Discovering Geeta Dutt, A Discussion thread with style.... Options

[parag_sankla]

Hi
Thanks for posting this article. One of my favorites by her is 'Suno gajar kay gaaye' from 'Baazi'. Harjinder

Harjinder ji

Looks like the writer of this article has made special attempt not to focus too much on her songs from Guru Dutt films.

Parag

[parag_sankla]

Part-2

She was questioning herself "Aye dil mujhe bataa de tu kis pe aa gaya hain?" and was teasing her friends in the song "Ankhiyan bhool gayi hain sona". There was mischief of a 16 year old girl in the song "Chanda khele ankh michauli badali se nadi kinaare, dulhan khele phagan holi" and there was an experienced senior's advice in the song "Tora manawa kyoun ghabarayein re". The lady who sang "Mera sundar sapna beet gaya" was a dancing queen in the song "Merra naam chin chin chu". About the same time she was singing romantic tune of "Kal raat piya ne baat kahin kuchh aisi, matawala bhanwara kahein kali se jaisi"

Talking of duets, on one hand there was a practical complaint of "Kal saajana milnaa yahan, hain tamaam kaam dhaam re, aaj naa aaj naa" and on the other hand a super romantic song "Tumse hi meri zindagi meri bahaar tum" was being sung. Along with the soulful tune of "Armaan bhare dil ki lagan tere liye hain", she was pleading not to come in her thoughts through the song "Khayalon mein kisike isi tarahein aaya nahin karate". A true blue romantic song "Raat hain armaan bhari aur kya suhani raat hain, aaj bichhade dil mile hain tera mera saath hain" had a companion in the song "Aan milo aan milo shyam sanware, Brij mein akeli raadhe khoyi khoyi phire" which was drenched in the love of Lord Krishna and his lover Radha.

[parag_sankla]

Part-3

Along with the modern and mystical thoughts of "Mera dil jo mera hota, palakon pe pakad leti", there were beautiful poetic thoughts of "Dharati se door gore badalon ke paar aaja, aaja basale naya sansaar". There was a teasing "Miya mera bada beimaan, meri nikali re kismat khoti" and there was sublime happiness in "Mujhko tum joh mile, yeh jahan mil gaya". There was this sensuous song "Mose chanchal jawani sambhali nahin jaayein" for a young girl and there was a song for the mother who was blessing her child with "Mere munne re, seedhi raah pe chalna, jug jug tak phoolna phalna". She was asking her lover "Raja mohe le chal tu dilli ki sair ko" and then there was another naughty lover complaining "Luckhnow chalo ab raani, bambai ka bigadaa paani". She was dancing with her friends in "Chalo paniya bharanko patali kamariyape chhalake gagariyaa ho" and going to the river to fetch water, and there was sadness in "Baabul ka more aangan chhuta, chhuti re mori sakhiyaan" when the heroine was going to her husband's place after the marriage.

She was learning to whistle with the hero and was singing "Sun sun sun sun zalima" and also singing the folk tune of "Nadiya kinaare mora deraa mashaal jale saari ratiyaan".

There were modern (contemporary) feelings in the (non-film) song "Gaaye gaaye gaaye, hum naye taraane gaayein" and also had the sweetness of Radha's call to Lord Krishna in (another non-film song) "Jamuna ke teer kanhaa aao, ro ro pukaare raadha". (In another non-film song)"Haule haule, haayein dole.." there was magic of Bengal and in "Ud pud jaaniya" there was earthly feelings of the land of Punjab. She was singing "Aamar shonar bangla desh" in Bengali in a Hindi film song ("Uttar mein hain khada himalay" from Pyar ki Pyaas) and was singing a Hindi song "Tere liye aaya hain leke koi dil" in a Bengali film.

On the rhythm of "Taalion naa taale" (in Gujrati) she was making one perform the traditional Garba dance and was praying Lord Ganesha with "Ganapati bapaa moraya, pudhalya warshi laukar yaa" in Marathi. She sang songs for a Nepali film made by Mala Sinha and also sang songs in Bhojpuri like "Jaan laike hatheli pe chal bain, zamane se naa dar bain raam".

[parag_sankla]

Since this is a discussion thread, here is a link to an excellent article discussing some fine songs of Geeta ji by Ritu Chandra

http://rituswanderlust.blogspot.com/2008/0...geeta-dutt.html

Ritu ji is associated with the website on S D Burman sahab.

