Lesser And Unknown Singers, 1930s-1950s Options

[Faraaj73]

Before Lata, Shamshad or Geeta, and far before Rafi, Mukesh or Talat, the field for singers was wide open. The absence of playback singing certainly played a role which is why poor Ashok Kumar was forced into becoming a ‘singing’ star, and blind Krishna Chandra Dey starred in a few films as a not very dashing leading man.

Some names from the 30’s-40’s are still well remembered – Saigal being at the top of the list, and justifiably so. Other known names include Khurshid Begum, Amirbai Karnatki, Noor Jehan and Kanan Devi.

However, the sheer number of decent singers who sang anywhere between one to a dozen good songs is quite extensive. I’d like to post about three dozen songs by unknown or lesser known singers like Ratanbai, Shanta Aapte, KC Dey (Manna Dey’s guru, inspiration and maternal uncle), Naseem Bano (aka Dilip Kumar’s mother-in-law and a stunning beauty of her age), Vishnupant Pagnis, Sitara Devi, Ishwar Lal, Surendra Nath, Jyoti, Ila Ghosh, Sharda, Vimla, Ramanand Sharma, Snehaprabha Pradhan, Ramdulari, Heera Kumari, Akhtaribai Faizabadi (later reborn as Begum Akhtar), Sitara Devi, Radharani, Parul Ghosh (Anil Biswas’s sister and Pannalal Ghosh’s wife), Hafiz Khan Mastana, Nirmala Devi, Kalyani Gulshan, Manju (wife of Karan Dewan), Zeenat Begum, Sitara Kaunpuri, Zebu, Brijmala, Naseem Akhtar, Binapani Mukherjee, Meena Kumari (yes, the actress), Paro, MS Subbulakshmi (a great singer of South India), Bulo C Rani (better known as a MD), Sushil Sani, Arun Kumar (often the playback voice of Ashok Kumar), Vinoda Chakravarty…

This selection while rare and sung by lesser-known singers, is chosen (according to my personal taste) for the quality of the songs rather than novelty value. HF Members are welcome to point out any additional information or add songs to the post.

A fair few of the songs were obtained through the generous uploads of senior HF Members.

Song: Mein Tere Poojan Ko Bhagwan
Singer: Ratan Bai
Film: Bharat Ki Beti (1935)
Music: Anil Biswas
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.16


Song: Suno Suno Ban Ke Praani
Singer: Shanta Aapte
Film: Amar (1936)
Music: Master Krishnarao
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.02


Song: Gokul Se Gaye Giridhari
Singer: Krishna Chandra Dey
Film: Vidyapati (1937)
Music: Rai Chand Bhoral
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.16


Song: Zindagi Ka Saaz
Singer: Naseem Banu
Film: Pukar (1939)
Music: Mir Saheb
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.19


Song: Ban Chale Ram Raghu Rai
Singer: Vishnupant Pagnis
Film: Sant Tulsidas (1939)
Music: Gyan Dutt
Format : mp3, 96 kbps ; Duration : 2.55


Song: Main Bansi Banoo Banshidhar Ki
Singer: Sitara Devi, Ishwar Lal
Film: Achut (1940)
Music: Gyan Dutt
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.20


Song: Uth Sajni Khol Kiwaade
Singer: Jyoti, Surendra
Film: Aurat (1940)
Music: Anil Biswas
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.12


Song: Apna Jeevan Darpan
Singer: Ila Ghosh
Film: Doctor (1940)
Music: Pankaj Mullick
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.42


Song: Aaye Re Pi Ki Nagariya
Singer: Sharda
Film: Prem Nagar (1940)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.59


Song: Tum Ho Asha Ka Sansar
Singer: Vimla, Ramanand Sharma
Film: Prem Nagar (1940)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 96 kbps ; Duration : 3.32


Song: Naacho Naacho Pyare Mun Ke Mor
Singer: Arun Kumar, Snehaprabha Pradhan
Film: Punar Milan (1940)
Music: R C Pal
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.05


Song: Tum Jao Jao Bhagwan
Singer: Ramdulari
Film: Chitralekha (1941)
Music: Ustad Jhande Khan
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.41


Song: Bharat Mein Phir Aao
Singer: Heera Kumari
Film: Mala (1941)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.26


Song: Rahne Lagaa Hai
Singer: Akhtaribai Faizabadi
Film: Roti (1942)
Music: Anil Biswas
Format : mp3, 192 kbps ; Duration : 3.12


Song: Sajna Sanjh Bhaye
Singer: Sitara Devi
Film: Roti (1942)
Music: Anil Biswas
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.33


Song: Manmohan Mukhda Mod Gaye
Singer: Radharani
Film: Kashinath (1943)
Music: Pankaj Mullick
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.30


Song: Dil Na Lage
Singer: Parul Ghosh
Film: Namaste (1943)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 96 kbps ; Duration : 3.01


