Sd Burman Hindi Songs Free Download
Guest article by Arunkumar Deshmukh ( The Living Encyclopaedia, Arunji, needs no introduction to the readers of SoY or other music related blogs. His first guest article in the series on was on Hindi-Marathi, naturally. When I was struggling to look for someone to write on Hindi-Kannada, Arunji surprised me by doing the. Telugu is one of the many languages he is proficient in. So it was only a matter of time that he would write on it. With this, all the four South Indian languages are covered – Venkataramanji and Anuradha Warrier having already done guest articles on Tamil and Malayalam respectively.
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The series conceptualised by Mr Ashok M Vaishnav has grown way beyond what he may have thought initially. Arunji is known for the depth of his research and capacity for great detail. I thank him, as also Priya Laxmiji, Ambrish Sundaramji and Sudhirji, who have helped him in his endeavour.
– AK) I had the advantage of being born in a multi-language state like Hyderabad. It was a composite state of 8 Telugu speaking districts (which have now become Telangana state), 5 districts of Marathi speakers and 3 districts of Kannadigas. Hyderabad being the Capital city, people from all sectors had settled here. I had many Telugu and Kannada friends. I picked up these two languages easily as a child. Urdu was the medium of instruction till the 5th standard and Marathi was my mother tongue, while Hindi was the language of communication.
No wonder I became a multi-language person, with English (and now Gujarati) to boot! Obsessed with films, I had no qualms of seeing any language film, be it Hindi, Telugu or Kannada or even English or Marathi. I remember in those days, especially in the 50s, we used to find out which films are remakes of other languages. To our surprise we found many such films and similar songs too in Hindi, Telugu and Kannada. Amongst the South Indian languages, Tamil and Telugu are the elder sisters, next comes Kannada and then Malayalam. The first Talkie film in South was Bhakta Prahlad – a Telugu film which was released on 15-9-1931 (within 6 months of India’s First talkie – Alam Ara, released on 14-3-1931) and then came the Tamil film, Kalidasa, released on.
In both these films, Shri Hanumanth Munjappa Reddy (H.M.Reddy) had a major role to play. He was an associate of Ardeshir Irani, Producer of Alam Ara, in his Imperial Film co. When Alam Ara was completed, H M Reddy decided to make a Talkie film in Telugu on the same sets. He discussed it with Irani and left for Andhra – his native land. He gathered the entire star cast of a popular drama “ Bhakta Prahlad” and brought them to Bombay. The main actors were M.
Subbiah as Hiranyakashyapu and S.Kamalabai as Leelavathy. The direction was by H.M.Reddy. He completed shooting, editing etc and the First Talkie film in Telugu was released in Crown theatre in Kakinada, Maruthi in Vijayawada, Gaiety in Madras city and Minerva in Machlipatnam (Bandar). ( Note: The thumbnail in this post is the handbill of ‘Bhakta Prahlad’.) Interestingly, Reddy was also the director of the First Tamil Talkie, Kalidasa (producer was Ardeshir Irani), made at Bombay. Both films had Telugu,Tamil and Hindi actors.
The Tamil Talkie was released in Madras city on. Thus, both Tamil and Telugu Talkie films had their beginnings at Bombay! Prasad, who later became a big producer/Director in South, had acted in all the three films – Alam Ara, Bhakta Prahlad and K alidasa. The trend soon picked up and director C.Pulliah, with hero, P.Subba Rao, and heroine, Sriranjani (Sr.), made Telugu’s first blockbuster, Lav Kush, in 1934.
People rushed to see the film in their bullock carts, coming from nearby villages. Very soon Telugu producers tried to make films on social issues and in 1936, Prem Vijayam was released. Directed by K. Nageshwar Rao, it was followed by ‘ Malapilla (1938) and Rythubidda (1939). During the Second World War, limit on the raw film allowed was reduced from 20,000+ feet to only 11,000 feet. From the beginning, Telugu film producers were following the trends of Hindi films made at Bombay and Calcutta and in the early era too, some remakes were made. However, it was only after 1947 that the exchange between Telugu and Hindi films increased.
