Hemant Dev

Today is a day worth remembering in the annals of the Hindi film industry. September 26 was the day great Dev Anand was born. Tragically, on the same day Hemant Kumar passed away. But there was more to these two personalities than this simple coincidence. Because of their professional collaboration as an actor and playback singer for that actor, a strong bond was established between them. This bond is strong because their songs will stay with us forever.

Here are some other common interesting factors between Dev and Hemantda I gathered from an article from internet.

Apart from the fateful date, Dev and Hemantda share together other similarities between them. Dev started as an actor with a small role before becoming full-fledged hero. Later he turned as a producer. Much later he turned as a director ("Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)"). He even wrote stories ("Prem Pujari (1970)"). He also became a singer ("Mr. Prime Minister (2005)"). Hemantda was initially a non-film singer (most famous for his Tagore songs). Later he started singing in Bengali movies (first movie was "Nimai Sanyas (1941)"). His first Hindi movie in which he sang was in 1944 (for "Iraada"). Then he turned a composer with "Anand Math (1952)", a Hindi film. Later Hemantda became a producer (with "Neel Akasher Neeche (1959)" in Bengali). He also directed a Bengali movie ("Anindita (1971)").

Dev graduated with a degree in English literature. Hemantda was an Engineering student. But before graduating he left the school to pursue music interests. In the meantime he published few stories for a magazine.

Dev had two siblings (Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand). Hemantda also had two brothers. Dev Anand married Kalpana Kartik who was an actress. Hemantda married Bela Mukherjee, who was also a singer in Bengali movies. Dev has two offspring, a son and a daughter. Hemantda also had a son and a daughter. Dev's son Suneil tried and failed as an actor. Hemantda's son Ritesh tried and failed as an actor and his daughter Ranu Mukherjee, a beautiful singer in her own right, sang several songs in Hindi films but could not sustain her career.

Dev tried his luck with English movies. He shelved "Teen Deviyan (1965)" after making a few reels. Burmanda apparently composed two songs for the English version as well. He made "Guide (1965)" in English (with an English director) and released it in theaters. But it was a miserable flop. He also starred in a movie called "Evil Within" produced in Hollywood. But it never saw the daylight. Hemantda scored music for the Merchant-Ivory acclaimed film "The Householder (1963)" in English.

S.D. Burman was the link that established the bond between Dev Anand and Hemant Kumar. SD was kind of a guru for Dev. He was revered by Dev. But Burmanda was not the first one who brought Hemant Kumar to sing for Dev Anand. It was Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. The movie was Navketan's "Aandhiyan (1952)". Khan Saab had Hemantda sing "Woh Chaand Nahin" with Asha Bhosle.

Shankar-Jaikishan recorded a duet with Lata Mangeshkar and Hemant Kumar for "Patita (1953)". Hemantda was singing for Dev. The movie "Ferry (1953)" had music by Hemantda himself. It starred Geeta Bali and Dev Anand. I am aware of at least one song in this movie that Hemantda sang for Dev. There may be more than one. Hemantda also sang a song in "Baadbaan (1954)" the music for which was provided by Timir Baran and S.K. Pal.

Not until 1955 Burmanda utilized the talents of Hemantda sing for Dev. That was for the movie "House No. 44 (1955)". The songs in this movie are memorable and even today rate as some of the top songs ever sung by Hemantda. Ironically "Aandhiyan" and "House No. 44" were the only two movies made by Navketan banner (Dev's own) Hemantda sang for Dev.

Hemantda also sang for other actors under SD, the most notable one being "Jaane Woh Kaise Log The" in "Pyaasa (1957)" for the late great Guru Dutt. In spite of the incredible credentials Hemantda had, because he sang so many songs early in his career for Dev Anand, he was branded as Dev's voice. It was only later on he got to sing for other actors and other music directors.

I could come up with approximately 20 songs Hemantda sang for Dev. Surprisingly only a fraction of the songs sung by either Rafi Saab or Kishore Kumar for Dev. It is amazing by singing only just handful songs Hemantda carried the title that he was Dev's voice.

The 20 songs or so Hemantda sang for Dev had only six different music directors. He sang one for Shankar-Jaikishan in "Patita (1953)", one for Timir Baran & S.K. Pal in "Baadbaan (1954)", one for N. Dutta in "Milap (1955)", one for Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in "Aandhiyan (1952)", and one or more for Hemant Kumar himself in “Ferry (1954)”. Rest of the songs all had music by Burmanda.

