Shamshad Begum- Kishore Kumar sang as chorus boys for her songs

You will be surprised to know that In the late 1940s, the great composer Madan Mohan and Kishore Kumar sang as chorus boys for her songs at the Filmistan Studio. Begum promised at this time that she would sing songs composed by Mohan once he started his career as a music director and would accept a lower fee. She also predicted that Kumar would become a great playback singer. She later recorded duets with Kishore Kumar, including "Gori ke Nainon Mein Nindiya Bhari" from Angarey and "Mere Neendon Me Tum" from Naya Andaz.
The credit of discovering Shamshad Begum’s talent, polishing her singing and bringing her to the limelight goes to the music director Gulam Haider. Her first song" Sawan Ke Nazare Hain" from Khajanchi(1941) was a hit. She became a favorite female singer of the composers of that era including Naushad Ali, O. P. Nayyar, C. Ramchandra and S. D. Burman from 1946 to 1960. 
Shamshad Begum was born on 14 th April 1919 and died on 23 rd April 2013. Her talent was first spotted by her principal when she was in a primary school in 1924. Impressed by the quality of her voice, she was made head singer of classroom prayer. At 10, she started singing folk-based songs at religious functions and family marriages.
She began her singing career from All India Radio (AIR) in Peshawar and Lahore from 1937.It was from here Ghulam Haider was popularly known as the Materji, who was the music director of Xenophone picked her and signed her for 12 songs at Rs 12.50 per song, a big sum that time. She was about 13 then.

Shamshad Begum’s debut in Hindi films came in 1941 in Khazanchi, a year before Noorjehan’s in Hindi films in Khandan (1942), both under Ghulam Haider. In the next year the song Duniya mein garibon ko aaram nahi milta from Zameendar (1942), and Gaaadiwale dupatta uda liya jaye re  from Poonji (1943). Mehboob Khan liked her voice since Khajanchi so  Khan used Begum's voice in Taqdeer (1943), where he introduced Nargis as the heroine. Begum was soon singing for other composers including Rafiq Ghaznavi, Ameer Ali, Pt. Gobindram, Pt. Amarnath, Bulo C. Rani, Rashid Atre and M. A. Mukhtar, in the pre-independence era.

Readers would be surprised to know that this popular song of Pakeezah was originally sung by Shamshad Begum way back in 1941 film Himmat, composed by Pt. Gobindram and written by Aziz Kashmiri.

 Naushad acknowledged in an interview that he was indebted to Begum in reaching the top. It was Begum's solo and duet songs sung for Naushad in the late 1940s and early 1950s which made Naushad famous. Naushad was floored on the clarity of her tone, She sang 60 songs under his direction. She was the lead singer in Anokhi Ada, Mela (1948) and Chaandni Raat (1949). After using Lata Mangeshkar as the lead singer in Andaaz (1949), Naushad came back to Shamshad Begum with a bang in Baabul (1950) and Jadoo (1951). Her last song for him was the iconic qawwali-muqaabala – Teri mehfil mein kismet aazma kar hum bhi dekhenge (Mughal-e-Azam , 1960).

Two of the most iconic songs of our films – Ana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday and Mere piya gaye Rangoon – are C Ramchandra-Shamshad Begum creation, She sang nearly 60 songs for C Ramchandra. He used her voice for the first time in a film Safar, 1946, in a duet with him. She is credited with singing one of the first Westernised songs, "Meri jaan...Sunday ke Sunday", this made her the most sellable female voice. She kept getting more offers to sing songs and was the highest-paid female singer from 1940 to 1955 and again post-Mother India in 1957 to 1964.

