Badal Garaje, Man Mora Gabarae – Chalis Karod – with chorus – Pt. Govind Ram – Pt. Indra

Kaun Jivan Mein Samaya Jaa Raha Hai – Hamara Sansar – Pt. Govind Ram – Ramesh Gupta

Tumhari Jaan-e-Tamanna Salam Kaheti Hai – Laila Majnu – Pt. Govind Ram – Tanvir Naqvi

Fariyaad….KyuN Meri Jawani Pe Tujhe Raham Na Aaya – Laila Majnu – Rafiq Gazanavi – Tanvir Naqvi

Saans Jo Seene Mein Hai Fariyad Hai, Dil Ki Duniya Dard Se Azad Hai – Laila Majnu – Pt. Govind Ram – Tanvir Naqvi

Fasl-e-Gul Aayi, Hamein Yaad Teri Satane Lagi – Panna Dai – Gyan Dutt – D N Madhok

The song has a sad twin version by Begum Akhtar

Uth Soye Hue Husn Mujhe Ishq Jagaye – Ragni – Pt. Amarnath –

Naino Mein Krishna Murari Hai, Man Ke Bihari Hai – Sanyasi – Naushad Ali – Pt. Budhdhi Chandra Agrawal ‘Madur

O Jaanewale Matwale Tu Ja, Tu Bhi Chain Na Paye – Sanyasi – Naushad Ali – Pt. Budhdhi Chandra Agrawal ‘Madur

Lakho Sitam Jhelenge Ham, Khayenge Gam Tadapenge Ham – Sanyasi – Naushad Ali – Pt. Budhdhi Chandra Agrawal ‘Madur

In the next episode we will take up Micro View of Solo Songs of Mohantara Talpade, Rajkumari, Hamidabano etc. for the year 1945

Songs of 1945 @ SoY :: Female Solo Songs – Amirbai Karnataki [2]

We listened to first part of Solo Songs of Amirbai Karnataki for the year 1945, which had songs from just three films. In the present second part, we have covered Amirbai Karnataki’s solo songs for the year 1945 from seven films. Songs for the two films Ghar (Music: Alla Rakha) and Vikramaditya Music: Shankar Rao Vyas) could not be located on YT.

Bairan Ban Gayi Nindiya Ho, Koi Jaay KahaN – Chhamia – Gyan Dutt –

Saja Naseeb Ne De Di Nazar Milane Ki – Ek Din Ka Sultan – D Gadkar – Wali Sahab

Meri Banri Ki God Hari, Hari Meri Banri Ki God Hari– Ek Din Ka Sultan – D Gadkar – Wali Sahab

Garibo Ki Duniya JahN Se Nirali – Ek Din Ka Sultan – Rafiq Gazanavi – Wali Sahab

Unse Jo Saheb Salamat Ho Gayi – Ek Din Ka Sultan – Shanti Kumar – Wali Sahab

Hansane Hasane Ke Din Aa Gaye Hai – Kul Kalank – Alla Rakhkha – Roopbaani

Pee Aur Pila Pila Mere Saqui – Kul Kalank – Alla Rakhkha – Roopbaani

Chhaye Hai Kale Megh To Bauchchar To Hogi – Mazdoor – H P Das – G S Nepali

More Balamwa More Sajanwa – Preet – Bulo C Rani – D N Madhok

Jiya Dole…Lakh Kahun Kuchh Na Bole – Preet – Bulo C Rani – D N Madhok

Har Dil Mein Muhabbat Hai, Mera Dil Hai Akela – Samrat Chandragupt – C Ramchandra –Pt. Budhdhi Chandra Agrawal ‘Madur’

Saiyaa Salone Se Nain Mila Ke, Preet Laga Ke Jaan Gayi – Village Girl – Shyam Sundar – Wali Sahab

Bansi Ki Madhur Dhun Se Mere Bhaag Jaga De – Village Girl – Shyam Sundar – Wali Sahab

We will take up Solo Songs of Zohrabai Ambalewali for the year 1945 in our next post.

Hemant Kumar’s Hindi Song Compositions : Female songs – Bengali female playback singers

We have covered Hemant Kumar’s Female compositions in the form of Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle’s song and ‘Other’ Singers’ songs previously.

Other than these, he has also chosen to experiment with Bengali female playback singers, like Ratna Gupta, Pratima Banerjee, Aarti Mukherjee, his wife Bela Mukherjee and his daughter Ranu Mukhrtjee, Bula Gupta etc.

Ratna Gupta

Ratna Gupta was the wife of film director, Hemen Gupta. She has rendered songs only in the films which Hemen Gupta had directed, viz.– Bhuli Nai (1948) in Bengali and Ferry (1954) and Taksaal (1956; Music by Roshan) in Hindi

Yehi Hai Mere Sapno Ka Sansar – Ferry (1954) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna

Geeta Bali, with her two children, is on a joy tour to her beautiful world of dreams. Ratna Gupta’s pleasant Bengali-intoned voice adds to the refreshing charm of the situation.