I have 18 of these songs I am uploading here. If you know anymore, please upload them for everyone's benefit. Also, I happen to have only one song from "Ferry". This is by Geetaji. If anyone has songs of "Ferry" please upload them. Incidentally this is the only movie starring Dev Anand that Hemantda provided music for.

Now for the details of the songs sung by Hemant Kumar for Dev Anand and the songs themselves ...

Hemant Dev Continued ...

Here are the rest of the songs of Dev Anand & Hemant Kumar combination ...

SP..your writings are always so nice to go through ..not just for mere statistics but the expressions..
It was fascinating to read about Hemant Dev combination. Dev Anand is lucky to have so many singers sing for him...everyone giving the best for him. I too read somewhere that Guide was a joint multi-lingual effort, the partners being Dev Anand and Pearl S Buck, the author of Good Earth. But as you said , midway the partnership fell out and as an outcome, Guide was released in english earlier than the hindi version..and bombed at the box office. But i always believe that the one person who could have gone on to Hollywood on sheer looks had to be Dev Anand. Personally i find him resembling the great Gregory Peck, a favorite of mine. With his lanky build and stooping shoulders, even with his limitations on histrionics...Dev definitely swayed the audience.
I have this one song from Ferry...which am posting here. I got it from a wonderful person, who am sure will have all the songs from that film...So i will request her to post the same here..in due time. Thanks for the beautiful write up..again.


Ho Majhi re Naav badale..
Ferry
Hemant Kumar
Rajender Krishan
mp3, 192 kbps, 3.12 min

Click to view attachment

Thanks Swarapriya Jee!

Some very nice Hemant songs in your upload - had a lot of them and missing a few......never knew that some of them were picturised on Dev Anand....

Kind Regards
Faraaj

swarapriyaji,
i had uploaded songs of ferry twice this year.here is the link-
http://www.hamaraforums.com/index.php?showtopic=50959

will reupload tonight.


regards,
mahesh

Mahesh..thanks a lot for the fast re-upload.

Another excellent topic, great writting and compilation of some of the best songs of the golden era !

Another feather in Swarapriya's cap !

Bravo !

Best Regards
Parag

Swarapriya,

Thinking of Dev Anand and Hemant Kumar, this true evergreen comes to my mind.

Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962)
na tum humein jaano, na hum tumhein jaanen
magar lagtaa hai kuchh aisaa, meraa humdam mil gayaa

Here is the link to song Video

Exon

There must be one other song, "Log Peete Hain" from Film:Faraar(1955), starring Dev and Geeta Bali . I do not remember who the MD is, but.

Venkat

Venkat,

You are right. Are you sure it is from 55 Faraar and not Faraar (1965)?

Exon

Hemant Dev - More Songs ...

Here are some of the missing songs from my original write up. I forgot to include the song from "Baat Ek Raat Ki". Thanks Exon for reminding me about it. Also songs from "Ferry" are uploaded by Maheshji and one of them here by Simplefable. Thanks to both of them.

I have updated the original table with these changes. So, here is the one song I missed in my original write up ...

Thanks for appreciating the write up and the songs. -S

Thanks Faraaj ji. -S

Maheshji,

Thank you very much for the pointer. I have been trying to send you a personal message but not able to do it. Your mailbox may be full or you just don't want to be bothered. If at all possible, please send me a personal message so that I can send you a message. You don't need to answer to this message if you don't want to be bothered.

Thanks,
Swarapriya

Parag, you always have been positive and encouraging about these. Thank you. -S

Thank you very much Exon. I know you will be able to pick up gaps just like that. Cheers. -S

Swarapriya ji thank you so much for the nice tribute to HK and also linking with our Evergreen hero Dev Sahab's birthday too. Wonderful write and track records..

Thanks HumTumji. Cheers. -S

swarpriyaji,
the pm facility is only for ''ANGELS''.i don't have the facility.you can mail me at sagmahesh@yahoo.co.in.


regards,
mahesh

Thanks. Appreciate it. Cheers. -S

venkatji and exonji,

''log peete hain ladkhadate hain'' is from farar[1965] starring anil chatterji and shabnam and had music by hemant kumar.
i had uploaded the songs from this film few months back.here is the link-
http://www.hamaraforums.com/index.php?showtopic=51268

farar[1955] which starred dev anand and geeta bali didn't have any hemant kumar song.
here is the link-
http://www.hamaraforums.com/index.php?showtopic=55626


regards,
mahesh

Mahesh Ji,

You seem to be absolutely right.

I stand corrected in utmost humility.

Venkat