 In 1946, S D Burman asked Shamshad Begum to sing in his debut Hindi film as music director, Shikari (1946), with the song, "Kuch Rang Badal Rahi". In 1949, came Shabnam, in which Burman asked her to sing duets named "Pyar Main Tumne" and "Kismat Bhi Bhichadna" with Mukesh, which became popular. Shabnam was Burman's biggest hit to that date with Filmistan, 

 In 1954, when Nayyar got a break as a composer, he approached Begum to record songs for Mangu. Nayyar described her voice as resembling a "temple bell" for its clarity of tone. He worked with her until the late 1960s and gave her many hit songs, including "Ab To Jee Hone Laga" from Mr. & Mrs. '55, "Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar", "Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana", "Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re" – CID (1956); "Main Jaan Gayi Tujhe" from Howrah Bridge, "Zara Pyar Karle" from Mangu, "Saiyan Teri Ankhon Mein" from 12' O Clock, "Thodasa Dil Lagana" from Musafirkhana, and many others.

Her songs from the 1940s to the early 1970s remain popular and continue to be remixed. She sang over 6,000 songs in Hindi and Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, and Punjabi languages and of the 1287 songs were Hindi film songs.

Shamshad Begum died at her Mumbai residence on the night of 23 April 2013 after a prolonged illness. She was 94 that time. Her melodious voice with powerful lyrics gave us songs that have remained popular even today.

Song of Khazanchi (1941 film) 

Song of Khandan (1942)

Song of Taqdeer (1943)

Song of Humayun (1945)

Song of Shehnai (1947)

Song of  Mela 1948 

Song of Patanga 1949

Song of Shabnam 1949

Song of Babul 1950

Song of Awaara (1951)

Song of Baiju Bawra (1952)

Song of Aar Paar 1954

Song of "C.I.D." 1956

Song of Naya Andaz 1956; 

Song of Mother India (1957)

Song of Mughal-E-Azam 1960

Song of Kismat (1968)

K L Saigal - A Journey from Salesman to the First Singing Star

K. L. Saigal (11 April 1904 – 18 January 1947), is considered the first superstar of the Hindi film industry, A drop out of school and started earning money by working as a railway timekeeper. Later he worked as a typewriter salesman; this later occupation gave him the opportunity to travel widely in India.
He used to sing in gatherings with friends and met many people.  On one occasion he met Meharchand Jain; he would become one of Saigal's early friends and supporters.  In his travels, he also met B.N. Sircar the founder of New Theatres.  It is said that it was Sircar, who persuaded Saigal to go to Calcutta.
In Calcutta, he briefly worked in a hotel as a manager but his interest was in music grew day by day.  Though he didn't receive formal training, he learned it listening to other classical singers of that era. He was a frequent participant in mehfils.  He also recorded a number of discs of songs written and arranged by Harishchandra Bali.  These were released through the Indian Gramophone Company.  His reputation as a singer was growing.
 While in Calcutta, Saigal was introduced to R.C. Boral.  It was Boral who signed Saigal to a contract with New Theatres. Those were the days when actors and actresses sang their own songs, and musical ability was considered an important prerequisite for a successful film career.
His first film was an Urdu film "Mohabbat Ke Ansoo" (1932).  Thereafter he had roles in "Subah Ke Sitare", and "Zinda Laash".  These were released in 1932 but were not successful.
During this period Saigal continued to work in films and continued to sing private songs. Out of many private disks, of which Jhulana jhulao attracted much attention from the public. In 1934 one of his films "Chandidas" made him famous as an actor.

The next year in 1935 Devdas was released. After the phenomenal success of "Devdas", there was no doubt that Saigal was a formidable entity in the film industry. His songs in the film Devdas (1935), "Balam Aaye Baso Moray Man Mein" and "Dukh Ke Ab Din Beetat Naahi", became popular throughout the country
While in Calcutta, Saigal became proficient in Bengali.  This allowed him to sing and act in a number of Bengali films.  He even had the distinction of being the first non-Bengali that Rabindranath Tagore would allow recording his work.
His association with New Theatres continued to bear fruit in the successful films Didi (Bengali), President (Hindi) in 1937, Desher Mati (Bengali), Dharti Mata (Hindi) in 1938, Saathi (Bengali), Street Singer (Hindi) in 1938, Dushman (1939), Jiban Maran (1939) and Zindagi in 1940, with Saigal in the lead. There are a number of songs of this era which form the rich heritage of film music in India. Also, in Street Singer, Saigal rendered the song "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye"

