Legendary playback singer Shamshad
Begum, who mesmerised music lovers with classics like Kahin
Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishaana, Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon,
Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar and Kajra Mohabbat Wala, died at her
Mumbai residence from age related ailments. She was 94. (Read: Shamshad Begum: A song in her heart )
"She was not keeping well for past few months and was
in and out of hospital. She passed away last night at our home
(Powai in northeast Mumbai). The funeral was a solemn affair
with a few friends present," Shamshad Begum's daughter Usha Ratra told
PTI.
"She kept herself away from glamour of the industry
despite being one of the top singers of her era as she did not
like limelight. My mother used to say that artistes never die.
She wanted to be remembered for her songs," Usha added.
The singer was living with her daughter and son-in-law
Yog Ratra in Mumbai, ever since her husband Ganpat Lal Batto
died in 1955.
Born on April 14, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab in a
traditional family, Begum made her debut on Peshawar Radio in
Lahore on December 16, 1947, captivating the hearts of her
listeners with her enchanting voice. (Read: Six things you didn't know about Shamshad Begum)
A versatile singer, Shamshad Begum enthralled millions with her
songs in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi.
She sang for almost all the top composers of her time
including Ghulam Haider, Naushad and O P Nayyar.
Her major hits include Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe
Nishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar
(CID-1956), Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re (Bahar-1951) and Chod
Babul Ka Ghar (Babul-1950) and Kajra Mohabbat Wala
(Kismat-1968).
Singing was a passion for Shamshad Begum from a very early age but
her conservative family did not encourage her at that time. It
was her paternal uncle who convinced her father to allow her
to sing.
(Pics: The greatest hits of Shamshad Begum)
She soon had a contract with record company Xenophone.
Her father agreed to let her sing on the condition that she
would attend the recordings in a burkha and would not get
herself photographed.
Shamshad Begum continued to honour her father's wishes even after
getting married to Ganpat Lal Batto at the age of 15 in 1934.
Shamshad Begum recorded many songs under the guidance of ustad
Ghulam Haider. She started playback singing with Dalsukh
Pancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat which had music by Haider.
Pancholi's first Hindi film Khazanchi had all the songs in Shamshad
Begum's voice.
Haider continued to mentor the budding singer by
recording her voice for films like Zamindar, Poonji and
Shama. He brought Begum to Mumbai as part of his team.
She also sang for All India Radio as part of Delhi's
Crown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts. Her
songs were frequently aired on AIR Lahore.
A movie buff, Shamshad Begum was a huge fan of K L Saigal and said
that she had watched his Devdas 14 times.
Enchanted by her voice, director Mehboob Khan used
Begum's voice in Taqdeer (1943) where he introduced Nargis
as a heroine.
Soon Shamshad Begum was singing for other composers like Rafiq
Ghaznavi, Ameer Ali, Pt Gobindram, Pt Amarnath, Bulo C Rani,
Rashid Atre, M A Mukhtar in the pre-independence era.
After partition, Haider migrated to Pakistan but Begum
remained in Mumbai.
Composer Naushad used Shamshad Begum's voice in films like Anokhi
Ada, Mela, Dulari, Babul, Deedar, Jadoo, Aan and
Mother India.
It was a time when Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle were
emerging as the new voices in cinema but Begum continued to
hold sway.
Her famous duets in this period are Darr Na Mohabbat Kar
Le in Andaz, Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena from Deedar
and the famous qawali Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat from
Mughal-e-Azam, her last for Naushad.
The singer also recorded many songs with O P Nayyar and
she sang some of her most popular numbers under Nayyar's
direction.
Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from Aar Paar, Ab To Jee Hone
Laga from Mr and Mrs 55, Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe
Nishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar
from CID are popular and remixed even today. Shamshad Begum sang
these numbers under OP Nayyar's music direction.
Under Nayyar, Begum recorded songs in Musafir Khana,
Shrimati 420, Howrah Bridge, Naya Daur and Kismat.
Shamshad Begum is credited with singing the first westernised
number Aana Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday for film Shehnai
under C Ramchandra, who utilised the mischief in her voice for
fun numbers like Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon for film Patang.
Shamshad Begum's talent was first spotted by her principal when
she was in primary school. Impressed by the quality of her
voice, she was made head singer of classroom prayer.
At 10, she started singing folk based songs in religious
functions and family marriages.
In her twilight years, Shamshad Begum was confined to a
wheelchair. She was conferred Padma Bhushan award in 2009.
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