![]() He can, possibly, claim to be her mentor, having groomed her from her initial days in the industry. When Ghulam Haider also moved to Bombay, he signed Shamshad Begum for all the movies that he was working on. Having sung for Master Ghulam Haider in Khazanchi, Khandaan, and Zamindar, Shamshad Begum only moved from Lahore to Bombay because Mehboob Khan personally requested her to – it was for Taqdeer (1942). Here, in chronological order of films, is a compilation of her solo songs for 15 different composers, not by any means the complete list of the music directors she worked with… 1. Her voice had clarity of tone (OP Nayyar once referred to it as ‘clear as a temple bell’*), it had kashish, it had soul, it had feeling. However, as I grew older, and listened to her songs, I began to understand what he liked about her voice. My father had a yen for the voices of Noor Jehan, Suraiya and Shamshad Begum, even though Lata was his lodestar – that was the only time I can remember that my tastes diverged from his. I must confess that she was not one of my favourite singers growing up. ![]() In fact, apart from the Mangeshkar family, she holds the record of singing the maximum tandems with both Lata and Asha. However, she worked with most of her other male contemporaries, chalking up hit duets with every one of them she has also sung in tandem with mostly every female contemporary from Amirbai Karnataki and Zohre bai Ambalewali, to Geeta Dutt and the Mangeshkar sisters. However, he had heard her sing, and was effusive with his compliments when he learnt who she was much to her regret, she didn’t get a chance to sing with Saigal. He didn’t know who she was, though she had been singing for more than a few years by that time. In one of her rare interviews, she mentions how she had run into KL Saigal during the recording of the music of Shah Jehan. Until the 1970s, no one had had a chance to see her photographs in fact, she was often mistaken for the other Shamshad Begum ( Saira Banu‘s grandmother) and in a tragic-comedy of errors, got to read her own obituary when the latter passed away! Perhaps that is also the reason many people did not know her, though they had heard her and heard of her. She gave very few interviews, never allowed herself to be photographed (she was conscious of her looks – or so it is said). Too little, too late, perhaps, but Nayyar had the grace to mention in an interview on national television that Shamshad Begum had a great part to play in his success. Even though some of them (C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar) admitted later on that they had been unfair to her. She has sung songs for most music directors, often when they were newcomers, and at less than her usual rate because they couldn’t afford her. Only to have them overlook her when they became famous in their own right. That the rapid rise of Lata Mangeshkar dimmed her own prospects is something that Shamshad Begum has no qualms in admitting – yet, there is no rancour. In fact, much before the juggernaut that was Lata Mangeshkar swept everyone else out of the way, Shamshad Begum was the preferred choice of voice for Nargis – Deedar, Mela, Aag, all had Nargis lip syncing to the Begum’s full-throated voice. Apart from Ghulam Haider, C Ramchandra and Naushad worked with her the most. Shamshad Begum, fondly called aapa ji(elder sister) by her contemporaries in the industry, came to India in 1944, encouraged by Lahore-based music director Ghulam Haider who had already used her to great effect in Khazanchi (1941) and Khandaan (1942). Even Noor Jehan and Suraiya were more popular. Yet, she is hardly ever mentioned in the same breath as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle or Geeta Dutt. In addition to the many films in which she appeared, Jehan supplied vocals that were dubbed onto numerous films between 19.A constellation of stars such as Zohrabai Ambalewali, Amirbai Karnataki, Rajkumari, Juthika Roy, Noorjehan and Suraiya – and close behind, the phenomenon that was to become Lata Mangeshkar was making a grasp for the crown. ![]() ![]() Moving to Pakistan in the early '50s, she scored with films such as Dupatta, Qaida, Intezaar, Anarkali, and Koel. Making her film debut in Indian films of the 1930s, Jehan refined her talents under the coaching of Ustad Ghulam Mohammed Khan. She was born in or around the town of Kasur in Punjab (pre-partician British India) anywhere from 1922 to 1929 and her birthday is either September 21 or 23. Little is known of Jehan's earliest life. While her film credits include such hit movies as Khandaan, directed in 1942 by her husband Shaukit Hussain, Nadaan, Bari Maa, Dahai, and her most successful film, Anmol Ghari, in 1946, Jehan's hit records include Sayonee Mera Mahi and Sannu Neher Waalay Pul Te Bula Kay. Shamshad begum vs noor jehan movie#Often compared to Lata Mangeshkar, Jehan has successfully balanced movie soundtracks with non-film recordings and performances. Noor Jehan is one of the most influential singers in the eastern world. ![]()
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