 He moved to Bombay in December of 1941, and there began to work with the Ranjit Movietone Company. There he did films such as "Bhakta Surdas", "Tansen", "Kurukshetra", "Omar Khayyam", "Tadbeer", "Shahjahan" and "Parwana".
In a career of fifteen years, Saigal acted in 36 feature films – 28 in Hindi, seven in Bengali, and one in Tamil. In addition, he acted in a short comedy Hindi film, Dulari Bibi (three reels), released in 1933., Saigal rendered 185 songs throughout his career which includes 142 film songs and 43 non-film songs. Of the film songs, there are 110 in Hindi, 30 in Bengali and two in Tamil. There are 37 non-film songs in Hindi, and two each in Bengali, Pashto, Punjabi and Persian. His non-film songs comprise bhajans, ghazals, and Lori. He has rendered the creations of poets such as Ghalib, Zauq, and Seemab.
Saigal lived a short life. He died at the age of 42 years. It is said that in the years before his death, he was unable to sing or perform without first having a drink.  This was affecting both his health as well as his work.  He developed cirrhosis of the liver. He passed away on January 18th, 1947 in Jalandhar. Before his death, he was able to churn out three more hits under the baton of Naushad Ali for the film Shahjehan (1946). These are "Mere Sapnon Ki Rani", "Ae Dil-e-Beqaraar Jhoom" and "Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya". Parwana (1947) was his last film, released after his death,   
Immortal Songs of K L Saigal

Ghazal of K L Saigal

The first private song of K L Saigal

Song of Chandidas (1934)

Song of Devdas (1935)

Song of Pujarin (1936)

Song of President" (1937), 

Song of Street Singer (1938)

Song of  Dushman (1939),

Song of  Zindagi (1940)

Song of  Zindagi (1940)

Song of  Bhakta Surdas (1942)

Song of  Tansen (1943)

Song of  ShahJahan (1946),

Song of  ShahJahan (1946),

Song of Parwana (1947)

Kishori Amonkar- The Uncrowned Empress of Indian Classical Music

Kishori Tai, as people call her fondly was born on 10th April 1932. Her father died when she was 7 years old, raised and taught music primarily by her mother, the classical vocalist Mogubai Kurdikar.
Young Kishori began to receive vocal lessons in Hindustani classical music from Anjanibai Malpekar of the Bhendibazaar Gharana and later received training from tutors of several other Gharanas.
In addition to her career as a classical vocalist, she was known for her performances of lighter classical pieces, with a wide repertoire of Thumris and Bhajans, She became interested in film music and sang playback for the 1964 movie Geet Gaya Patharon Ne but after singing in this film she stayed away from the film music because she found it compromising on the Swaras over the lyrics.
Her mother was strictly against her singing in films is reported to have told Amonkar that she would be forbidden from touching her mother's Tanpura if she would continue to work in the film industry.,
At the age of 25 she almost lost her voice, she tried all type of treatment, It took two years for her to regain her voice. After that, she started to light classical music with a wide repertoire of Thumris and Bhajans, as well as some performances for film soundtracks.
Amonkar did return to playback singing 26 years later, for Govind Nihalani’s Drishti (1990). She agreed to sing for Drishti because she was allowed to compose the tunes. Amonkar sang Ek Hi Sang, written by Vasant Dev and composed in Raag Bhopali. It has notes similar to Jyoti Kalash Chalke (Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan, 1961), based on Raag Deshkar. Another song Meha Jhar Jhar Barsat Re is composed in the style of Raag Malhar,Drishti features a number of alaap tracks recorded in Amonkar’s voice and used in the background.
Many who studied her music says she has liked singing light classical music in the beginning and that style influenced later in all her classical singing as well. She applied her own interpretations and made striding changes to the Jaipur Gharana branch. Jaipur Gharana, which is known as a style that demanded strict following of its technical details was lacking a lot in its interpretation of the raga bhavas when Kishori started singing publically. Kishori brought emotions into the notes by staying strong with the basic techniques. She was an artist who used those notes to express many feelings and emotions that arose out of her ‘Manodharma’. 
She is credited for re-interpreting many ragas in her own ways. Her vocal quality was unmatched with not a single blemish in any of her performances we all heard so far. These aspects of her singing are considered as her biggest contribution to Hindustani music. She as a musician was very methodical in her riyaz and environment where she could sing.
 Kishori Amonkar never wanted to go abroad and she insisted that if anybody wants to listen to her they have to come to India. She was an introvert to the extent that she can’t even stand stage lights on her face while she performed; she says that her concerts are for her listeners to listen and not watch her singing.
She never played to the gallery. She used to say that she sings for herself. I want to get involved and focus on the abstract. I have to forget my body then. For that, I need my audience’s help, not their interruptions. People have to understand that music isn’t entertainment. 
There are many stories about her refusing to sing in a program due to the misbehavior of the audience. Once Amonkar refused to sing further. When an industrialist’s wife once ordered a paan during her performance, Amonkar screamed, “Am I a kothewali to you?” From editors and politicians to industrialists and famous artistes, many have faced Amonkar’s wrath during concerts.
Amonkar received several of India's national awards and civilian honors, including the Padma Bhushan, in 1987, and Padma Vibhushan in 2002. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 1985 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for 2009
She died on 3 April 2017 in her sleep, a week before her 85th birthday, at her residence in Mumbai.

