The end of the spectrum of Hemant Kumar’s solo male compositions presents quite unusual variety of, not-from-the-mainstream, male singers. Except for the first and last song, incidentally in the chronological order, all other songs can also be ascribed to not-so-usual song situations. However, one thing that stands out is the Hemant Kumar’s choice of the singer for the song – he has fully leveraged the singer’s voice quality in the first and the last song, while duly accommodating his compositions to the vocal range of the respective singer in the other songs.
Kavi Pradeep
Pradeepji was essentially a poet, but the beauty is whichever film song is recorded in his voice has become a massive hit.
When I look at the song now, I realize how imaginatively the song has been conceived, filmed, composed, and rendered. No wonder, we found the song so enchanting in our school days in the latter half of ‘50s.
Chitalkar
Chitalkar (a.k.a. C. Ramchandra) has very rarely agreed to sing a song for other music directors. However, the mutual rapport that both will have developed while working together for Anarkali (1953) seems to have tilted the scales.
Sunaoon Ik Majnu Ka Haal, Ke Ghar Pe Pakati Na Thi Daal – Lagan (1955) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna
The song seems to be street song. Hemant Kumar has packed in all possible variations that the situation for the song seems to have demanded and Chitalkar deftly handles his part of the deal.
Ravi
It is said that Ravi’s original plan was to make a career as a singer, as well. As such, he did pick up every possible opportunity in the beginning of the career. However, he did seem to have finally settled to focus on his music direction career.
Khol Ke Aankhein Dekh Jara…. Dekhi Teri Duniya Duniyawale – Lagaan (1955) – Rajinder Krishna
Whether it is quirk of circumstances or was Ravi’s own choice, but good many of beggar song genre songs that Ravi composed were popular.
Aside:
HFGK records Mohammad Rafi as the singer of the song ‘Dekhi Teri Duniya’ (Lagan 1955). There is a footnote saying that initially the song was recorded in the voice of Ravi.
Therefore, we may surmise that Mohammad Rafi was called in to sing the song with a view to boost the sale of records, and in turn, possibly help the performance of the film at the box office.
Balbir
Balbir (a.k.a. S. Balbir) has had a fairly long active career in the Hindi films. He is said to have sung around 120 songs in the films, but he was so typecast as a co-singer in male-male duet songs that there are hardly a dozen or so solo songs to his credit. To that extent, Hemant Kumar deserves special mention since he has used Balbir’s voice as a standalone singer in the following song, and the duet – O Lili, Yu Tham Ja Mere Aagey Aa Gayi Billi – with Geeta Dutt.
Main Mar Gaya To Likhna Ye Kabhi Mere Afsaane Mein… Arre Hamne To Saari Zindagi Gujaari Kedkhane Mein – Laalten (1956) – With chorus – Lyrics: Shewan Rizvi
Mukesh – In a Version Song
Mukesh apparently did not have solo song composed by Hemant Kumar.
Gori Chori Chori Jaana Buree Baat Hai, Teri Kismat Ki Chaavi Mere Haath Hai – Ek Jhalak (1957) – Lyrics: S H Bihari
Mukesh Geetkosh (Hindi Edition, November 2020) records this as version song, with record number FT21009
Asides:
Here is the song as it appears in the film, in the voice of Hemant Kumar
Anil Kumar
Hardly anything is known of this singer.
Rooh Pyase Hai, Pareshan Hai Oos Raat Ke Baad – Oos Raat Ke Baad (1970) – Lyrics: Gohar Kanpuri
The song is rendered in Mohammad Rafi style.in the credit titles of Oos Raat Ke Baad. The credit of the singer and the lyricist for the title song appears in a separate frame in the credit titles.
This is the video clip of the film. The titles run from the beginning till @2.19 in the clip.
Yesudas
Yesudas was playback voice for many of the songs filmed on Anmol Palekar on the screen., Probably, hence the choice.
Kise Khabar Kahan Dagar Jeevan Ki Le Jaaye – Do Ladke Dono Kadke (1979) – Lyrics: Yogesh
This film is produced by Hemant Kumar’s son, Jayanta Mukherjee. Hemant Kumar, the music director, has easily been able to rhyme in with the NextGen singer in the song.
In this Long Tail of the Other Singers Yesudas is the only exception of being a mainstream playback singer.
On the whole, this representative selection of Hemant Kumar’s male solo songs abundantly endorses the tenet that a music director knows whose voice would justice to the composition.
For the purpose of the debate of deciding whether Hemant Kumar is a better composer or a better singer, we can always have a couple of more of such samples, in the future.
