Page 41 - Seniors Today - August 21 Issue
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filmed on her, with Shamshad Begum doing Independence.
playback for others. Noorjehan remained a The period from 1942 to 1946 also marked
singing star in the 1946 film Anmol Ghadi. the debut of playback singers who would
Her hits included ‘Awaaz De Kahan Hai’ become legends after Independence. Lata
with Surendra and ‘Jawaan Hai Mohabbat’. Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi started
Music director Anil Biswas used the full their Hindi playback careers during that
chorus for the first time in the 1943 film period, though they got their first big hit
Kismet, which had Amirbai Karnataki as later. Asha Bhosle had begun singing in
the main playback singer. Interestingly, Marathi films. Manna Dey made his debut
Karnataki had started off as a singing with Tamanna in 1942, with uncle KC Dey
star but later shifted to playback singing, composing. Mukesh had a huge hit with
working extensively with music director Anil Biswas in the 1945 film Pehli Nazar
Khemchand Prakash. She also rendered with ‘Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De’, and Geeta
Narsinh Mehta’s bhajan ‘Vaishnava Jan’ in Dutt first recorded in the 1946 film Bhakta
the 1940 film Narsi Bhagat, with music by Prahlad. Lyricists like Kavi Pradeep, Qamar
Shankarrao Vyas, and earned praise from Jalalabadi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kidar
Mahatma Gandhi. Sharma, D.N. Madhok and Tanvir Naqvi
Besides Karnataki, the early female made a mark.
playback singing greats were Zohrabai That brings us to 1947, the year of
Ambalewali, who worked with Naushad Independence. Besides Shehnai, the four
in Rattan, and Rajkumari. Though she most successful films were Jugnu, with
later sang her own songs, including a few music by Firoz Nizami, Do Bhai, by S.D,
in Anmol Ghadi, Suraiya initially did Burman, and Dard and Elaan, both by
playback for actress Mehtab. Among the Naushad. Besides ‘Aana Meri Jaan’, the
men, G.M. Durrani and C.H. Atma had some biggest hits were Geeta Dutt’s ‘Mera Sundar
successful songs, with the latter singing the Sapna Beet Gaya’ from Do Bhai and Uma
non-film hit ‘Preetam Aan Milo’. Among Devi’s ‘Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon’ in Dard.
the music directors, Gyan Dutt was prolific, The stage had just been set for another era,
and Husnlal-Bhagatram had embarked and by 1949, we would begin what has often
on a career that would pick up after been described as the Golden Period.
10 hits before Independence
1 Nuktacheen Hai Gham-e-Dil – KL Begum, Khazanchi (1941)
Saigal, Yehudi Ki Ladki (1931) 6 Preetam Aan Milo – C.H. Atma, non-
2 Main Ban Ki Chidiya Banke – film (1943)
Ashok Kumar & Devika Rani, Achhut 7 Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De – Mukesh,
Kanya Pehli Nazar (1945)
(1936) 8 Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya – K.L. Saigal,
3 Chal Chal Re Naujawan – Master Shahjehan (1945)
Suresh, Bandhan (1940) 9 Awaaz De Kahan Hai – Noorjehan &
4 Vaishnava Jan To – Amirbai Surendra, Anmol Ghadi (1946)
Karnataki, Narsi Bhagat (1940) 10 Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon – Uma
5 Sawan Ke Nazare Hai – Shamshad Devi, Dard (1947)
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #26 | AUGUST 2021 41