Song of Geet Gaya Patharon Ne 1964

Song of Drishti 1990

Song of Drishti 1990

Sahela Re  Kishori Amonkar

Kishori Amonkar Meera Bhajan

Jaya Bhaduri - Her Iconic and Unforgettable Films

Jaya Bhaduri born on 9 April 1948, who appeared in nearly 50 films remains the Guddi forever. The film Guddi directed by Hrishikesh Mukharjee was her debut film released in 1971. Since then with every film, Jaya Bhaduri broke the mould and stood her ground as one of the finest actresses of her time. 
With Guddi she created the girl-next-door image for her, which she was often associated with throughout the rest of her career. However, she did a glamorous role in Jawani Diwani in 1973 and a negative character of the heroine faking amnesia, in Anamika (1973). She was a favorite heroine of filmmakers like Hrishikesh Mukharjee, Gulzar and Basu Chatterjee.

Song of Guddi (1971)

Uphar (1971) was her next film. The film featured Jaya Bachchan as Mrinmayee (Minoo), who marries a lawyer Anoop (played by Swaroop Dutt). The film covered an innocent and immature love story of two people. The film adorned Jaya Bachchan with Filmfare Special Award.

Song of Uphar (1971)

Koshish (1972), It was a story based on the life of a deaf and mute couple, their conflicts, and their struggle to live in a normal society. She was nominated as the best actress at Filmfare awards.

Song of Koshish (1972)

Abhimaan (1973)  The film showcases Amitabh Bachchan as Subir, who is a struggling singer. He marries Uma (played by Jaya Bachchan), who is also a singer. The film concentrate on the ego clashes between the couple as Uma leads a way to success in her singing career, while Subir faces failure. 

Song of Abhimaan (1973) 

Kora Kagaz (1974) Jaya Bachchan featured in Kora Kagaz which depicts a sad love story of two people, who meet each other while traveling on a bus. She gets another Filmfare Award for this film.