Originally published on SoY as Hemant Kumar’s Male Playback Singers. This is the edited and improved-on-the-inputs-of-discussions-thereupon version.
We listened to Male-female duets of Mohammad Rafi and G M Durrani in the 1st part.
Duets of Mukesh
In these male-female duets, Mukesh can be seen in both the colors – under-the vintage era Saigal-shadow singing style and his more familiar golden-era style sinnging.
Kya Jadu Hai Tere Paas Piya, Surat Dekhi Dil Haar Diya – Chehra – with Shamshad Begum – M A Mukhtar – Ishwar Chandra Kapoor
Main Nagan Hu, Badi Zaharili, Badi Katili – Durban – with Beenapani Mukherjee – Gulshan Sufi – Tanvir Naqvi
Lagat Nazar Tori Chhaliya More Gore Badan Ko – Gvalan – with Susheela Rani – Hansraj Behl – Pt. Indra
Ja Parwane Ja Kahi Shama Jal Rahi Hai – Rajputani – With Hamida Bano – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra
Duets of Chitalkar
Except for one song that Chitalkar singsa for S D Burman, all his other duets for 1946 were composed by himself.
Ek Nai Kali, Sasural Chali, Dubali Si Dulhan – Eight Days –with Meena Kapoor– S D Burman – G S Nepali
Kanhi Yaad Kar Ke, Gali Paar Kar Ke, Chali Aana Hamare Angana – Safar – with Beenapani Mukhrjee – C Ramchandra – G S Nepali
Nazar Bachana Babuji Nazar Bachana – Safar – with Beenapani Mukhrjee – C Ramchandra – G S Nepali
Chhoti Sethani Ji Tere Firaq Mein Ham To Gaye Badnam – Safar – with Beenapani Mukhrjee – C Ramchandra – G S Nepali
Duets of Ashok Kumar
Ashok Kumar does pleasurable justce to the difficult part of these duets.
Jagamag Hai Aasman, Dagamag Hai Mere Pran, Dol Rahi Naiya Meri – Shikari – with Paro Devi – S D Burman –
Har Din Hai Naya, Har Raat Nirali Hai – Shikari – With Amirbai Karnataki – S D Burman – G S Nepali
Duets of Surendra
Surendra is usual vintage singing-self along with, one veteran and the other a relatively fresh, female singers in these two duets.
Awaz De Kahan Hai, Duniya Mera Jwan Hai -Anmol Ghadi – with Noor Jehan – Naushad Ali – Tanvir Naqvi
Teri Nazar Mein Main RahooN, Meri Nazae Mein Tu – 1857 – with Suraiya – Sajjad Hussain – Shewan Rizvi
We will take up first part of Male-Female Duets of Other Male Singers in the next episode in this four part Micro View of Best Songs of 1946 @ SoY – Duets.
SD Burman’s compositions with (the so-called ‘mainstream’) male playback singers like Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Talat Mahmood, Hemant Kumar or Manna Dey or songs in his own voice seem to have been discussed well on different blogs . The discussions have been observed to spread over different contexts like songs composed for heros – for Dev Anand as well as for ‘other’ heroes, composed on comedians like Jhonny Walker or Mehmood, Kishore Kumar or Mohammad Rafi’s duets with either Geeta Dutt or Asha Bhosle or Lata Mangeshkar and many other variants and sub-variants .
The statistics also reflect a similar picture. The songs that S D Burman has composed for Kishore Kumar (115 songs) and those for Mohammad Rafi (90 songs) constitute around 60% of the total around 342 male (solos, duets etc.) songs. If we add S D Burman’s songs for other mainstream singers like, Mukesh, Talat Mehmood, Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey, we would cover around 83 % of SD Burman’s male songs His songs in his own voice would add further add up to 4%.
This 87% songs account for (2+4+1) 7 singers. If we call this a classic 80+% ‘Head’ of a rank-frequency power law curve, the 34 songs spanning 18 ‘other’ male singers, a good 13 % of S D Burman’s male songs, would make a perfect ‘Long Tail’ that does not seem to have been discussed as much.
For the purpose of our discussion of S D Burman’s songs for ‘other’ male singers, we will slice SDB’ career in three period slots such that each one has had a very definitive set of external factors that seem to reflect his selection of ‘other’ male singers.
As we will see in a short while, each of these three phases has its own distinct pattern in so far as SBD’s use of ‘other’ male singers. It would also be not out of order to note that, barring a few cases, most of these singers have appeared only in song(s) for only one S D Burman-composed film.
