FORGOTTEN & UNDERRATED PLAYBACK SINGERS OF BOLLYWOOD

We all remember K L Saigal, Noorjehan, Suraiya, Geeta Dutt,Lata Mangeshkar, Md Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha, Mukesh, Manna De, and their songs but there are some names who were competent enough to claim for fame but unfortunately couldn’t or with limited success. They shot to popularity at their time and gave many immortal songs but now are forgotten.
These very people were greatly sought for their talent and have won awards too. I guess that in the case of these singers the lady luck wasn't smiling. Mostly they are 1-2 songs wonder but in those 1-2 songs, they have etched an impression which can not be forgotten. I just wish to remember them and let others too know about them. There are many of the forgotten singers but I am writing here only about a few. 

Binapani Mukherjee  

She is known for her work on Jamuna Puliney (1933), Swami (1931) and Jaidev (1926). She sang with Mukesh, Rafi, and Chitalkar in many films. Here is a song from Durbaan 1946 film a duet with Mukesh

Song of Durbaan 1946

                                                                Uma Devi-                                                                     

 She is also known as Tun Tun , the comedienne par excellence. Her excellent timing made her one of the best in the field. She has sung many songs and before she became an actress she was a singer. She has sung many memorable songs. She is sadly no longer alive but one can still remember her with a certain fondness.

This is from the movie Dard

Afasana likh rahi hoon ,dil-e-beqarar ka

Song of Dard 1947

Subir Sen -

 He was originally a Bengali Singer recorded few songs in Hindi also but couldn’t soar that high and ended up as a minor singer. His strong resemblance to the mightiest like Talat Mehmood & Hemant Da itself became a losing factor ultimately. Though he played minor inning, all with cracking shots & deliveries ! He shone with few striking scores like “Main Rangeela Pyar Ka Raahi”, “Pyaar Mein Milna Sanam Hota Hai Taqdeer Se”, “Gar Tum Bura Na Maano”, “Dil Mera Ek Aas Ka Panchi”, “Humein Un Rahon Par Chalna Hai” & “Dil Leke Jaate Ho Kahan”. It was perhaps his limitation to sing a wide range of numbers with quintessential tonal modulation that stood against his musical odyssey with Bollywood. Subir Sen was scouted by Shankar-Jaikishan, the famous music composer-duo and was inducted to the Mumbai film industry. In Om Prakash's first production "Aas Ki Panchhi" (1956) starred by Rajendra Kumar, the title song was sung by Subir Sen in the lip of the hero riding on a bicycle leading a team of NCC cadets: "Dil mera ek aas ka panchhi, udta hai oonche gagan par". Subir Sen also lent his voice in various Hindi movies such as Chhoti Bahen (1959), Boy Friend (1961) and Passport (1961

Song of Kathputli 1957

Kamal Barot -

 She debuted in Bollywood in 1957 with the film Sharda. She later went on to sing 140 songs in 117 films. She usually sang duets with Asha Bhosle or Lata Mangeshkar. But she made a memorable collaboration with great Mukesh. They together have sung songs like "Chand Kaisa Hoga" from Rocket Girl (1961), "Hum Bhi Kaho Gaye" from Madam Zorro (1964). Other songs from her vocal include "Dhadka To Hoga Dil Huzoor" from C.I.D. 909 with legends Asha Bhosle and Mahendra Kapoor, composed by maestro O. P. Nayyar. She sang some very successful female-female duets with top singers. The most popular of them is "Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra", a dance song from Parasmani (1963).

Song of  Parasmani (1963)

Sudha Malhotra - 

 She also acted in some Bollywood films and as a playback singer, worked in popular Bollywood movies in the 1950s and 1960s, like Arzoo, Dhool Ka Phool, Ab Dilli Door Nahin, Girl Friend, Barsat Ki Raat, Didi, Kala Pani, Prem Rog, and Dekh Kabira Roya. She was last heard in Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog (1982) in the song "Yeh Pyar tha ya kuch aur tha"The most memorable song is Salam e Mohabbat Kabool Kar Lo from 1960 film "Babar"

Song of Babar 1960 

Mubarak Begum - 

The singer who rendered unforgettable songs such as Kabhi tanhaiyon mein, Mujhko apne gale lagalo "Hum haal-e-dil sunayenghe, sunyay ke na sunyay" and Kuch ajnabi se aap hein, had not sung since 1968, after being sidelined. 

