When Dilip Kumar Sang his own Song

Not many of us know that Dilip Kumar was a very good singer. Many die-hard fans of the maestro still might not have the information about the one instance wherein he actually rendered a classical song in an unbelievable manner in the late 50s. It was a duet with Lata Mangeshkar that too in semi-classical.
It was Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s first film( Musafir 1957) as a director after working with Bimal Roy as an editor and also the first Hindi film for the comedian Keshto Mukherjee. Besides it had a fabulously talented team working together, with Salil Choudhary as the music director, Ritwik Ghatak as a scriptwriter (along with Hrishi Da), dialogues by Rajendra Singh Bedi and lyrics by Shailendra. Written (story), produced and directed by Hrishi Da the film had Suchitra Sen, Durga Khote, Nirupa Roy, Kishore Kumar, Nazir Hussain, David and more playing the key roles.

Since 50s Mohammad Rafi had become the screen voice of Dilip Kumar but Salil Chaudhary wanted someone else to sing this particular song  “Laagi Naahin Chhootey, Chahey Jiya Jaaye” .One day Salil Chaudhary heard Dilip Kumar humming something in his own mood, Salil Da liked it and decided that this song be recorded in Dilip's own voice. It was a Raga based song and a duet with none other than Lata Mangeshkar, Dilip Kumar was reluctant to give his voice but agreed because of the respect felt for the maestro Salil Da.

It is said that Lata Mangeshkar was initially not agreeable, she wanted some professional singer to sing with her but Salil Da insisted that Dilip Kumar would sing this song.

Dilip Kumar performed the song confidently and the rendition really came out to be a truly touching one with great depth and feel, as if it had been sung by a trained classical exponent with perfection.

It is quite astonishing that Dilip Kumar never sang for himself for subsequent films. His singing voice is so soft and mellifluous – somewhere between Talat Mehmood & K.L. Saigal Saab, In fact, you would feel that Mohammad Rafi is singing. Later in 80s, he sang a few lines in Sagina with Kishore Kumar and In Karma.

Song of Musafir 1957