[1]
1946-1949
For our present post, we have taken S D Burman’s songs of ‘Other’ Male singers for the first phase of his career. That phase commences from the beginning of SBD’s Hindi Film career in 1946 and would end in1949, leaving out ‘Mashal’ for the next phase.
S D Burman had composed music for 8 films in this period. We have covered 5 films in our post. The 3 films we have not covered are:
Chittorvijay (1947) songs do not seem to have a trace of the digital version on net. The film had had Raj Kapoor, Madhubala, Surendra etc. in the lead. The lyrics of the first line of the songs would lead us to believe that the songs were in female voices. But the trail goes cold beyond that.
Vidya (1948) had Dev Anand and Suraiya in the lead. The male songs, filmed on Dev Anand, have been rendered by Mukesh.
Shabnam (1949) had Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in the lead. Here too, the male songs are rendered by Mukesh.
This period has one more Raj Kapoor film for which S D Burman has composed the music. Raj Kapoor sings his own songs for that film. 1n 1950, SDB-RK had one more film – Pyas. The male songs, filmed on Raj Kapoor for that film, have gone on to Kishore Kumar.
With these major indicators, the scenario for S D Burman’s career’s first phase can best be summarised as:
This period of 1946-1949 is the period when The Trio of Hindi Films – Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor – were still the budding, struggling, young actors. Their star-image blazing films were to appear only in 1949 or thereafter. Since they were not stars themselves, they seem to have gone on with any playback singer who was the then flavour of the day. S D Burman himself was still not on the firm footing. That was to happen in Mashaal (1949), His branding association with Navketan was to happen in 1950 with Navketan’s maiden venture Afsar. Moreover, Male playback singing is yet to become the oligopolic turf of ’50-60’s singers Mukesh, Talat, Rafi or Manna Dey. The actors on the screen were still expected to playback their own songs.
We open the curtains for the day with this rather long prelude –
S D Burman – S L Puri
S L Puri seems to have played minor to major roles in several films between 1934 and 1957. Not very definitive documentation on him seems to be available on net.
Babu Re Babu Re Dil Ko Bachana – 8 Days (1946) – with S D Burman – Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi / G S Nepali (?)
What we have is an audio clip, so we assume that S L Puri would have sung for himself, However for who did S D Burman played back is not known. These details apart, S D Burman singing a very light song is novel, and a pleasurable, experience!
S D Burman – Chitalkar
How would SDB and CR have teamed as music director-singer combination remains a matter of conjecture – may be C Ramchandra was still not established as music director in his own rights, so he would have been accepting the stand-alone singing assignments or was his availability on Filmistan rolls the catalyst for this combination ? We know not.
Ik Nayi Kali Dubli Si Dulhan Ban Ke.. – 8 Days (1946) – with Meena Kapoor – Lyrics: G S Nepali
The song appears to be a wedding-occasion song, but cast in a lighter tone.
S D Burman – Chitalkar music director-singer duo has one more song on the records. The song is from a film which dates a good six years after their maiden combined venture. However, we have included that song here to bring all the songs of SDB-CR combination on the same page.
Teriya Teriya Teri Yaad Sataye Teri Yaad – Chalis Baba Ek Chor (1954)- with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: P L Santoshi
The way Teri Yaad has been played up as Teriya Teriya, the mood, and the composition of the song would lead to believe that song would have been composed by C Ramchandra !. Moreso, when film belongs to the phase of S D Burman’s career where he, and for that matter most of the then other established music directors, had well settled with using only the main stream male singers for his songs.
Is that P L Santoshi’s influence, since he was the director of the film as well?
S D Burman – Ashok Kumar
This is the first year of S D Burman in Hindi Film Industry. Ashok Kumar is already the default lead actor for Filmistan banner at that time. Ashok Kumar also used to sing his own songs in that period. So, the combination would not cause many surprises.
Their next association was in Mashaal (1950), by which time Ashok Kumar probably had decided to focus more on his acting. So it is also not surprising that S D Burman has used different singers for Ashok Kumar after this one film.
In the subsequent instance of such a situation, in Meri Surat Teri Aankhen (1963), S D Burman has even used two different singers – Manna Dey and Mohammad Rafi – as he used to do for Dev Anand too, by that time.
Dol Rahi Hai Naiya – Shikari (1946) – with Chorus – Lyrics : G S Nepali
Dol Rahi Hai Naiya – Shikari (1946) – with Paro Devi – Lyrics : G S Nepali
This is the twin of the foregoing song.