She was the one who guided and helped us during the making of our site www.geetadutt.com

[parag_sankla]

Part-4

The loving mother was singing "Nanhee kali sone chali, hawa dheere aana" and a dancer was singing "Maane na maane maane na, tere bin mora jiya naa mane". Goddess Parvati was singing in her voice "Gun gun gun Gun gun gun Gun gun gun gunjan karata bhanvra, tum kaun sandesaa laaye" and she was singing for a club dancer "Ek naya tarana ek naya phasana ek nayee kahanee hu main, ek rang rangeeli ek chhail chhabilee madmast jawani hoon main". She had become a peahen and was singing "Aaja chhaye kaare badara" and was encoraging by singing "Aaj nahin toh kal, bikharenge yeh baadal, oh raat ke bhoole hue musafir subah hui ghar chal ab ghar chal re"

She was making you dance on a highly westernized tune like "Mujhe huzoor tumse pyar hain, tumhi pe zindagi nissar hain" and was melody at her best in the Indian classical based "Mere nainon mein preet mere hothon pe geet mere sapnon mein tum hi samaaye". She used to sing songs of such different genres and of vast range that the listener will be amazed. She sang "Kabhi akad kar baat na karna humse are mawali" and then with the same composer singer she sang "Jai jagdeesh hare" and made it an immortal song. With the legendary Mohd Rafi she has sung such sweet and melodious songs that they are very enjoyable and memorable. For the film Musafirkhana she sang "Achha ji maaf kar do, thodaa insaaf kar do" and then with him sang soft and dreamy duet like "Chupke se mile pyaase pyaase". For the children birthday party occassion she sang a very nice song " Pom pom pom baja bole, dholak dhin dhin dhin, ghadi ghadi yeh khushiyaan aaye, baar baar yeh din"

[parag_sankla]

http://rituswanderlust.blogspot.com/2008/0...geeta-dutt.html


List : The Definitive Geeta Dutt


It is difficult, almost unsettling to think of Geeta Dutt as a shriveled septuagenarian(what she would have been if she were alive). Time stopped aging her voice long before she actually passed away in 1972. Even today her voice represents a youthful joie-de-vivre that can lift anyone out of the bluest of blue moods. Her sad songs have an aching vulnerability that makes one want to weep for her and with her. And her richly-layered bhajans are strangely soothing. No other singer could traverse such a complex range of emotions with the ease and spontaneity that Geeta Dutt did. In addition to the richness in expression, her was voice was rich in tonal quality, robust and sweet quite like a juicy Dasheheri mango!


Despite all these qualities, today she is merely an also ran in the history of Indian film music. Slotted early in her career as a 'club song' singer, Geeta unfortunately got stuck in the very mould that she created for herself with such blazing individuality. Couple this with her own battles with the bottle, failing marriage to film-maker Guru Dutt and a lacklustre approach to her career, Geeta Dutt faded away, much before her times.

Yet, her small repertoire is dazzling to say the least. Here is an attempt to hand-pick ten celebrated songs that can define the magic of Geeta Dutt. This list more than amply strengthens the belief that God sends all good things in limited editions.


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1. Tadbeer se Bigdi hui Taqdeer Banale (Film : Baazi(1951); Composer: SD Burman; Lyrics : Sahir Ludhianvi) The seductive and persuasive strains of the guitar, SD Burman's path-breaking western treatment of Sahir Ludhianvi's ghazal, Geeta Bali's energetic screen presence and Geeta Dutt's vibrant singing, the dice had no option but to roll in favour of this 'Baazi'.

Baazi is a milestone film in Hindi film history, it was a career defining film for most of the artists associated with it. Burmanda, Geeta's mentor who gave her the big break with 'Mera sundar sapna beet gaya', gave her singing a new facet, by tapping the latent sensuality in her voice for this song. 'Tadbeer se Bigdi' was the greatest attraction of Baazi and the audience went to see the film in repeat mode to witness the magic of the two Geetas.

This moment of glory was ironically, also the beginning of the end for Geeta Dutt. Professionally her super success with the 'club song' genre saw her being typecast into the mould of which she became a prisoner in her later years, so much so that even SD Burman summoned her services for many films (like Nau Do Gyarah) purely for this genre. It was also during the recording of this song that she met Guru Dutt, her future husband and director of the film. It is now the stuff of filmi lore that it was Geeta Dutt's tempestuous marriage that drove her onto the one-way road to self-destruction.

2. Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata (Film : Mr and Mrs 55(1955); Composer: OP Nayyer; Lyrics : Majrooh Sultanpuri) Raju Bharatan, the much maligned film music critic, summed up the effect of Geeta Dutt's voice in a rare moment of clarity- "'Geeta Dutt was thandi hawa and kaali ghata rolled into one. The moment she came, you got the refreshing feeling of aa hi gayi jhoom ke. There was a rare swing in her voice. She hit you like a thunderclap"
What more can one say to recommend the joie-de-vivre in this song other than to say that the effect on yours truly is without fail '....naache jiya ghoom ke' .