Song: O Insaan Bade Insaan
Singer: Hafeez Khan Mastana
Film: Naya Tarana (1943)
Music: Ameer Ali
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.20


Song: Bolo Bolo Re Sajanwa
Singer: Nirmala Devi
Film: Qanoon (1943)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 96 kbps ; Duration : 3.17


This post has been edited by Faraaj73: Nov 16 2008, 12:14 PM

[Faraaj73]

Song: Misl E Khayal Aaye The
Singer: Kalyani Gulshan
Film: Aina (1944)
Music: Pandit Govind Ram
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.59


Song: Do Dilon Ko Yeh Duniya
Singer: Manju
Film: Chand (1944)
Music: Husnlal-Bhagatram
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.51


Song: Kya Yahi Jawani Hai
Singer: Zeenat Begum
Film: Chand (1944)
Music: Husnlal-Bhagatram
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.05


Song: Nagri Meri Kab Tak
Singer: Sitara Kaunpuri
Film: Man Ki Jeet (1944)
Music: S K Pal
Format : mp3, 64 kbps ; Duration : 3.03


Song: Ud Ja Re Ud Ja Papihe
Singer: Zebu
Film: Mere Khwab (1944)
Music: Unknown
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.10


Song: Mera dil jhoom raha
Singer: Brijmala
Film: Mumtaz Mahal (1944)
Music: Khemchand Prakash
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.14


Song: Aye Bhoolne Wale
Singer: Naseem Akhtar
Film: Keemat (1946)
Music: Naushad Ali
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.37


Song: Main To Karun Pyar Piya
Singer: Binapani Mukherjee
Film: Safar (1946)
Music: Chitalkar Ramchandra
Format : mp3, 320 kbps ; Duration : 3.00


Song: Saawan Beet Gayo
Singer: Meena Kumari
Film: Duniya Ek Sarai (1947)
Music: Hansraj Behl
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.33


Song: Jane ki kya ha jaldi
Singer: Paro
Film: Heera (1947)
Music: Husnlal-Bhagatram
Format : wma, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.36


Song: Baso more nainan mein
Singer: MS Subbulakshmi
Film: Meera (1947)
Music: Unknown
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.15


Song: Kal chalte chalte un se
Singer: Bulo C Rani
Film: Mulaqat (1947)
Music: Khemchand Prakash
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 2.56


Song: Kisi Ke Madhur Pyar Mein
Singer: Sushil Sani, Naseem Akhtar
Film: Sindoor (1947)
Music: Khemchand Prakash
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.29


Song: Woh Unka Muskurana
Singer: Arun Kumar
Film: Sangram (1950)
Music: Chitalkar Ramchandra
Format : mp3, 256 kbps ; Duration : 2.30


Song: Prem Lagana Chahi Re Manwa
Singer: Vinoda Chakravarty
Film: Yatrik (1952)
Music: Pankaj Mullick
Format : mp3, 128 kbps ; Duration : 3.06


Kind Regards
Faraaj

This post has been edited by Faraaj73: Nov 16 2008, 01:04 PM

[vdsachin]

Thank You for having started this thread Faraaj Sahab - allthough I had heard some songs - never knew the names of the Singers....

[Faraaj73]

Thank You for having started this thread Faraaj Sahab - allthough I had heard some songs - never knew the names of the Singers....

Thank you Sachin Saab

I hope you like the songs you have not heard before. As I mentioned in my first post, my emphasis was on good songs rather than novelty. So, I hope you can find 2-3 treats in my upload that you haven't heard before.

Kind Regards
Faraaj

[Faraaj73]

p.s. You're welcome to add any period song even if you don't know the singer details. HF pe barhe expert baithe haan. I'm sure they'll be able to fill in any gap!

[Erum Hashmi]

Great thread, keep it up!

[HumTum]

Great thread, keep it up!

I second this too!

[abhayp]

Thanks for starting this great thread, Faraaj. There are so many good singers in Hindi films who have never got their due in terms of recognition. Great choice!

Nirmala Devi (who appears in your list above) was a famous thumri singer who sang a few songs in Hindi films in the 1940s and 1950s. She appears again in the 1972 'Bawarchi' as one of the singers in "bhor aa_ii gayaa a.Ndhiyaaraa". She was the mother of the actor Govinda.

I have two other solos of Nirmala Devi that I am uploading below - I hope you don't mind! (A duet with Rafi, "jhuuTh zamaane bhar ke" from 'Musafirkhana' (1955) tuned by O P Nayyar, was uploaded on HF very recently, so am not uploading that again.)

mai.n to piyaa kii joganiyaa
Nirmala Devi
Film: Geet (1944)
MD: Naushad
Ly: D N Madhok
3:08 min, 128 kbps




jaaduu bhare tere nain
Nirmala Devi
Non-film song
3:23 min, 128 kbps




Warm regards,
Abhay

This post has been edited by abhayp: Nov 16 2008, 11:57 PM

[Faraaj73]

Thanks Erum Ji and Waheed Bhai

Abhayp Saab

Thats why I love HF! Obscure facts like Nirmala Devi being the mother of Govinda can't be culled from any other info source. The information you provided on Ila Nagrath and the Roshan family on the Anokha Pyar topic was also new to me.