Song of Kora Kagaz (1974)

Mili is a 1975  romantic drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It starred Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Ashok Kumar in lead roles. Jaya Bachchan received a Filmfare nomination as Best Actress, the only nomination for the film

Song of Milli 1975

Silsila (1981) Said to be the real-life portrayal of the then-scandalous Amitabh-Jaya-Rekha love triangle. It is considered as one of the iconic romantic movies of Bollywood

Song of Silsila (1981)

 She has appeared along with her actor husband Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer in 1973 and  Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke, Mili and Sholay in 1975 Following her marriage to actor Amitabh Bachchan she quit acting and gave birth to her children. It is believed that Amitabh Bachchan restricted to her continuing in the films and she returned to action in the 1981 film Silsila and later appeared in Govind Nihalani's Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa in 1998. Since then she appeared in a few more commercially successful films such as ‘ Fiza’ in 2000, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in 2001, Kal Ho Naa Ho in 2003 which were critically acclaimed films and she won several awards and nominations again.

Jaya Bhaduri has won eight Filmfare Awards including three for the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress. She was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 2007 In 1992 she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. Nominated five times for the Best Actress Award Won three International Film Academy Awards Has Won the Bengal Film Journalist Association Awards a special Award for her Debut film Guddi and Fiza. Has won the Anandalok Award for Special Editor’s Award Zee Cinema – Best Supporting Actress for the role in Fiza Sansui Viewer’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.  

Jeetendra - Never Got his Due as a Huge Star

Awards may have eluded him but he is still a Living Legend of Bollywood. He came at the time when Rajesh Khanna was not a Star and continued to win the hearts of his fans. He continued to have his own audience irrespective of whether it was Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan who was the ruling superstars of the 70s and 80s. The press made fun of his tight white trousers and white shoes and labeled him “Jumping Jack Jeetu” for his boisterous dance moves.
Rishi Kapoor in an interview once said that his fellow actors Jeetendra and Rakesh Roshan never got their due, even when they contributed so much to the Indian cinema.
Jeetendra (born Ravi Kapoor on 7 April 1942) got his break-in 1964 with V Shantaram's Geet Gaya Patharon Ne as a hero but got star status with the release of Farz in 1967. The film was a super-duper hit He became a star overnight. He had 3 hits before Rajesh Khanna became Superstar with Aradhana in 1969.
Even when Rajesh Khanna was giving one hit after another his films were also clicking on the Box Office. In those three years from 1970 to 1973, he appeared in more than 25 films and gave super hits like Jeene Ki Raah, Jigri Dost, Waris, Khilona, Humjoli, Caravan, Anokhi Ada etc.
During the Sunami of Amitabh Bachchan he was among a few heroes who survived and gave many hits.during that period up to 1980, more than 40 films were release4d.In fact, in the 80s he was in demand.
In the 1980s, Jitendra was frequently paired up with Sridevi or Jayapradha for remakes of South Indian potboilers courtesy of Rama Rao Tatineni, K. Bapayya and K. Raghavendra Rao; some of these films were produced by Padmalaya Productions. Featuring elaborate sequences with colorful clay pots, dozens of extras, electronic music by Bappi Lahiri, and lyrics by Indeewar, movies like Justice Chaudhry (1982), Mawaali (1983), Himmatwala (1983), Jaani Dost, and Tohfa (1984) were huge hits despite low critical acclaim.
In the 1990s Jeetendra found it difficult to cope up in the rat race. His films ‘Santaan’ (1993) and ‘Udhaar Ka Zindagi’ (1995) failed at the box-office. Recognizing the change in tide, he turned into a character actor and was seen in films like ‘Dil Aashna Hai’, 'Zamana Deewana' and 'Dushman Duniya Ka'. Last, he was seen in ‘Kucch To Hai’ (2003) and did a special appearance for ‘Om Shanti Om’ (2007).

He has acted in nearly 200 films as the main lead, a feat matched by just a handful of his peers since the inception of Hindi cinema.Out of these 200 films 125 films were hit.