3. Aaj Sajan Mohe Ang Lagalo (Film : Pyaasa(1957); Composer: SD Burman; Lyrics : Sahir Ludhianvi) Guru Dutt's innovative idea of using a vaishnav bhajan to depict the purity of the romantic situation in the film, was ably supported by his wife's singing. Geeta brings a very human yearning to her rendition and yet keeps it sublime and other worldly like a true bhajan. Geeta Dutt's interpretation of bhajans was very distinctive. Whether it is 'Tora manwa kyon ghabraaye' or 'Na mein dhan chahun' or our chosen 'Aaj sajan mohe ang lagalo', she blends the sensual with the sublime seamlessly. This is true to the sufi tradition whose texts abound in erotica that couples with spiritual fervour. It can be argued that if Meerabai made a time-travel trip to the 50s and 60s she would have sung in the voice of Geeta Dutt!


4. Ankhiyan Bhool Gayi Hain Sona (Film : Goonj Uthi Shehnai(1959); Composer: Vasant Desai; Lyrics : Bharat Vyas) The classic Geeta chutzpah brims over in this duet with Lata Mangeshkar. The coy and docile heroine being teased mercilessly (or praised to the heavens) by a bunch of giggling sahelis is one the staple daal-roti situations done to death in hindi film songs. Yet, Geeta's sweet and wicked take of the situation makes this song a standout. Note the way she sings 'Sona' in the first line. This song also represents the female-female genre of songs of which Geeta has many memorable examples like Bachpan ke din, Jaanu Jaanu Ri, Thandi Thandi Hawa , under her belt.


5. Koi Chupke Se Aake (Film : Anubhav(1971); Composer: Kanu Roy; Lyrics : Kapil Kumar) The soft, romantic type of songs flowered in Geeta's melodious and expressive voice. The most compelling example from that genre is undoubtedly the dreamy slow waltz of Mujhko tum jo mile with Hemant Kumar. Hemantda's rich bartitone and Geeta's tinkling bell-like tonal quality complimented each other beautifully and together they spun a web of swooning romance in many songs such as this one, Ghumsum sa yeh jahan etc.. But since we are keeping off the rare song route, here is the song from the 'Golden Collection' kind of fare. The film is Anubhav, Geeta's last film, the composer, her brother and the poet Kapil Kumar (yes, you heard it right, it is not Gulzar). Geeta's singing in Anubhav demonstrates how much she still had to offer even at the fag-end of her life. In the chosen song, she is soft, teasing, whimsical, romantic all at once and the ever so slight tinge of pathos in her voice highlights the enigma that was Geeta Dutt.

6. Babuji Dheere Chalna (Film : Aar Paar(1954); Composer: OP Nayyer; Lyrics : Majrooh Sultanpuri) The slow and sensual club song is Geeta's comfort zone. She could sleep-walk through those kind of songs. Yet, this one stands out for hitting all the right notes at once. The measured sensuality, a hint of vibrancy, a slight edge in the voice and a full throated bass-heavy tone all combine to make this OP Nayyer composition into a classic club song. OP Nayyer composed a slew of such songs for Geeta and later Asha Bhosle. Aayie meherban could be considered the successor to his body of work with Geeta.

7. Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo (Film : Howarah Bridge(1958); Composer: OP Nayyer; Lyrics : Qamar Jalalabadi) This irrepressible upper is arguably Geeta's signature song. The swing in her voice can get even the most languid of people out there up and jiving. It is high energy, peppy and brimming with the joie-de-vivre that is the quintessential Geeta Dutt.

8. Nanhi Kali Sone Chali (Film : Sujata(1959); Composer: SD Burman; Lyrics : Majrooh Sultanpuri) From the seductive to the soothing - the transition is as smooth as butter. The synergy of the Majrooh-SD Burman combination and the nurturing vocals of Geeta Dutt make this lullaby from Sujata as one of the most memorable loris created for Hindi films.