Har Din Hai Naya – Shikari (1946) – with Amirbai Karnataki – Lyrics : G S Nepali
S D Burman – Shyam Sundar
That this Shyam Sundar is not the then famous actor Shyam is not difficult to know. It seems there was another Shyam Sundar who as primarily a music director. Making any statement beyond that is simply outside the domain of my limited knowledge of the pre-1950 Hindi Film Music world.
Loot Liya Dil Chitchor Ne – Dil Ki Rani (1947) – Shyam Sundar – Lyrics: Y N Joshi
Hero’s sidekick friend has landed upon photograph of the beau who has stolen way his heart. So who would miss the occasion of the pulling the leg and get away with?
Muhobbat Ki Na Khana Mithai Na Khana Muhobbat Ki Mithai – Dil Ki Rani (1947) – Shyam Sundar – Lyrics: (?)
HFGK is silent about the singer or the lyricist. When we llot the video and listen to the song, it is not difficult to surmise that singer is none other but Shyam Sundar.
Sar Phod Phod Ke Mar Jaana Kisi Se Dil Na Lagana – Dil Ki Rani (1947) – Shyam Sundar – Lyrics: Y N Joshi
It seems that now the well-wisher friend of the hero has taken up on himself to get the hero’s lady love to nod in favour of his friend.
S D Burman- Raj Kapoor
Dil Ki Rani (1947) is the second instance when S D Burman and Raj Kapoor have teamed up. In those years, that cannot be the news. The news is Raj Kapoor singing for his own song – whether on his own volition or on the direction of the music director S D Burman, is obviously not known. The fact remains that this is only one such incidence of the kind.
O Duniya Ke Rahanewalo Kahan Gaya Chitchor Bolo Kahan Gaya Chitchor – Dil Ki Rani (1947) – Lyrics: Y N Joshi
Hero is an upcoming singer. Here he is recording his song for radio.
O Duniya Ke Rahanewalo Kahan Gaya Chitchor Bolo Kahan Gaya Chitchor – Dil Ki Rani (1947) – With Geeta Roy – Lyrics: Y N Joshi
The song has become so famous that people from all walks of lives keep singing the song. Technically, this can be termed as Raj Kapoor’s playback song for other actor(s).
S D Burman – G M Durrani
The film is Do Bhai (1947). By now, S D Burman seems to have settled with choosing Geeta Roy for female playbacks. Incidentally, Mera Sundar Sapna Bit Gaya is the first major evergreen, all-time hit song under S D Burman’s baton.
Aji Preet Ka Nata Toot Gaya – Do Bhai (1947) – with Geeta Roy – Lyrics: Raja Mahendi Ali Khan
G M Durrani was a well-established singer then.
S D Burman – K S Ragi
KS Ragi is one more unknown name to me. So I search for more information on him on some more versed blogs on the film songs. I do not have to search a great deal, since I land upon a post guest written by Shri Arunkumar Desmukh, wherein he has provided this basic information about K S Ragi:
“Kewal Singh Ragi was born and brought up in Hanamkonda, Warangal in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh (now it comes in Telangana).. When he was in his teens, he ran away to Bombay.. and as luck would have it, managed to get entry into All India Radio and started singing there. He was in Bombay for 12 years. He not only got a chance to sing in films,but he composed music too as well as acted in some films,like Daag-52 and Patita-53 etc….He sang in films from 1940 to 1952 and sang songs with Geeta Roy, Shamshad Begum, Uma Devi, Kishori (supposedly, his own sister), Zebunnisa, Khursheed, Roshan ara Begum, Razia Begum etc.…. Some of the films he sang in were, Do Bhai-47, Namumkin-46, Hamari qismet-49, Siskiyan-58, Bulbul-51, Humraz-40, Azamaish-52 etc. He gave music to Bulbul-51 and Siskiyan-58 (unreleased).”
Yaad Rakhana Mujhe Yaad Rakhana, Preet Ki Duniya Meri Abaad Rakhana – Do Bhai (1947) – with Geeta Roy – Lyrics: Raja Mahendi Ali Khan
A close look at the video clip shows that the present song as well as the previous song has been sung by the same actor – Ulhas – on the screen, but S D Burman has chosen to use different playback singers. This practice of choosing different singers for the same actor in one film – most particularly in the case of Dev Anand – based on the demands of his tune was to become a major differentiator, in the years to come, that separated S D Burman form his peers .
S D Burman – Surendra
The film is Kamal (1949). Surendra was already an established actor-singer by this time. However, S D Burman has very deftly handled the actor as a singer.
