S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers :: [3]

We are now in the last leg of our series of S D Burman composed songs in the voices of ‘Other’ Male Singers. In the first part, we had covered S D Buman’s Other Male Songs for the initial years – 1946-1949 – of his career. In the second part, we had covered the years 1950 to 1960, when S D Burman had begun to rise to the peak of his career.

Presently, we will cover the years from 1960 till the end of S D Burman’s active career in Hindi Film Music world. From ‘Pyasa’ (1957) S D Burman had predominantly shifted to Mohammad Rafi as the lead singer till he started tiling towards Kishore Kumar, beginning with ‘Teen Deviyan’ (1965), barring a few exceptions. Therefore, one can easily expect that S D Burman would have used ‘Other’ Male Singers for the non-lead protagonists in the songs that we will get to listen in this third part. And, yet, the choice of a particular ‘Other’ Male Singer still presents an interesting insight into S D Burman’s process of selecting a singer for his tunes.

S D Burman – Mahendra Kapoor

Mahendra Kapoor had to remain under the shadow of Mohammad Rafi’s dazzling success. He had had quite close association with Mohammad Rafi and did execute Rafi’s advice of creating his own style of singing, which helped him to carve out his own respectable space within the Rafi-dominated era.

Piya…Piya Bin Nahin…Aavat Chain…Mil Gaye Milnewale ..Ab Ghar Mein Baithe Kazi, Keh Do Ji Keh Do, Hai Miya Bibi Razi….. – Miya Bibi Raazi (1960) – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Shailendra

The song is filmed on three pairs of actors on the screen – Mehmood and Seema Saraf (a.k.a Seema Deo);  Shrikant Guarav – who, according to Shri Arunkumar Deshmukh, is Shailesh Mukherjee, the music director of films like Suhag Sindoor (1953), Parichay (1954), Saavera(1958) and a singer (Dekha Chand Ki Aur –Aag [1949] – and Kamini Kadam and third not-known-names pair, who initiate the performance of the song in what is known as street performance style. S D Burman had used Rafi for Mehmood as well as Shailesh Mukherjee in this film, and yet, he has chosen Mahendra Kapoor for this song !

Mera Kya Sanam Meri Khushi Hai Tumhari,Are Haste Ho Jab Muskarati Hu Main – Talaash (1969) – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

We have jumped from 1960 to 1969 for a second of S D Burman – Mahendra Kapoor song. By this time Mahendra Kapoor had already established himself a successful lead male singer and had had sewed up strong tie-ups with B R Chopra- Ravi or with Manoj Kumar, and in fact was to replace Rafi when O P Nayyar had a tiff with Rafi. It is said that he was chosen here because of insistence of the producer, O P Ralhan, on whom this song is filmed on the screen.  Mahendra Kapoor has even been given enough space in the delivery of the song to freely practice his by-now—well-known playful style for such jazzy song.

S D Burman – S D Batish

S D (Shiv Dayal) Batish was a trained classical singer. He commenced his career in early Hindi Films as a music director, who would sing too.  He migrated to UK in 1964 where he regular recorded songs with BBC. S D Burman has used S D Batish, in two songs, in the role of the music teacher.

Poochho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitaayee – Meri Soorat Teri Ankhen (1963) – with Manna Dey and an unknown female singer – Lyrics: Shailendra

Perhaps more known version of this song is the solo version by Manna Dey, but in this version S D Batish has played his role of a teacher quite comfortably and effortlessly.

Man Mohan Man Mein Ho Tumhi….More Ang Mein Tumhi Samaye, Jaano Na Jaano Ho Yumhi – Kaise Kahoon  (1964) – with Mohammad Rafi and SumanKalyanpur – Lyrics:  Shakeel Badayuni

This triad also remains a very well-known classical raag- based song.

S D Burman and Bhupinder

As is well-known, Bhupinder Singh debuted with playback singing in Haqeequat (1964), but it may not be equally known that he was also an accomplished guitarist. As a guitarist, he was an integral part of R D Burman’s orchestra team. That connection seems to have made the opening up a space for Bhupinder to sing for a couple of S D Burman’s songs.

Hothon Pe Aisi Baat – Jewel Thief (1967) – (mainly) Lata Mangeshakr, and chorus – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Bhupinder’s maiden association with SD Burman is simply as a piece of orchestra, a la RDB style. Film director Vijay Anand has very deftly used Bhupinder’s piece filmed on Dev Anand and lent a very different meaning to the song picturizatiion.

Yaaron Nilam Karo Susti, Hamse Udhar Le Lo Masti – Prem Pujari (1970) – with Kishore Kumar – Lyrics : Neeraj

This is what can be classified as a Jeep-genre song. Bhupinder playback sings for Anup Kumar.

S D Burman and Danny Denzongpa

Again it may be well-known that Danny Denzongpa (born Tshering Phintso Denzongpa) was a highly talented actor. But that he was a good singer is not so known. He has even directed a film, and was a good painter, writer and sculptor too.