9. Waqt Ne Kiya (Film : Kagaz Ke Phool(1959); Composer: SD Burman; Lyrics : Kaifi Azmi)A brooding film-maker, his honey voiced wife, the beautiful actress and the inextricable mess of their liason - Life was a pre-scripted tragedy for the Dutt couple. Kagaz Ke Phool was Guru Dutt's semi-autobiographical magnum opus that immortalised his personal situation. Kaifi Azmi's lyrics are poignant, SD Burman's tune wistful, but it is Geeta's singing that stirs up the storm of emotions. The aches with nostalgia. The travesty of time and the indelible stain that it leaves on the soul is universal. Rare is the person who looks back at his life and does not wistfully discover.... 'hum rahe na hum' . Yet the interesting thing is that this song was not concieved to be this way. In reality it was written as an ode to the complete union of two souls. So complete is this union that the signs of their individual personalities have all but vanished. Tum bhi kho gaye, hum bhi kho gaye, ek rah par chal ke do quadam. The song is not about the irony of loss but the irony of a union!




10. Na Jao Saiyan (Film : Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam(1962); Composer: Hemant Kumar; Lyrics : Shakeel Badayuni)
The character of Chhoti Bahu in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is undoubtedly one of the greatest written for mainstream Indian cinema. Meena Kumari immortalised the tragic Chhoti Bahu with a stellar performance. Anguish, devotion, desire, self-disgust, rebellion and a repressed sexuality every little facet that constituted the complex character of Chhoti Bahu comes to life in this song. When Geeta Dutt poignantly mentioned (in her jaimala program) that this song represented her own emotions rather than that of the film's character, Chhoti Bahu, Meena Kumari and she all fused into the same person. This song is a fitting finale to the list.

[parag_sankla]

Part-5

It has been more than 35 years since Geeta has left us. Actually by mid fifties itself she was slowly moving away from the film world due to some reason or other. In today's world, when people may not like to listen to even recently made songs, why some one would like to give a hearing to songs which were probably made even before they (the listeners) were born. The simple fact is that in these songs (of Geeta Dutt) there is a warmth, a sweetness and a personality which has sung every song in her own style. Be it the heroine, side heroine, vamp, club-dancer or a beggar on the street, she sang songs for each of these characters in different moods and styles. The song "Naache ghoda naache ghoda kimmat iski bees hazar main bech rahin hoon beech bazaar" was made more than sixty years from now, but is still an evergreen song. When one listens to the song "Aaj ki kaali ghata" you get a feeling as if black clouds have arrived in the sky.

Two songs ("Kabutar aaja re" and "Jhanan jhanan jhanawaa more bichhua jhanan baje re") filmed on the young and innocent girl Bhanumati are so sweet that one longs to listen them over and over again. The composition of lyricist Sahir sahab for the film Jaal ("Jor lagake haiyya, pair jamaake haiyya") is remembered even today when people gather to do some heavy work. She gave response to "Sun sun madrasi chhori ke tere liye dil jalta" with "chal hat re panjabi chhore ke tu mera kyaa lagataa?". Songs of variety of types, filmed on various artists, composed by a wide range of composers and penned by variety lyricists and sung with many co-singers; but Geeta had her own style and individuality. Some one said that her voice had sweetness of honey and sting of a bee. Some one said she was Thandi hawa and Kaali ghata rolled into one. Some one said she used sing from the heart not from her throat.

[bawlachintu]

Post withdrawn

This post has been edited by bawlachintu: Apr 29 2009, 10:16 AM

[hildebrand]

Yes, author has concentrated on his favourite Geeta Dutt only, without getting distracted by the composers. That has yielded a very excellent article.

[parag_sankla]

One small issue with a line in the article: The song "Aa ja ri nindiya aaja" was sung by Geeta ji and Parul Ghosh (probably their only duet) and not by Kanan Bala as mentioned in the article.

[parag_sankla]

Ameerbai Karnataki
Parul Ghosh
Kanan Devi
Rajkumari
Johrajaan Ambalawali
Suman Hemadi/Kalyanpur
Surindar Kaur
Mubarak Beghum
Meena Kapoor
Sulochana Kadam
Uma Devi
Paro
Hameeda Bano
Jagjit Kaur
Madhubala Zaveri
Pushpa Hans
Sandhya Mukherjee
Mohantara Talapade
Lalita Deulkar
Nirmala Devi

No, this is not the list of co-singers of Geeta ji. This is the list of singers whose careers virtually came to an abrupt end/did not take off much by early to mid-fifties. Practically every composer wanted to compose all of his songs for just one singer (who by grace of Goddess Saraswati had a very thin and sweet voice). It was not that each and every composition needed the elasticity and skills of that voice, but overnight all the other singers were struggling to get a song, forget about getting hit songs. The career of the only famous singer actress like Suraiya too was on the decline. In this period, only two singers : Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Beghum survived the onslaught to a certain extent. The success of Geeta ji needs to be seen in this context. With one sister having conquered everything and the other sister fast catching up, it must have taken great courage and self-confidence on Geeta ji and Shamshad ji's part.