Main To Hun Udaas, Woh Bhi Hai Saukh Jafar Gham, Unke Bhi Dil Mein Dard Hai, Ae Dil-e-Udaas Kyun – Kamal (1949) – Lyrics: Prem Dhawan
Is the use of Ae dil-e-Udaas Kyun, which were closely rhymes similar to K L Saigal’s Ae Dil-e-Bequarar Kyun do we see a subtle attempt to encash Surendra’s fame as ‘Bombay K L Saigal’!
Ab Raat Gayi Beet Re – Kamal (1949) – Lyrics: G S Nepali
Here is the song that presents both Surendra and S D Burman the way we have always known.
Jhoom Jhoom Ke Naache Manwa Gaye Ja Gaye Ja – Kamal (1949) – Lyrics: Prem Dhawan
To me, it appears tune is more akin to S D Burman’s style of singing!
Kahane Ko Hai Taiyar Magar Kaise Kahe Hum – Kamal (1949) – with Geeta Roy – Lyrics: G S Nepali
Surendra joins in only the last stanza.
S D Burman – Motilal
S D Burman once again explores the vocal chords of someone who is known as an actor …
Pyara Pyar Hai Sama My Dear Come to Me – Kamal (1949) – with Meena Kapoor – Lyrics: Raja Mahendi Ali Khan
Most of us would not be able associate either Motilal or Raja Mahendi Ali Khan in such a light mood!
Thus ends the period when it is said that S D Burman was highly dissatisfied with the fruits of his labor at Bombay and was very actively considering going back to Calcutta.
At this point his career is delicately poised at To Be or Not To Be.
We also take a pause at this point and will resume S D Burman’s career journey through the vehicle of his songs for ‘Other’ Male Singers in the next part of this post.
Welcome to January, 2018 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.
We recall film Samrat (1954) song Sabko Mubarak Naya Saal to open our January, 2018 account of the 6th year of our Film Song Blog Festival.
SoY has also presented It’s prose, It’s recitation, It’s a song to mark the New Year. The post has very simply presented dialogues delivered in a sing-song style, which was a characteristic of the Parsi theatre in which there was no clear distinction between dialogue-recitation-song. For example:
Tu Dil Ka Khuda Rooh Ka Kirdagaar by Mohammad Rafi (?) from Parda (1949) – Lyrics: Tanveer Naqvi, Music: Sharmaji – which HFGK lists it as a ‘song’.
The tributes in January, 2018:
Tum Kya Jaano Tumhari Yaad Mein: Lingering Melodies of the Versatile C Ramchandra – Peeyush Sharma pays tribute on 12th January 1918 being the 100th birth anniversary of the affable genius CR….Albela (1951) has a double role by Bhagwan, in which one of the roles was of an established singing theatre artist who inspires our hero Bhagwan to become a singing star. In the smaller role of the theatre artist it was Rafi lending his voice while Chitalkar was the voice of the hero when he hits stardom. This idea was borrowed by director, H.S. Rawail in Shararat, 1959 where he had two Kishore Kumars. Having one Kishore sing in his own voice (Hum matwale naujawan), he got the second Kishore sing, Ajab hai dastan teri ae zindagi, in Rafi’s voice……
Chitalkar Ramachandra Sings: Ten Songs – Unlike SD Burman’s instantly recognizable voice, Chitalkar’s was a little more elusive—to the average listener, he can be recognized at times, but more often than not, he sounds like someone else altogether…
The Greats: Geeta Bali – She was also the love of Shammi Kapoor’s life (you can listen to him talking about her here) – they met while acting in films like Miss Coca Cola and Coffee House, and fell in love with each other during the shooting of Rangeen Raatein.
Rahen Na Rahen Hum, Mehka Karenge . . . is a tribute to Suchitra Sen who was always in a league of her own and will remain so in the history of Indian cinema.
Dattaram Naik with Mohammed Rafi. Courtesy : Roop NaikN Datta with Asha Bhosle and the violinists
N Datta – A Tribute – N Datta was at home with classical based songs (though less in number) as well as club songs, where he used all the forms from Rock N Roll to Waltz. We have picked up a couple of representative songs in the end of our post. He has also composed patriotic songs, ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha‘ from Bhai Behen is one of the examples,
‘Toone Zindagi Me Ek Baar Pi’ – Bahadur Sohrabji Nanji has had a duet ‘Dekhoji Baat Suno Humse Tum Aan Milo’ with Mubarak Begum for M A Rauf composed movie Basera (1950)…. He played the Harmonium for Shankar Jaikishan for Seema (1955)’s song ‘Humen Bhi De Do Sahara Ki Besahare Hain’ and Dil Ek Mandir (1963)’s song ‘Yaad Na Jaaye Beete Dinon Ki’. He also played the piano for Seema’s song ‘Suno Chhoti Si Gudiya Ki Lambi Kahani’ and Organ for ‘Kahaan Jaa Raha Hai Tu Ae Jaane Waale’ …. He also worked with Roshan as assistant and arranger for 16 movies
Of Whiners and Doormats – the predominant emotion here is either an exultation of their martyrdom or a deep mourning of their fates, to fit the twin (complementary) themes of self-abnegation and self-pity, like in a song: Mujhko sahara denewale – Isi Ka Naam Duniya Hai (1962) – Asha Bhosle – Ravi – SH Bihari
Nuptials in Bollywood is an outstanding collection of songs of different hues the marriages in Hindi Films.