Thanks for uploading these two songs. Jadoo Bhare Tore Nain is especially nice and I felt the singing style has a touch of Akhtaribai to it.

Kind Regards
Faraaj

[frangipani]

This has been an amazing thread, I am hearing so many new voices and such beautiful beautiful compositions, thanks a lot.

[Amalesh]

Abhay, Faraj,

Govinda's father was also an actor of his age..Arun Kumar Ahuja and I remember reading the story of him and Nirmala Devi meeting on the sets of Savera where they were cast opposite each other and they fell in love.

Arun Kumar later produced a movie that was a big flop and then the story of them moving to Virar etc...

What I wanted to know is that the singer in the thread above, Arun Kumar...is he the same person or is this a different Arun Kumar.

Anyway, Thanks this is a wonderful thread......

[parag_sankla]

Abhay, Faraj,

Govinda's father was also an actor of his age..Arun Kumar Ahuja and I remember reading the story of him and Nirmala Devi meeting on the sets of Savera where they were cast opposite each other and they fell in love.

Arun Kumar later produced a movie that was a big flop and then the story of them moving to Virar etc...

What I wanted to know is that the singer in the thread above, Arun Kumar...is he the same person or is this a different Arun Kumar.

Anyway, Thanks this is a wonderful thread......

Amlesh, IMHO, the singer (and composer) Arun Kumar is a different person. His full name is Arunkumar Mukherjee and he was assistant to S D Burman (AFAIR). He composed music for Parineeta for which Geeta Dutt sang a beautiful song "Chaand hain wohin". He sang some songs too.

More knowledgable members can provide greater (and better) details

Cheers
Parag

[abhayp]

Abhay, Faraj,

Govinda's father was also an actor of his age..Arun Kumar Ahuja and I remember reading the story of him and Nirmala Devi meeting on the sets of Savera where they were cast opposite each other and they fell in love.

Arun Kumar later produced a movie that was a big flop and then the story of them moving to Virar etc...

What I wanted to know is that the singer in the thread above, Arun Kumar...is he the same person or is this a different Arun Kumar.

Anyway, Thanks this is a wonderful thread......

Amlesh, IMHO, the singer (and composer) Arun Kumar is a different person. His full name is Arunkumar Mukherjee and he was assistant to S D Burman (AFAIR). He composed music for Parineeta for which Geeta Dutt sang a beautiful song "Chaand hain wohin". He sang some songs too.

More knowledgable members can provide greater (and better) details

Cheers
Parag

Parag is quite right - Arun Kumar the singer and MD is different from Arun Ahuja, Govinda's father. AFAIK, Arun Ahuja was only a marginal presence in films, while Arun Kumar has sung quite a few songs and has been MD of films like Samaaj, Parineeta, and Teen Bhai.

Warm regards,
Abhay

[smahesh]

Abhay, Faraj,

Govinda's father was also an actor of his age..Arun Kumar Ahuja and I remember reading the story of him and Nirmala Devi meeting on the sets of Savera where they were cast opposite each other and they fell in love.

Arun Kumar later produced a movie that was a big flop and then the story of them moving to Virar etc...

What I wanted to know is that the singer in the thread above, Arun Kumar...is he the same person or is this a different Arun Kumar.

Anyway, Thanks this is a wonderful thread......

Amlesh, IMHO, the singer (and composer) Arun Kumar is a different person. His full name is Arunkumar Mukherjee and he was assistant to S D Burman (AFAIR). He composed music for Parineeta for which Geeta Dutt sang a beautiful song "Chaand hain wohin". He sang some songs too.

More knowledgable members can provide greater (and better) details

Cheers
Parag

Parag is quite right - Arun Kumar the singer and MD is different from Arun Ahuja, Govinda's father. AFAIK, Arun Ahuja was only a marginal presence in films, while Arun Kumar has sung quite a few songs and has been MD of films like Samaaj, Parineeta, and Teen Bhai.

Warm regards,
Abhay

just want to add that arun kumar was also a cousin of ashok and kishore kumar[mausera bhai].

arun ahuja was nirmala devi's husband and govinda's father.he played an important role in mehboob's aurat[the same role was played by rajkumar in mother india]

regards,
mahesh

[aryanraj]

Faraj Sahab, really a great thread u have start. it s really very hard to get those singers's songs.

our Senior members have done hard work for these rare songs & u have collected all these songs together in a thread.


Hope this thread will get every member's support