Mera Naam Yaao, Mere Paas Aao – Yeh Gulistan Hamara (1972) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

S D Burman has made a very surprising choice of Danny to playback for Jonny Walker. The song had shot to good popularity in those days, and had reached 14^th position in Binaca Geetmala in that year.

S D Burman and Manhar

Manhar Udhas, though qualified in mechanical engineering, was keen to make a career in music. He did succeed in the pursuit of his life goal.

Loote Koi Man Ka Nagar Ban Ke Mera Saathi – Abhimaan (1973) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Probably, the choice of Manhar to playback for Amitabh Bachchan was to clearly demonstrate the quality of singing of the two protagonists in the film. Nonetheless, the song did stand its ground against all other songs of Abhimaan.

S D Burman – Sunil Kumar, R S Bedi

Of these two singers, I could not get any information about Sunil Kumar. R S Bedi should obviously be Rajinder Singh Bedi, a well-known writer and film director as well.

Laali Mere Laal Ki Jit Dekhoo Tit Laal, Phir Raat Hui Ek Baat Hui – Phagun (1973) – with Kishore Kumar, Pankaj Mitra – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

The song is predominantly a typical Kishore Kumar tantrum-style songs.

S D Burman – Pankaj Mitra

Pankaj Mitra has had earlier recorded an triad song  and a duet for ‘Sautela Bhai”(1962, Music: Anil Biswas) . He later on, also, has few more films like ‘Grih Pravesh (1979) or ‘Ab Ayega Maza’(1984) to his credit. He obviously has a far better and respectable track-record in Bengali films.

Saala Main To Sahab Ban Gaya – Sagina (1974) – with Kishore Kumar – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Pankaj Mitra plays back for Om Prakash in the song. This is too loud a song, at least under S D Burman’s baton. Of course, Dilip Kumar had acted in a similar loud manner earlier in ‘Gopi’ (1970) too, for a song in a similar situation.

S D Burman – Dilip Kumar

Dilip Kumar had recorded only one song in his own voice till now – Laagi Nahi Chhoote Ram – Musafir, 1957, with Lata Mangeshkar; Music – Salil Chaudhary).

Uparwala Dukhiyon Ki Nahin Sunata Re – Sagina (1974) – With Kishore Kumar – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultnapuri.

S D Burman has used Dilip Kumar’s voice to recite a few lines in the song.

The records do show that S D Burman has used voice of Johnny Walker and R D Burman too for a song each. But these would not be more than either speaking a line or two or as orchestration filler, respectively.

That brings the end of S D Burman’s tryst with ‘Other’ Male Singers. One may conclude that he has mostly used these voices quite creatively, in a somewhat descending order in each of the three phases that we have reviewed in this series. With that it also needs to acknowledge that except in the first phase, most of these songs were at the fringe of the main body of his work in the respective film.

N.B.

All three episodes of S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers can be read in one place by clicking on the hyperlinked title.

All said and done, we are not here to pass any judgement on the songs. Our sole aim was to bring these songs on the same page for the effective documentation.

P.S. For easy access and documentation, all the three episodes are available in one file on  S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers

S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers :: 2

The previous episode of the three-part article of S D Burman and Other Male Playback Singers, we had covered the period from the beginning of his career in 1946 till 1949. This was the period when S D Burman was still striving to create his own firm space in the field of Hindi Film Music world.

Presently, we take up the second set of S D Burman’s songs of ‘Other” Male Playback Singers chronologically can be set to the period 1950 to 1955.

Our period begins with two films, Mashal and Afsar, which were to become the key thrust engines that were to provide the much needed escape velocity to S D Burman’s career to attain e respectable orbit space among the front-ranking music directors of the Golden Era of Hindi Films.

Once having attained an assured specific space, S D Burman went on to use the established male playback singers like Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar for most of the major male solo and duet songs. He also chose other front-line male singers like Manna Dey, Talat Mahmood, Hemant Kumar and Mukesh as and when so required.  So use of ‘other’ male singers is now more situation-specific, and, perhaps, to a great extent of S D Burman’s choice.

S D Burman – Arun Kumar Mukherjee

‘Upar Gagan Vishal’ of Mashal (1950) is considered to have really breathed a lease of new life into S D Burman’s career. It is said that SDB was so disillusioned that he was on the verge of leaving this Ashok Kumar’s Bombay Talkies banner production incomplete. He was dissuaded from doing so, and as is said the rest was history.

Jab Ham They Tumhare Aur Ham They Tumhare …Wo Thode Se Din They Kitane Pyare – Mashal (1950) – Lyrics: Pradip

Arun Kumar Mukherjee was Ashok Kumar’s cousin. Probably, that may have titled the scale in his favour for playing back to Ashok Kumar on the screen. Arun Kumar Mukherjee does not sound wanting to the demands of the situation.