The South was always attracted to Bombay rather than Calcutta. According to an expert, the East was very staunch about their regional pride and communication was always a problem in Bengal, whereas Bombay was open to anything and everything and was more cosmopolitan. In any case, Calcutta disappeared from the horizon of Hindi films by the 50s and then it was only Bombay to look up to. A few films like Chandralekha (1948) were made in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Then it became a trend, borrowing freely from Hindi tunes. But sometimes even the Tamil/Telugu tunes were also copied in Hindi films.
Later, making films in 2-3 languages diminished and gave way to making remakes in respective places. Thus Hindi remakes of Telugu films were made in Bombay and Telugu remakes of Hindi films were made in South. Similarly, the tunes were also exchanged freely. Popular songs were copied in Telugu (not necessarily in remakes only) to cash in on the popularity.
In those days Hindi films were shown freely in South, without any problems. From 1948 to present times hundreds of song tunes were exchanged between Telugu and Hindi. Hundreds of remakes and dubbed films hit the screens in both areas. Initially, it was Hindi films which were remade into Telugu, but later on the trend reversed and today maximum Telugu films are remade in Hindi. However, the tunes are not copied much these days – may be they are not worth it anymore. If you see IMDB, you will find list of thousands of films which are remade both ways.
I found one list of 2500 films – of course including all southern languages and Hindi. In olden times, Miss Amma was made as Miss Mary, and Manchi Mansulu became Pooja Ke Phool. Albela (1951) was remade as Natakala Rayudu (1969), using almost the same tunes as the original film.
Here are some remakes: Hindi Telugu Miss Mary Miss Amma Sharada Ilavelapu Swayamvar Gundamma Katha Dil Aur Deewar Jeewan tarangalu Maang Bharo Sajna Karthika Deepam Milan Mooga Manasalu Chhoti Bahu Muddu Bidda Premnagar Premnagar Sitara Seethlaxmi Sargam Siri siri muwa Swarga Narak Swargam Narkam And here are some dubbed films: Dushmani Bangaram Shiva ka insaaf Donga Mogudu Baarish-season of Love Varsham Taqdeerwala Adrindi Guru Main balwaan Shivmani In the decade of the 50s many mythological films were dubbed into Hindi. In these films, stalwarts like Sivaji Ganeshan, NTR, A Nageshwar Rao etc.
Surprisingly, the music or the tunes were not copied and the Hindi composers could work on their own. Some such films were (Tamil/Telugu) – Raaj Mahal, Amar Shaheed, Aai Phir Se Bahar, Chandirani etc. NTR films like Bhoopat Daku, Naya Aadmi and Jaisingh were remakes from Telugu films.
The picture today is entirely different. Now Telugu film industry is firmly on its feet, constantly challenging Hindi films. There are now more Telugu films dubbed and remade in Hindi that Hindi into Telugu. After the first film studio in South – Durga Cinetone- was built in Rajahmundry in 1936, today Hyderabad boasts of the world’s biggest studio with production facilities – Ramoji Rao Film City (Guinness record certified). Hyderabad is the only city in India having 6 functional, all-purpose shooting studios and A.P (i.e. Seemandhra and Telangana states, now) has the maximum theatres (2809 out of India’s total 10167 theatres) in India. Finally, we come to the tunes used in Telugu/Hindi films.
There are many tunes of Hindi songs used in Tamil and Telugu films. Similarly, it was vice versa also. For example, Meow meow meri sakhi – a Madan Mohan number from Pooja Ke Phool is originally a Telugu/Tamil film from which the remake was done. It was a difficult task to make a list of only 10 songs, as there were hundreds of songs.
I have a list of about 50 songs myself. I have, however, got the following 10 songs for representational purpose. My sincere thanks to Shri Ambrish Sundaram ji, USA and Ms. Priya Laxmi ji of Hyderabad, for helping me out by providing film/song details and Shri Sudhir Kapur ji of Delhi for uploading some songs for me on You Tube.
I do hope that you will enjoy these songs. Alert visitors to the blog are requested to make corrections, if any. Leke pahla pahla pyar by Rfai and Shamshad Begum from CID (1956), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music OP Nayyar 1T. Oho basthi dorassani by Ghantshala and Jikki from Abhimanam (1960), lyrics Samudrala, music Ghantshala 2H.