This post has been edited by parag_sankla: Apr 14 2009, 11:27 AM

[parag_sankla]

IMHO, the above angle is rarely discussed on places like HF or even RMIM.

I would say most of the music lovers (including yours truly before joining HF) would not even be aware about the fact that Geeta ji was indeed the number 1 female playback singer from 1947 to about 1949-1950. Lata ji took this position with the super success of Mahal, Barasat and Andaaz and since then there was no looking back for her. The period 1951 to 1962 (the most prolific career of Geeta ji after 1950) must have been truly challenging for Geeta ji.

This post has been edited by parag_sankla: Apr 14 2009, 07:46 PM

[hildebrand]

Ameerbai Karnataki
Parul Ghosh
Kanan Devi
Rajkumari
Johrajaan Ambalawali
Suman Hemadi/Kalyanpur
Surindar Kaur
Mubarak Beghum
Meena Kapoor
Sulochana Kadam
Uma Devi
Paro
Hameeda Bano
Jagjit Kaur
Madhubala Zaveri
Pushpa Hans
Sandhya Mukherjee
Mohantara Talapade
Lalita Deulkar
Nirmala Devi

No, this is not the list of co-singers of Geeta ji. This is the list of singers whose careers virtually came to an abrupt end/did not take off much by early to mid-fifties. Practically every composer wanted to compose all of his songs for just one singer (who by grace of Goddess Saraswati had a very thin and sweet voice). It was not that each and every composition needed the elasticity and skills of that voice, but overnight all the other singers were struggling to get a song, forget about getting hit songs. The career of the only famous singer actress like Suraiya too was on the decline. In this period, only two singers : Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Beghum survived the onslaught to a certain extent. The success of Geeta ji needs to be seen in this context. With one sister having conquered everything and the other sister fast catching up, it must have taken great courage and self-confidence on Geeta ji and Shamshad ji's part.

It didn't take great courage and self confidence.
They call it great talent. Their songs could not be ignored since they were of a different type which only god can give. Its difficult to edge out god's gift.
Only politics could get them out which took over a decade of arm twisting, lies, deceit, rumours and a help from the tragedies of their lives.
Please pardon my french.

As for some of the others domesticity affected them a bit since they migrated from Bombay. Kanan Devi of course was a singing star and stopped working before the 50s. She had switched to production later. Her voice was better than some of the others definitely but she was never in this "race". Paro case is also similar.

This post has been edited by hildebrand: Apr 15 2009, 03:08 AM

[parag_sankla]

Of course immense talent was the key to the survival of Shamshad ji and Geeta ji. No doubt about that. I personally do not know the details about each and every singer in the list above. It is possible that a few of them opted out on their own, but majority of them did not get any major opportunities coming their way.

Some were used as a replacement when a particular composer had a tiff with the famous singer. A very melodious and extremely popular song was supposed to be sung by the famous singer but went to this other singer who put all her soul into it. That is how the evergreen song "Kabhi tanhayiyon mein yu hamari yaad aayegi" was rendered in the sweet voice of Mubarak Beghum. A song for which she will be remembered till Hindi film music is alive.

[parag_sankla]

Part-6

She sang bhajans of Saint Meerabai and Saint Kabeer with great feelings and devotion at the age of just 20 years and also sang a fun-filled song like "Dil ki umange hain jawan". (In this song she has actually spoken a few words too which are a must listen!). She sang "Jawaniya nigodi yeh sataye, ghunghat mora khul khul jaaye" and then for the same film she sang "Ab kaun sunega haye re dukhe dil ki kahani". She has sung so many songs which appeal the listener right in the first time. She sang the song "Bujho bujho aye dil walon kaun sa taraa chand ko pyara" in the same style as that of the legendary composer Pankaj Mullick.

Whether she was singing a solo song or just a few words in a song, she used to leave her impression for sure. There is a duet song "Picnic mein tik tik karati aayi maston ki toli" where Manna Dey and the chorus singers get to sing most of the part and Geeta Dutt sings just one or two lines. Listen to this one and see the sweetness in her voice. Similar is the case with the superhit song "Aye dil hain mushkil jeena yahan" which she sang with the great singer Mohd Rafi. She sings just a few lines at the end of the song. The way she sings "Dadagiri nahin chalne ki yahan" truly makes this song memorable. Another example is a lullaby song "Aa jaa ri nindiyaa" which she sings with Parul Ghosh. Geeta sings just the first 2 lines of the song which are so sweet and melodious.