Mohe Lagaa Solva Saal, Haye Main To Mar Gayi – Mashal (1950) – With Shamshad Begum – Lyrics: Pradip

The song is principally filmed on the Cuckoo, so Shamshad Begum has obviously the lion’s share of the song. Arun Kumar gets to sing just a few lines, but the lines are indeed very catchy.

S D Burman – Man Mohan Krishna

‘Afsar’ (1950) was the maiden film under Dev Anand’s home banner, Navketan Films. The film did not do that well on the box office, but Suraiya’s songs for the film certainly were quite popular. The film went on to build S D Burman’s permanent association with Navketan Films, which have given us quite a few of the very memorable songs under S D Burman’s baton.

Jat Khol De Kiwad Pat Khol De,….Badhaai Dene Ko Aaye Hai Tere Dwar – Afsar (1950) – Lyrics: Vishwamitra Adil

Sadhu Ke Ghar Chhokariyan Do, Ik Patli Ik Bhari – Afsar (1950) – Lyrics: Vishwamitra Adil

Man Mohan Krishna is typically associated with serious character roles. He has rendered quite a few numbers of very popular songs on the screen. S D Burman has sprung a surprise herein by recording quite light-mood songs in Man Mohan Krishna’s voice.

[The clip here below has both these songs clubbed together.]

S D Burman – Hridaynath Mangeshkar

Hridaynath Mangeshkar possibly chose to focus more on music direction over playback singing.  His maiden – Marathi – film as an independent music director was Akash Ganga (1955).

Lehron Ke Saath Naiya Mori Khele – Babla (1953) – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanavi

Hridaynath Mangeshkar was around 15 years old when S D Burman has recorded this song. The song recounts adolescent pleasure of launching the paper boats into the rain water streams in the street.  So we can expect that the song may have been performed by an adolescent protagonist on the screen. Hence, probably, the choice of Hridaynath Mangeshkar, with a suitable natural voice, for the playback.

S D Burman – Jagmohan Baxi

Jagmohan Baxi (and his music direction partner Sapan Sengupta) had started his career as chorus singer at Salil Chaudhary’s Bombay Youth Choir. And yet, the Sapan Jagmohan duo are remembered for a handful tunes for 42 films for which they had composed the music  – like, Phir Wo Bhuli Si Yaad Aati Hai (Begana, 1963);  Kho Diye Hai Sanam Kitane Janam Teri Talash Mein (Teri Talash Mein, 1968); Main To Har Mod Pe Tujhko Dunga Sadaa (Chetana, 1970) etc.

Dekho Maane Nahi Roothi Hui Haseena Kya Baat Hai – Taxi Driver (1954) – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanvi

S D Burman has used Talat Mahmood and Kishore Kumar too for playback of Dev Anand in this film. Apart from these singers, S D Burman, as well most of the music directors who have composed Dev Anand songs, have tried several voices of regular playback singers like Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar as well. Additionally, Salil Chudhary has experimented with Dwijen Mukherjee, Anil Biswas with Shankar Dasgupta and C Ramchandra with his own voice for Dev Anand.

S D Burman – Thakur (Pran)

Pran would hardly be remembered to have acted in lead roles in films like Khandan (1942) during the first phase of career between 1940 -1947. He is most remembered for his roles as villain in his most illustrious second innings and then equally respected for his character roles in the 3^rd phase of his career.  Many of his fans will immediately recollect some of the iconic songs that he enacted on the screen when acting as character actor.  But to imagine him in the tick of a very very light-hearted song  and that too trying to sing a few lines too, when cast in the role of a villain,  is something that nobody would ever imagine. S D Burman has so cleverly croaked voice of Thakur (Pran) to create a very unique song.

Dil KI Umange Hai Jawan,….Rang Mein Dooba Hai Sama – Munimji (1955) – With Hemant Kumar and Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanvi

The song will not go down in the record books only for the use of voice of Pran to add to the mockery in the mood of the song, but also possibly for Hemant Kumar being able to match the leg-pulling teasing tone of Geeta Dutt in this song.

S D Burman – S Balbir

Balbir got typed into an accompanying playback singer, but most of the connoisseurs of HFM recognize and appreciate his contribution in that song.

Nigaho Ke Tere Jalwe Ki Aas Raheti Hai, Ha Tere Bagair Tabiyat Udas Raheti Hai, Aa Bhi Ja Ke Tera Intezar Kab Se Hai –Society (1955) – with Mohammad Rafi – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhyanavi

Can you guess whose arrival or appearance is so keenly awaited?

The first half of the period of 1950-1960 was the beginning of the picking up in so far as S D Burman’s career is considered. As a result, we have seen a very different pattern in the types of ‘other’ playback singers which he has used, the corresponding situations in the film, and hence on the composition of the song.

In our next episode, we will take up the concluding phase of  S D Burman’s career and revisit S D Burman’s use of ‘other’ male playback singers in that period.

S D Burman and “Other” Male Playback Singers :: 1

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.