Looking for romance and finding RD Burman in ‘Jaane Ja’ from ‘Jawani Diwani’ – Nandini Ramnath says the song is a singing lesson from Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle.”As Vijay sings about hunting high and low for his beloved, Kumar’s voice climbs several octaves while Bhosle occupies the lower depths. Bhosle has barely any lines, but this is no Kishore Kumar solo. The singers are perfectly matched, proving Burman’s unmatched ability to orchestrate magic out of differently pitched voices, complex arrangements and wide-ranging musical instruments.”
Apart from the four male playback singers that we have covered till now, we can find fairly noticeable presence of other male singers like Ninu Mazumdar, Chitalkar, Manna Dey or Vidyanath Seth in the year 1948. In some cases, their work is more on the side of duets or in some case even when we list the songs from HFGK, these are not yet posted on net.
I have clubbed songs of any one singer here under the respective name. In all other cases, I have mentioned the name of the singer along with the song itself.
On the whole, in the retrospect, this list does present quite a kaleidoscopic picture.
Kare Badar Baras Barasa Kar Jao Bar Bar – Gopinath – Singer: Ninu Mazumdar – Ninu Mazumdar – Ram Murthy
The song seems to have a version in which Kaumudi Munshi joins in and lends a very different style to the song.
Manna Dey
Chal Tu Preet Nagariya, Preet Nagar Ke Koyal Kooke – Veena – Anil Biswas – Prem Dahelvi
Ham Tere Hai Ham Ko Na Thukarana – Hum Bhi Insaan Hai – Manna Dey, H P Das – G S Nepali
Koi Mujh Se Bhi Bole – Hum Bhi Insaan Hai – Manna Dey, H P Das – G S Nepali
Ghar Ghar Ke Diye Buzakar Bane Hai Dhanwan –Hum Bhi Insaan Hai – Manna Dey, H P Das – G S Nepali
Jay Shivshankar, Gaurishwar, Jay Rameshwar – Jay Hanuman – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra
Jab Se Dekha Hai Tumhein – Gopinath – Singer Not Known – Ninu Majumdar
Do Ghadi Beet Gayi, Taine Surat Nahi Dkhayee – Hum Bhi Insaan Hai – Parvez Kapadia – Manna Dey, D C Dutt, G S Nepali
(Technically speaking, this may have to be placed in female solos category. However, the song is performed by a male (adolescent) actor on the screen, so I have placed it in this list.]
Koi Sham Rang Gori – Veena – Singer: Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Narendra Sharma
Sansar Ke Adhaar Dayaa Hampe – Anjangarh –Singer: Pankaj Mallik– R C Boral –
Tu Dar Na Jara Bhi – Anjangarh –Singer: Pankaj Mallik– R C Boral –Pt. Bhushan
Ek Bholi Bholi Gori Ne Aay Hay Dil Pe Jadoo Liya – Andho Ka Sanasar – Singer: Dost Mohammad– Sridhar Parsekar – Kesarinath Vaidya
Shankar Das Gupta
Ab Kis Nagari Jaun Re Ab Jaane Se Jaa Na Shakunga – Anajaana – D C Dutt – Vishwamitra Adil
Kisi Ka Deepak Jalta Hai, Kisi Ka Deep Bujhata Hai – Didi – Mukund Maurekar – Saraswati Kumar Deepak
Sajan Ke Ghar Jana Pagle Sajan Ke Ghar Jana – Sajan Ke Ghar –– K S Sagar – Saraswati Kumar Deepak
Suhagan Kahe Ko Tu Ansoo Bahae Karam Lekha Na Tale – Bichhade Balam – Singer: Mohammad Farooqui – Bulo C Rani – Pt Indar
Bane Hai Ham To Ghar Jawai – Ghar Ki Izzat – Singer: Ram Kamlani – Pt. Govind Ram –
Vidyanath Seth
Aaj Geet Ke Bol Bol Mein Umada Hai Tufan – Roop Rekha –– Pt. Amarnath – Harikrishna Premi
O Gori Kahe Preet Kare – Roop Rekha –Pt. Amarnath – Harikrishna Premi
Marane Ki Dua Kyon Maangu, Jene Ki Tamanna Kaun Kare – Ziddi – Singer: Kishore Kumar – Khmechand Prakash – Prem Dhawan
We will sum up Male Solo Songs for 1948 in the next episode.
