RATNA RAJAIAH writes...


IT'S NOW 40 years since that unforgettable song "Yeh kaisi ajab dastaan ho gayee hai" from the film "Rustom-E-Sohrab" first hit the charts and yet, though I haven't even seen the film, I can recall the song clearly. It's a funny thing. Think of the legendary singers in Hindi films or of its heroines and Suraiya's name probably won't be among the first to pop into your head. And yet, mention her name, and suddenly the songs came tumbling out, the tunes and the lyrics as crystal clear as if you heard them just yesterday.
And as the songs play inside your head, you begin to see an unforgettable face; sultry yet sweet, the eyes heavy-lidded but not so much with seduction as the weight of girlish dreams and desires, waiting to be fulfilled; the mouth full, almost pouting but with a soft, untouched innocence. The face matches the voice — reminding you of honey; sweet and heavy and golden but with the undertone of something incredibly lilting and light. And in this case, they both belonged to the same person. An occurrence so rare and so dazzling that in 1941, when the12-year old Suraiya Jamal Sheikh appeared and sang as the young Mumtaz Mahal in the film "Taj Mahal", her path to stardom was already being paved. Her debut as a singing heroine was two years later in 1943 in Bombay Talkies' "Hamari Baat" and the very next year, she had her first hit - K. Asif's "Phool" with the glorious music of Ghulam Haider and very soon Suraiya was the talk of the town. Her only competition at the time was the gorgeous Noor Jehan with whom Suraiya shared many things. They were both born in 1929, both had childhoods in or near Lahore and both had voices to match their lovely faces. And both were just 17, when they starred together in Mehboob Khan's "Anmol Ghadi" (1946). Suraiya, despite playing second lead to Noor Jehan who got the plum compositions from Naushad's baton like "Jawaan Hai Mohabbat, Aa Ja Meri Barbad Mohabbat ke Sahare" and "Mere Bachpan ke Saathi", held her own with the songs like evergreen "Socha Tha Kya, Kya ho gaya, Main Dil Mein Dard Basa La Aayee" and "Man Leta Hai".



........Many, many years ago, somewhere in a little town in coastal Karnataka, inside a darkened rickety tent that passed of as a theatre, two little girls sat riveted on the char-anna benches, mouths hanging open ever so slightly and eyes staring wide with mesmerised delight at a flickering screen where a heavy-lidded, doe-eyed, heroine dreamily warbled at the moon, titling her head this way and that to the music, as her white teeth peeping through her full lips caught the moonlight and her thick black glossy hair gleamed as langourously as her voice. The song was "Tu Mera Chand Mein Teri Chandini", the film "Dillagi".
Ah yes, the two little girls...
One of them was my mother, whose eyes a whole 54 years later still transform into the same happily shining ones of that little girl as she tells me about the magic called Suraiya.

Film - Dard
Lyrics - Shakeel Badayyuuni Sahab
MD - Naushad

Dil Dhadke Aankh Mori Phadke

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USR

Thanks USR Ji for the nice article on Suaraiyya.

Mirsa Ji, in return pl accept my thanks also for the appreciation.

Ok, let's continue...

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Suraiya, born in 1929, began her career by doing children's radio programmes for All India Radio (AIR) along with Raj Kapoor who used to teasingly call her Kallu. A dark plain girl, neither a classic beauty nor trained in classical music, a few would have predicted that Suraiya would one day become the country's reigning superstar. Her songs like 'Woh Paas Rahe Ya Door Rahe, Tere Naino Ne Chori Kiya, Tu Mere Chaand Main Teri Chaandni and Manmor Hua Matwala' created hysteria.

She was fortunate to star opposite the legendary K.L. Saigal in three of his later films -
Tadbir (1945),
Omar Khaiyam (1946) &
Parwana (1947).

Film 'Parwana' remembered for her haunting rendition of -

Jab Tumhi Nahin Apne

Lyrics - D.N.Madhok Sahab
MD - Khurshid anwar
Year - 1947

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USR

Thanks.

Binod.

Thanks USR Ji.


Light classical touch here in :
Jhan jhananan jhan jhananan baaje dil ka sitaar
Film: Shakti (1948)
Singer: Suraiyya
Lyrics: Asad Jafry
Music: Ramprasad & Azim Beg
File: MP3/128 kbps/3.16 minutes

Thanks Mohd Bhai.

Binod.

Mirsa Ji,

Nice upload !!!
Pl share more gems.

USR

Friends,

She was very fond of "Biryani" dish. She had a craze for ornaments. Her selection and collection of jewelry was unique. Even while going to bed, she often continues to wear them.
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Mehboob Khan's blockbuster Anmol Ghadi (1946) made Suraiya a draw in her own right despite the fact that she was only the second lead in the film. Suraiya played a rich girl who loves Surendra while he pines for Noorjehan. If Noorjehan had four fabulous Naushad songs in the film (including Awaaz de kahan hain), Suraiya had a winner in Socha tha kya, kya ho gaya.
Nadira, who later costarred with Suraiya in Waris, says, "My father went repeatedly to the theatre to watch Suraiya sing 'Socha tha kya'. He would walk out the moment the song ended."

She had earlier played opposite dancer Mumtaaz Ali, in the Devika Rani - Jainaj starrer 'Hamari Baat', a second lead to Noorjehan in Anmol Ghadi and Munnawa Sultana in 'Dard'

Dharmendra, a great fan of this superstar remembers having walked miles to see 'Dillagi' 40 times!

In the 48'-49' phase with three hits in a row 'Pyar Ki Jeet', 'Badi Bahen', and 'Dillagi' she became the higest paid female star.

Friends, just to recall glory of these above mentioned films, uploading 1 song from each film....
[Beautiful tunes equally rendered by Her Majesty-Suraiya]


Film -Pyar Ki Jeet
Lyrics - Qamar Jalalabadi
MD - Hushanlal Bhagatram
Year - 1948
128 kbps

Na Tadfane Ki Izaazat Hai,
Na Faryaad Ki Hai
Ghuut Ke Mar Jaauun Ye Marzi Mere Saiyyad Ki Hai

Koii Duniya Main Hamari Tereh Barbaad Na Ho
Dil To Rota Ho Magar Honthon Par Fariyaad Na Ho

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*****

Film - Badi Behan
Lyrics- Rajinder Krishna Sahab
MD - Hushanlal Bhagatram
Year - 1949
128 kbps

Dil Tere Aane Se Pehale Bhii Yuun Hii Barabaad Thaa
Aur Yuun Hii Barabaad Hai Tere Chale Jaane Ke Baad

O Likhanewale Ne
Likh Di Meri Taqdeer Main Barbadi.

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*****

Film - Dillagi
Lyrics-Shakil Badaayyuni Sahab
MD -Naushad Ali Sahab

Nirala Mohabbat Ka Dastuur Dekha
Vafaa Karnewalon Ko Majbuur Dekha
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Enjoy

USR

Thanks USR.

Binod.