"The Unforgettable Film Songs" of Jagjit Singh

It is believed that Jagjit Singh was the singer, who popularized ghazal, an Indian classical art among masses. He is considered to be the most successful ghazal singer and composer of all time in terms of critical acclaim and commercial success. 

Jagjit Singh came to Mumbai in 1965 to become a playback singer in Hindi films. Those days Mohammad Rafi was in his peak, there was Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh already established singers, there was no chance for him at that point of time. He had to struggle for a song in films. He obtained work initially as a singer of advertising jingles. He got the first break in the 1973 film Avishkar when music director Kanu Roy asked him and Chitra Singh to sing 'Babul Mora Naihar Chhoto Jaye' 

His first album "The Unforgettable" in 1976 made him and Chitra Singh star. The album is notable for one exceptional ghazal, Raat Bhi Neend Bhi, based on a Firaq Gorakhpuri poem. Another Ghazal by Kafeel Aazar ' Baat Niklegi To Bahut Door Tak Jayegi' was sung by him. The album was released by The Gramophone Company of India Ltd.

The popularity of the couple attracted the Hindi film Industry. He was offered to compose music for the film 'Premgeet' released in 1981, he sang a ghazal"Hothon Se Chhu Lo Tum" in this film which was a hit among masses. After the success of this film, he got   2 films, Saath Saath and Arth. The song "Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya" and"Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho" were very popular. His compositions for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib (based on the life of the poet Mirza Ghalib), remain extremely popular among ghazal aficionados. 

In this blog, I have selected a few of his songs from Hindi films

Song of Avishkar 1973

Song of Premgeet 1981

 Song of Saath Saath 1982

Song of Arth 1983

Song of Arth 1983

Song of Dushman 1998

Song of Sarfarosh1999

Song of Tum Bin 2001

Song of Joggers Park 2003

Jagjit Singh- The Unforgettable

In the 60s and 70s, the world of ghazals was dominated by renowned names like Noor Jehan, Malika Pukhraj, Begum Akhtar, Talat Mahmood, and Mehdi Hassan but In the 70s a new voice appeared in Ghazals in India. It was Jagjit Singh with a different melody and freshness in his voice appealed to all and he was recognized by the industry. His pairing with Chitra and the use of unconventional musical instruments in the Ghazal and catchy rhythms and soulful music popularised Ghazals to the masses during the 70s and 80s.
The couple's first Album " The Unforgettables" released in 1976 made them star in the ghazal Industry in India. It became the highest-selling album at a time when there was no market for non-film albums.
The Unforgettables is also notable for one exceptional ghazal, Raat Bhi Neend Bhi, based on a Firaq Gorakhpuri poem. Chitra did not like the initial composition. Jagjit changed the tune and it became one of her most recognized solos in an album over which her husband towers with Baat Niklegi Toh Phir Door Talak Jayegi and Sarakti Jaaye Hai Rukh Se.
Jagjit Singh touched unprecedented heights and a number of his songs are considered classics. He is also the first Indian musician to record a purely digital CD album, titled ‘Beyond Time’ (1987).
Jagjit Singh has also sung many songs for Hindi movies. Popular films include Arth, Saath Saath, Premgeet, Tum Bin, Sarfarosh, Dushman and Tarkeeb. 
Jagjit Singh has proved himself as a genius as he brings out the true meaning of Mirza Ghalib's poetry by singing them as melodious Ghazals.  The album can be easily called a masterpiece.

Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh’s chemistry worked like magic

Jagjit Singh met the love of his life, Chitra Singh in a studio to record a jingle for an advertisement in 1967. Both of them were struggling singers. Initially, both were singing jingles together for many advertising companies, this brought closeness.
 Chitra ji was earlier married to Debo Prasad Dutta and had a daughter with him, Monica. Chitra ji decided to part ways with her former partner in 1968 and moved on to live separately with her daughter.It was in 1969 Jagjit Singh and Chitra decided to marry.

Their first Album "The Unforgettable" in 1976 made them star. The album is notable for one exceptional ghazal, Raat Bhi Neend Bhi, based on a Firaq Gorakhpuri poem. Chitra Singh did not like the initial composition. Jagjit Singh changed the tune and it became one of her most recognised solos in an album over which her husband towers with Baat Niklegi Toh Phir Door Talak Jayegi and Sarakti Jaaye Hai RukhSe.
Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh’s chemistry worked like magic and there was no looking back for the much-in-love couple. The duo recorded dozens of albums in Hindi and Punjabi and also cut devotional albums. Among their subsequent duo recordings of the 1970s were Shiv Kumar Batalvi – Birha da Sultan (1978), Live in Concert at Wembley (1979) and Come Alive (1979). Of those released in the 1980s, "The Latest" by Sudarshan Faakir was the best selling album with his lifetime hit "Woh Kagaz ki Kashti...Woh Baarish ka Paani". It was the first album by the duo with the poetry of only one Poet. Ecstasies (1984) has also been described as "one of their finest". The joint projects ceased in 1990 when their 18-year-old son, Vivek, was killed in a road accident. Chitra felt unable to sing following these events. Monica, Chitra's daughter from her first marriage, committed suicide in 2009.
Jagjit Singh.s work in film encompassed playback singing for productions such as Arth, Saath Saath and Premgeet. He composed all of the songs for the latter, as well as for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib that was based on the life of the eponymous poet, Mirza Ghalib.
Chitra Singh sang in Bengali as well as for Hindi films such as Saath Saath (1982) and Arth (1982).
He toured the UK in 2011 and was due to perform with Ghulam Ali in Mumbai but suffered a brain haemorrhage on 23 September 2011. He was in a coma for over two weeks and died on 10 October at Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai.

Punjabi Tappe