For the year 1949, Male female duets with both the singers being equally prominent in the year has quite a comparative share with Male Female Duets in which one singer is dominant, but other does not have that comparable numerical prominence. In this very unique category we have listened to the duets of Shamshad Begum with other male singers.
We now move over to some other sets of such Male-Female duets…
Geeta Roy + Other Male Singers
The pairing of Geeta Roy with other male singers undergoes as many shades as the respective music director of the film.
Kadam Hai Rah-e-Ulfat Mein Najhuk Dil Hai Dil Ki Basti– Dil Ki Basti – with G M Durrani – Ghulam Mohammad – Shakeel Badayuni
Kam Karo, Kam Karo Bhai Kam, Jag Mein Apna Naam Karo – Jeet – with Vinod – Shyam Babu Pathak – Prem Dhawan
Kahane Ko Hai Taiyar, Magar Kaise Kahe Hum – Kamal – with Surendra – S D Burman – G S Nepali
Main Angoor Ke Bell Piya More– Karwat – with S D Batish – Hans Raj Behl – Said-Ud-Din ‘Saif’
Jindagi Hai Dillagi Dillagi Hai Jindagi– Nanand Bhojai – with A R Ojha – Bulo C Rani – Pt. Indra
And Gujarati version, composed by Avinash Vyas, on a totally different style
Jandagi Chhe Dillagi
Mere Man Mein Dol Ankhon Mein Dol Matwari Sajanaiya – Nazare – with G M Durrani – Bulo C Rani
Dhanya Hai Dhanya Hai Avadhpuri, Dhanya Wahan Ki Phulwari – Ram Vivah – with Manna Dey – Shankar Rao Vyas – Moti, B A
Pehan Chunariya Kali Jhilmil Jhilmil Deeyowali – Roshni – with Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – P L Santoshi
Lata Mangeshkar + Other Male Singers
Haye Chhore Ki Baat Badi Bewafa, Bewafa Se Koi Dil Lagaye Na – Chandani Raat – with G M Durrani – Naushad Ali – Shakeel Badayuni
Tum Soch Rahi Ho – Girls School – with Shankar Dasgupta – Anil Bishwas – Pradeep
Suno Saajan Meri Baat – Lahore – with Karan Diwan – Shyam Sundar – Aziz Kashmiri
Suraiya + Other Male Singers
Jalim Jamane Mujhko Tum Se Chhuda Raha Hai– Dillagi – with Shyam – Naushad – Shakeel Badayuni
We will now take up other Male-Female Duets Songs, for which we will group the songs around the female singer. The first stage selection of such songs from HFGK has yielded a bountiful numbers that would stand up to the numbers of duets that have been rendered by both prominent partners.
Shamshad Begum + Other Male Singers
In the first cut, selecting the songs from HFGK, I had a fairly large number of Shamshad Begum’s duets with other male singers. However, I have not been able to link up all songs with the soft YT link.
Nainon Se Nain Mila Ke Nain Churana Na – Anmol Moti – with Shailesh – Ram Ganguli – Ramesh Gupta
Dard Besumar Hai, Kab Se Intzaar Hai– Bhool Bhulaiya – with S D Batish – Bulo C Rani – B R Sharma
Kyon Dil Ki Kali Muskarayee – Bhool Bhulaiya – with A R Ojha – Bulo C Rani – B R Sharma
Dil Diya Jaa (3) .. Chal Chal Chameli Baag Mein Guddiyan Udaayenge – Dada – with G M Durrani – Shaukat Dehlvi – Shevan Rizvi
O Sahar Ke Banke Babu Jara Dil Pe Rakhana Kabu – Girls School – with Chitalkar – C Ramchnadra – Pradeep
Babuji Jaldi Jaagiyo, Haumein Office Jaana Hai – Hamari Manzil – with S D Batish – Husnlal Bhagatram – Qamar Jalalabadi
Tum Kya Jaano Mere Mathe Ki Bindiya Ka Mol – Kaneez – with G M Durrani – Ghulam Haider– Shahir Ghazanavi
Mohe Lahenga Manga De Makhmal Ka – Maa Ka Pyaar – with Ram Kamlani – Pt. Govindram – Ishwar Chandra Kapoor
O Dilwalo Dil Ka Lagana Achcha Hai Par Kabhi Kabhi– Patanga – with Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Rajendra Krishna
Mohe La De Reshmi Lahenga – Rakhi – with Ram Kamlani – Husnlal Bhagatram – Sarshar Shailani
We will continue with Other Male Female Duets in our subsequent episodes.