Song of Farz 1967

Song of Farz 1967

Song of Jeene Ki Raah (1969)

Song of Vishwas (1969)

Song of Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke (1969)

Song of Humjoli 1970

Song of Banphool(1971)

Song of Caravan 1971

Song of Parichay (1972)

Song of Ek Bechara 1972

Song of Roop Tera Mastana 1972

Song of Anokhi Ada  1973

Song of Nagin  1976

Song of Priyatama 1977

Song of Judaai 1980

Bollywood Films on Epidemics

Amid fears stoked by the coronavirus, I recall "Contagion" -- a 2011 movie about a pandemic with similarities to recent events. This compelled me to look back into the Bollywood films on this subject. Not many films were made in this subject but a few movies had epidemic references.
To consider just a handful, let us first take V. Shantaram’s Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946) about an Indian doctor who went to China to help the Communists against the Japanese army, to help the wounded when there was a scarcity of doctors. While in China Dr. Kotnis met and courted a Chinese girl, Ching Lan. In the film, Dr. Kotnis fights plague and, when he is unable to find a cure, he injects himself with the contents of a patient’s pustules in an effort to find antibodies, and eventually dies of plague after doing yeoman service to the Chinese.

The 1966 film Phool Aur Pathar is one such film where the epidemic was the central theme. In this film, it was shown how a criminal goes to a village to burgle a house when plague empties a town of its inhabitants, He finds nothing except Shanti, a widowed daughter-in-law who has been left to die by her cruel relatives.

In 2011 a film Azaan had a story of a deadly virus. The film tells the story of a RAW agent who is sent on a secret mission. He has to find a cure for a deadly virus. 

In 2013 Krrish 3 had a story in which the hero's father Rohit discovers that a virus, which is fast spreading through Mumbai   He knew about this virus which came from Namibia. He, thus, makes an antidote by using the blood from Krishna's bloodstream which he spreads with the help of explosions.

Praveen Babi - The Ionic Bollywood Actress with Western Looks

Parveen Babi (4 April 1949 – 20 January 2005), like Zeenat Aman, redefined the image of the Indian film heroine. She started her career as a model and entered into the films with the 1973 film "Charitra" Her first major hit was Majboor (1974), opposite Amitabh Bachchan. Her pairing with Amitabh Bachchan was very successful, she did 8 films with him. Her more memorable roles include "Anita" in Deewaar (1975), "Jenny" in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), and "Sunita" in Shaan (1980).
One point of time she was the highest-paid actress. Because of her western looks, she was given roles which were glamorous and represented standards of a film star quality and established her status as one of the "Top Heroines of Bollywood" or the "Commercially successful Heroine"
In her acting career, which spanned almost ten years, she has acted in more than fifty films, of which ten were considered to be best. These films were also blockbusters of those times. Her co-stars include Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Feroz Khan, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor who were all leading stars of the 1970s and 1980s. Some of the songs picturized on her become hugely popular, and this includes "Jawaani Jaaneman" and "Raat Baaqi Baat Baaqi" in Namak Halaal, "Pyaar Karne Waale" in Shaan and "Maara Thumka" in Kranti, 
At the peak of her career, she left the film industry for a spiritual journey with U. G. Krishnamurti She returned to India after a gap of 6 years.It is said that she was a patient of  paranoid schizophrenia, a mental illness,
In an interview in 1998, she said: "I was born a Muslim and later, I converted to Christianity. But I have never done things I didn't believe. Even when I was a Muslim, I didn't understand why it made me a more spiritual entity, She converted to Christianity during the late 1990s and also started eating pork.
In the 90s, she took up keen interests in music, piano, painting, architecture, literature, writing, cultural and archaeological study, politics, photography, sculpture and human rights issues.
She was found dead on 22 January 2005 after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not collected milk and newspapers from her doorstep for three days.

Song of Majboor 1974

Song of Kaala Sona  1975

Song of Bullet 1976

Song of Amar Akbar Anthony 1977

Song of Kaala Patthar 1979

Song of Suhaag 1979

Song of Shaan 1980

Song of Namak Halaal 1981

Song of Namak Halaal 1981

Song of Khuddaar 1982

Song of Kaalia 1982

Song of Mahaan 1983