Hemant Kumar’s Hindi Song Compositions: Female songs – ‘Other’ Singers

We have covered Hemant Kumar’s Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle’s songs earlier.

We now move over to the ‘Long Tail’ of the skewed distribution of Hemant Kumar’s female songs. Hemant Kumar has used the ‘other’ known Hindi female playback singers more as an exception only. Raj Kumari had one dance number in Anand Math (1952). Shamshad Begum has two solos and two FF duets, Sudha Malhotra has one solo, one FF duet and one (an iconic) MF duet – that we will take up discussion separately- and Suman Kalyanpur has two FF duets, and Usha Mangeshkar has one solo and two FF duets. We also have a very rare Mubarak Begum, Sulochana Kadam FF duet and a song by a classic trained singer Lakshmi Shankar, as well

Rajkumari

Dil Ka Paimana Hai, Ulfat Ka Hath Hai – Anand Math (1952) – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

Sheila Ramani is so gracious as lead dancer in this court dance song.

Laksmi Shankar

Kaisi Lagi Karjeawa Mein Katar – Ferry (1954) – Lyrics: Rajinder Krishna

Hemant Kumar has used a classic trained singer for Mujra Song. From the initial dialogue in the clip, it seems that the song is seen by the daughter (Geeta Bali) as her mother has to perform for such mehfils

The song is in two parts. The second part has Geeta Bali singing the song on the screen. The feeling of pathos is very clearly felt in the way song is rendered in this part. The context of this change would be clear only when one has seen the film.

Usha Mangeshkar

Kaisi Lagi…..Jiya Jaye To Jiya Jaye – Ek Hi Rasta (1956) – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

The song is a duet dance song, so typically planned to celebrate special occasions.

Pyasi Hai Mamata Meri Aaja Dheere Dheere Aa – Maa Beta (1962) – Lyrics: Prem Dhawan

Hemant Kumar has so melodiously weaved lathos of mother being away from her offspring in this lullaby.

Shamshad Begum

Hemant Kumar has used Shamshad Begum for four songs, of which a duet, with Ravi, from ‘Daku Ki Ladki” (1954) do not seem to be traceable on the internet

Meri Itni Araj Hai Huzur Se, Pyar Karna Magar Door Door Se – Hamara Watan (1956) – Lyrics: S H Bihari

We have here a classic mujra song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zik26guG66o

Hum Kisi Se Na Kahenge Chup Chup Se Rahenge– Yahudi Ki Ladki (1957) – with Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: S H Bihari

The song is set to what has now become familiar Arabic dance tunes (thanks to n-number of films based on stories from that milieu) to the listeners of Hindi film songs. Both the singers have been accorded freedom to sing in their natural range.

Pyar Jata Ke Lalchaye Mora Balama –- Hum Bhi Insaan Hai (1959) – Lyrics: Shailendra

This seems to a mujra-styled dance song. Shamshad Begum is her at vintage best, even in 1959.

Sudha Malhotra

Mujhe Tarke Taaluk Samjaya Jaata Hai – Sahara (1958) – Lyrics: Bharat Vyas

Hemant Kumar has so easily been able to present a signature mujra song – with prominent tabla thaaps (beats),  beginning of the stanza without the support of any instruments and of course the use of most ubiquitous instrument of a mujra music – the sarangi.

Suman Kalyanpur

Suman Kalyanpur is present in only two FF duets. Both the duets are perfectly composed FF duets, but have differently blended the inherent vocal qualities of different singers in the respective songs.

Kabhi Aaj Kabhi Kal, Kabhi Paraso – Chand (1959) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Shailendra

The song appears to be public dance stage show. As such, both the performers are expected to move and sing in perfect synchronisation. Hemant Kumar has achieved this synchronization in the vocal part of the songs by perfectly blending almost similar sounding voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Suman Kalyanpur.

Phulwa Band Maheke Dekho Dali Dali – Ham Bhi Insaan Hai (1959) – with Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: Shailendra

Shailendra has captured the two points of views of friends in the song, who seem to be visiting the flower garden – both see different hues in the same settings in which both are present together. Hemant Kumar has enlivened this effect by using two naturally different voices – those of Geeta Dutt and Suman Kalyanpur.