We have covered solo songs of two of the five principal male playback singers – G M Durrani + Talat Mahmood – for the year 1949.
Today we will listen to solo songs of Surendra as well those by ‘the other’ male playback singers, before we take two really significant players for the year – Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi.
Solo Songs of Surendra
Not so predominantly as Suraiya does on the female singer side, Surendra continues to hold the flag of singing star high enough on the male side for the current year.
Main To Hun Udaas – Kamal – S D Burman – Prem Dhawan
We have had a quite an extensive Tet-e-tat with Male-Female Duets of 1950. This is the year wherein we have quite a rich fare of Male-Male and Female-Female Duets.
Today we will first take up Male – Male Duets :
The first two are quite unique combinations, whereas Chitalkar pairs with Rafi to present very peppy numbers.
Mukesh + GM Durrani –
Aise Mein Koi Chham Se Jo Aa Jae – Hanste Ansoo – Shevan Rizvi – Ghulam Mohammad
Mohammad Rafi + Raja Gul –
Ek Chakkar Paon Mein Hai, Ek Chakkar Sar Mein Hai – Shadi Ki Rat – Sarshar Sailani – Pt. Gobind Ram
Chitalkar + Mohammad Rafi –
Kahnewale sach kah gaye hain – Nirala– PL Santoshi – C Ramchandra
Are Kismat Ka Sitara Chamka ….Sab Kuchh Deta Chhappar Fad Ke Deta – Sangeeta – P L Santoshi – C Ramchandra
We then turn over to another very frequently used variation of the duets – Female- Female Duets
Lata Mangeshkar + Shamshad Begum –
Kas ke kamar ho jaa tayyaar – Sangram – P L Santoshi – C.Ramchandra
Trivia: (Boy) Shashi Kapoor and (Baby) Tabassum playfully grace the song.
Lata mangeshkar + Uma devi –
Na Jaane Kyon Ghabara Rahi Ho, Nazar Kuchch Bahaki – Maang – Prakash – Ghuam Mohammad
Lata Mangeshkar and Geeta Roy + Chorus –
Panghat pe na jaiyo gori ghunghat utaar ke – Raj Mukut – Bharat Vyas – Govind Ram
Lata Mangeshkar and Amirbai Karnataki –
Gore gore O baanke chore – Samadhi – Rajendra Krishna – C Ramchandra
Lata Mangeshkar and Sarswati Rane –
Jab dil ko sataye gham tu chhed sakhi sargam – Sargam – PL Santoshi – C Ramchandra
Tinak tin tani do din ki zindagani – Sargam – PL Santoshi – C Ramchandra
Lata Mangeshkar + Raj Kumari –
Ham Aah Bhi Karate Hai …. Nazar Ne Loot Liya – Wafa – Hasrat Jaipuri – Vinod
Geeta Roy + Meena Kapoor –
Maine Balam Se – Aadhi Raat – Rajendra Krishna – Hansraj Behl
Meena Kapoor sings the main song whereas Geeta Roy leads the chorus.
Geeta Roy + Suraiya –
Preet ka nata jodnewale – Afsar – Narendra Sharma – S D Burman
Geeta Roy + Asha Bhosle –
Mausam Hai Namkeen Sanwariya , Aa Jaa Re – Bewee – Nazim Panipatti – Aziz Hindi
Geeta Roy + Zohrabai Ambalewali –
Ek Taraf Jal Raha Deepak – Preet Ka Gee – Shyam Babu Pathak
Mubarak Begum + Sulochana Kadam –
Sham Hui Aur deep Jale…..Aakash Pe Taare Naachenge – Basera – Sardar Ilham – M A Rauf
(Combination of Mubarak Begum and Sulochana Kadam is one of the rarest ones. We could not find video / audio clip of this song. We trust by bringing up here, we will get the song also on internet platform someday.)
Raj Kumari + Lalita Deulkar –
Mora Bhola Sa Balma Re, Naahin Samajhe Hamare Ishare – Khamosh Sipahi – D N Madhok – Hansraj Behl
The world is too small? or Is it? 