Song of  Hamari Yaad Aayegi, 1961

Jagjit Kaur -  

She sang fewer songs for films than her contemporaries like Lata and Asha, yet all of her songs have been described as memorable masterpieces. She married  Music Director Khayyam under his composition she gave an immortal song  "Tum apna ranj–o-gham apni pareshani mujhe de do" from Shagun 1964. Another immortal song "Dekh lo aaaj humko jee bhar ke" from Bazaar 1982 film

Song of Shagun 1964

Song of Bazaar 1982

Minoo Purshottam

Minoo Purushottam's career started in 1963 when she was 16. The composer Roshan offered her a singing role in the film Taj Mahal. The song eventually became a duet with Suman Kalyanpur. She mostly did in female-female duets over male-female on some occasions. “Na Na Na Re Na Na”, “Huzur-E-Wala”, “Unse Nazrein Mili Aur Hijaab Aa Gaya” &  “Mero Saiyan Gulabia Ke Phool” are the chartbusters of the golden era that comes out from Minoo’s duet. In 1973 her duet"Ni Main Yaar Manana Ni" with Lata Mangeshkar from the film Daag became very popular, this year she was nominated for the Best Playback Singer Female for the song " Raat Piya Ke Sang Jaagi Re Sakhi "for the film  Prem Parbat

Song of Prem Parbat (1973)

Sharda

She got her first big break in Bollywood with the song "Titli Udi" in Suraj (1966). She was promoted by Shankar of the Shankar Jaikishan duo. Few of her songs  “Chale Jaana Jara Thehro”, "Duniya Ki Sair Karlo", “Dekho Mera Dil Machal Raha”, “Wo Pari Kahan Se Laon”, &  “Kaisee Padi Maar” earned her the due fame. As a singer, she won Filmfare Awards as Best Female Playback Singer for “Baat Zara Hai Aapas Ki” and as a music director, her song “Achcha Hi Hua Dil Toot Gaya” got Md Rafi nominated for the same (Best Male Playback Singer). Sharda’s backing vocal in “Jab Bhi Ye Dil Udaas Hota Hai” with Md Rafi is considered to be in the top list of many.

Song of Suraj 1966

Jaspal Singh

He lent his voice to various Bollywood actors of the 1970s and 1980s. Music Composer, Ravindra Jain gave him the big break for a song in the movie called 'Geet Gata Chal' of 1975. After this song, he became a household name. His voice was unique and was unlike any other and he sang for hit movies like 'Nadiya ke paar', Ankhiyon ke jharokhon se','Sawan ko aane do' amongst others. Jaspal Singh is also best remembered as a voice of Sachin (the Actor) as the majority of songs were exclusively done for him.

Song of Sawan Ko Aane Do 1979

Poornima

She started her career as a child singer in Ramesh Sippy's 1971 film Andaz. In that film, she sang under the music direction of Shankar Jaikishan the song "Hai Na Bolo Bolo" along with Mohammed Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur and Pratibha. The song went on to become a hit. As a child singer, she was known as Sushma Shrestha,.She is mostly remembered for her songs like "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle" from Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973) and "Kya Hua Tera Vada" from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977); both earned her nominations for the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award.

After her marriage, she changed her name to Poornima and became the voice of Juhi Chawla. Her song "Barsaat Mein Jab Aayega Saawan Ka Maheena" from Maa was a hit. Few things changed till David Dhawan's Bol Radha Bol. "Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara" was nothing short of an anthem and the remaining songs, which were a success also, gave Poornima the opportunity to savor success and adulation that had eluded for long.

Song of Bol Radha Bol 1992

Kabban Mirza

He is known for singing a couple of melodious songs in Hindi cinema.  His singing was featured in the film Razia Sultan, directed by Kamal Amrohi (1983). He also sang a song, entitled "Is Pyar Ki Basti Mein" for the movie, Sheeba, though he was not given credit for it.

Song of Razia Sultan 1983

Dilraj Kaur

Dilraj Kaur was a singer in Hindi films in the 80s. She has sung for music composers like Usha Khanna, O.P. Nayyar, Jaidev, R.D. Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and others. It was O P Nayyar who gave her all the songs of Heera Moti. She started playback singing from a Punjabi film in which she sang a duet with Mohammad Rafi

Song of Heera-Moti (1979)