Aside Trivia:

The song seems to have been inspired from Meghla Bhanga Rod Utheche (The Sun Rises in the Clouded Sky) – Tar Aar Par Nei. – Pratima Badopadyay – composed by Nachiketa Ghish, lyrics: Pulak Banerjee

Mubarak Begum, Sulochana Kadam

Bharat Ke Lok Geet (Fashion, 1959) is collection of folk songs from different regions.

The song can be heard by clicking on this link

https://gaana.com/song/bharat-ke-lok-geet

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.

We will take up Hemant Kumar’s songs of ‘Other’ (Bengali Female Singers in the next episode.

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

The Micro View of The Best Songs of 1950 @ Songs of Yore – Female Solo Songs– Other Singers – Rajkumari, Geeta Roy and Others

We continue our take with songs by Other Leading Female Playback Singers during our micro-revisit of the  ‘Best songs of 1950: And the winners are?. In the previous posts, we listened to memorable songs of 1950 from two of the prominent singers – Suraiya and Shamshad Begum. In this post, we will take up some of the memorable songs of other front ranking female playback singer of that era – Raj Kumari and Geeta Dutt. We will also take up three songs that remain isolated cases, but merit no less attention and accolades, in the List of Memorable Songs.

Raj Kumari

Qualitatively, only Baware Nain would have sufficed for Raj Kumari to hold her ground in the competitive era of Hindi Film Music. Her overall share in the year was, in any case, not insignificant.

1. Sun bairi balam kuchh bol – Bawre Nain – Kedar Sharma – Roshan . This clip also has Raj Kumari singing the song live many many years after, as comfortably and as much in élan as she did originally !

2. Ghir ghir ke aasman par chhane lagi gataayen – Bawre Nain – Kedar Sharma – Roshan

3. Kyun mere dil mein dard jagaya jawaab do – Bawre Nain – Kedar Sharma – Roshan

4. Mere roothe huye balmaa –– Bawre Nain – Kedar Sharma – Roshan

5. Chale jaiho bedarda main roye marungi – Bequasoor –  Anil Biswas – a classic mujra ! Raaj Kumari is simply as much comfortable in this type of song as well !

Geeta Roy

Jogan simply overshadowed Geeta Dutt’s other songs in the year, which are also fairly respectable , both in numbers and on quality.

1. Ghunghat ke pat khol re – Jogan – Meerabai – Bulo C Rani

2. Main to Giridhar ke ghar jaaun – Jogan – Meerabai – Bulo C Rani

3. Main to prem diwani mera prem na jaane koi – Part 1 & 2 – Jogan – Meerabai – Bulo C Rani

4. Jogi mat ja – Jogan – Meerabai – Bulo C Rani

5. Pyaare darshan deejo aaj – Jogan – Meerabai – Bulo C Rani

6. Daaro re rang daaro re phaagun ke din aaye re – Jogan – Pt Indra – Bulo C Rani

7. Kaisi murali bajayi Shyam ne – Nishana – Naqshab – Khursheed Anwar

8. Ab Bhool Ja Unko Yaad Na Kar – Nishana – Naqshab – Khursheed Anwar

9. Humein apne dil se juda kar rahe ho – Jalte Deep – Naazim Panipati – TK Das

Some other Memorable Female Songs

Lakhon mein ek hamaare sainya – Nirmala Devi – Anmol Ratan – D N Madhok – Vinod

Mori Attariya Pe Kaga Bole – Meena Kapoor – Aankhen – Madan Mohan

Mila gaye nain – Sudha Malhotra – Aarzoo – Majrooh Sultanpuri – Anil Biswas

Biraha Ki Rat Mose Kaati Nahi Jat – Asha Bhosle – Beewee – Nazim Panipati – Aziz Hindi

And of course , a bonus in the form of Nutan’s Tujhe Kaisa Dulha Bhaaye Ri Baanki Dulhaniya – Hamari Beti – Snehal Bhatkar, which in no way gives a clue to her solos and duet with Hemant Kumar which blazed a comet like trail in Chhabeeli ten years later.

Continued……………….