The song also has a sad, twin, version.

In the clip here, we get to listen a soft call of a boatmen to keep pushing the boat – the metaphor for the life – in the voice of Hemant Kumar. The main song is composed on a high scale, to reflect the anguish of Geeta Bali as the moments of her past happy family life flash in her memory.

Pratima Banerjee

Ek Baat Kahu Tumse….. Mehfil Men Tere Husn Ke Diwane, , – Sahara (1958) – Lyrics: Bharat Vyas

Kamal Barot and Nileema Chatterjee

We have one more just one- off experiment in so far as use of these two singers is concerned.

Main Laal Laal Gujkoonn – Majli Didi (1967) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Neeraj

The song is a children’s song, based on quiz game. Kamal Barot sings lines for a child artist who we can now recognise as Baby Sarika. Nileema Chatterjee sings for a boy, identified as Master Khalid.

Ranu Mukherjee

Hemant Kumar has used Ranu Mukherje’s voice in different moods, in different situations, at different stages of her age.

Nani Teri Morni Ko Mor Le Gaye – Masoom 1960 – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanavi

Ranu Mukherjee must be five/six years old when the song must have been recorded. So, the natural childlike discordant notes in her voice can be felt, but otherwise this as virtuoso performance as any professional would have rendered!

Mera Qatil Hai Jee Qatil JavaN Qatil Hai – Farar(1965) – Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi

This is mother of all scoops. Just five years after that childlike innocent song, Ranu Mukherjee comes up with this full-fledged western club song, in an equally virtuoso performance.

Ab To Muskuraiye, Muskuraiye Zara, Aapki Sharatein Gul Khila Chukee – Do Dooni Chaar (1968) – Lyrics: Gulzar

Hemant Kumar’s bag of scoops has still more surprises. Three more years down the line, and Ranu Mukherjee now comes up trump as a lead singer – in a film that is pure comedy, giving playback to a vivacious, mischievous sister-in-law character so lively enacted by Tanuja and, to enliven the lyrics of Gulzar with that correct throw of a given word.

Ranu Mukherjee had two more, equally interesting, solos in the film.

Asides Trivia for the records: Gulzar seemed to have made up his mind to remake this Shakespeare’s play, ‘Comedy of Errors ‘-inspired version under the banner of Bimal Roy Production. He went to onto make a classic, in the form of Angoor (1982).

Bela Mukherjee

It should be redundant to state that Bela Mukherjee is the wife of Hemant Kumar and quite a singer on her own. Hemant Kumar has used her voice for just handful songs which at best can be classified as special situation songs.

Ae Din Dayal Daya Do Hame – Farar (1965) – Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi

This is a school prayer song. Hemant Kumar has deftly used voice of Bela Mukherjee for a, boy, child artist

Bula Gupta

There is reference to a name Bula as ‘Baby Bula’ in Ferry (1954). Knowledgeable co-bloggers had identified her as daughter of the director of that film Hemen Gupta. In fact, there is mention of a child duet song in that film, where in this Baby Bula has joined Master Jayant (Hemant Kumar’s son). If we put two and two together, this Bula Gupta seems to be the same person, now a young lady.

Jaam Utha Ke Tod Ke Tauba Pee – Us Raat Ke Baad (1970) – Lyrics: Gulzar

Hemant Kumar has persisted with experimenting with Bengali singers to sing ‘special’ songs. Hemant Kumar has blended use of mid-east string instruments with western instruments in the orchestration.

Aarti Mukherjee

Aarti Mukherjee is a trained singer, who has worked as playback singers more in Bengali films then in Hindi films.

Billi Bajaye Baja, Gaye Chuhiyon Ka Raaja, Nache Bandariya Lahenga Dal Ke– Sahara (1958) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Bharat Vyas

After Aarti Mukherjee won the All-India Murphy Metro Music contest held in Mumbai, in 157, this is her reward. She was in the school in those days, so she gets to sing for the child artist in this song.

Do Do Pankh Laga Ke Panchi Banenge – Rahgeer (1969) – with Hemlata and chorus – Lyrics: Gulzar

It seems the song may have been rendered by some character in the adolescent age on the screen.

Aaj Ki Raat Chargon Ki Raat – Khamoshi (1970) – Lyrics: Gulzar

The film carries a shortened version of the song

Sharon Prabhakar

Love’s Reflections – Love in Canada (1980) – Lyrics: Sharon Prabhakar

Love in Canada is the swan song of Hemant Kumar in so far as Hindi film music is concerned, but his experimental streak is still as alive and as sharp as ever.

Hemant Kumar’s female songs has so many shades that one article by any one person will never be able to do full justice to the subject. If I were to do this article once again, even I may choose some other songs over what I have chosen here. There is always that hope for that next time…..

Originally published on SoY as Hemant Kumar’s Female Playback Singers . This is the edited and improved-on-the-inputs-of-discussions thereupon version

A single file collated version of the three parts of Hemant Kumar’s Hindi Song Compositions: Female songs is available for download by clicking on the hyper link.