Ae mere dil kahin aur chal by Talat Mahmood/Lata Mangeshkar from Daag (1952), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar Jaikishan 2T. Saagnee jeevitham jorugaa by AM Raja from Pratigya (1953), lyrics Sri Sri, music TA Kalyanam 3H. Dheere se aa ja ri nindiyan mein by Lata Mangeshakr from Albela (1951), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music C Ramchandra 3T. Neelala knnulu melamellaga by P Susheela from Natakala Rayudu, lyrics Athreya, music GK Venkatesh 4H. Kyun unhe dil diya haaye ye kya kiya by Surendra and Shamshad Begum from Anokhi Ada (1948), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad 4T. Cheliya ee sumamu ye rangu leenuno by G Varlaxmi from Modati Raatri (1950), music P Nageshwar Rao 5H.
Saanwle salone aay din bahaar ke by Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar from Ek Hi Raasta (1956), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Hemant Kumar 5T. Therenu korika by Ghantshala and Jikki from Kumkuma Rekha (1960), lyrics Arudra, music Master Venu 6H. Dil Deke Dekho by Rafi from Dil Deke Dekho (1960), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Usha Khanna 6T. Chakkanidana chikkanidana by Peethapuram and Swarnalata from Shanti Nivaasam (1960), lyrics Samudrala, music Ghantshala 7H.
Chalud ja re panchhi by Rafi from Bhabhi (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krsihna, music Chitragupta 7T. Payaniche o chilaka by Ghantshala from Kuldaivam (1960), lyrics Kosraju Raghavendra Chowdhary, music Master Venu 8H. Dekhane mein bhola hai dil ka salona by Asha Bhosle and chorus from Bambai Ka Babu (1960), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music SD Burman This is adapted from Telugu original presented next. Yeruvaka saagaroi by Jikki from Rojulu Marai (1955), music Master Venu This is the inspiration for Dekhane mein bhola hai from Waheeda Rehman’s debut Telugu film. Gaya andhera hua ujala by Tala Mahmood from Subah Ka Tara (1954), lyrics Noor Lakhanavi, music C Ramchndra 9T. Santosham ela sangeetham ela by M Raja and P Susheela from Santhanam (1956), lyrics Anisetty and Penisetty, music S Dakhshinamurthy 10H. Hansta hua noorani chehara by Lata Mangeshkar and Kamal Barot from Parasmani (1963), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Laxmikant Pyarelal 10T.
Neeli kannula needalalona by PB Srinivasa and P Susheela from Gudi Ghantalu (1964), lyrics Narayan Reddy, music Ghantshala. Gaddeswarup ji, I believe Chandralekha(Telugu version) is available in VCD/on line. Arunkumar ji Very exhaustive and wonderfully written article. My awe and respect for you increases manifold every passing day. Thanks for kindly acknowledging my miniscule contribution.
A few quick points (you may already be aware of this). Some of these points are open to discussion. Therefore I am not contesting or arguing your statements, but merely sharing a different perspective. Noted film journalist / historian Rentala Jayadeva has researched and come up with the conclusion that the actual release date of “Bhaktha Prahlada” was February 06, 1932. With this in mind, “Kalidas” was the first South Indian talkie. “Kalidas” is considered a multilingual movie, not just a Tamil one. The hero (some references cite the hero’s name as P.G.Venkatesan, others call him Venkateswarlu while others refer to him as Srinivasa Rao – therefore I am not sure of the name) sang and delivered his dialogs in Telugu, as he could not get his Tamil accent right.
T.P.Rajalakshmi, the heroine, delivered her dialogs in Tamil. L.V.Prasad, who had a minor role, delivered his dialogs in Hindi. The posters for the movie proclaimed it to be a Tamil & Telugu talkie. The first full length Tamil movie is considered to be “Sampoorna Harishchandra”. It was released on April 9, 1932.
Reference sources: 1. Thanks again for sharing this lovely article.
Balbhim Kurdukar August 8, 2014 at 6:28 pm. A little bit of history around the tune of “Yeruvaakaa saagaaro” and how it was adapted and passed down the years. The format used is: Year – Film name / origin – Song – Singer(s) – Music Composer. 1920s – Telugu / Telegu folk song – Ayyo koyyoda – Popularized by Valluri Jagannatha Rao 1950 – Sri Lakshmamma Katha (Telegu / Telugu) – Cheetiki maatiki chittemantaav – Jikki and K.Siva.Rao – C.R.Subbaraman 1955 – Rojulu Maaraayee (Telegu / Telugu) – Yeruvaakaa saagaaroo – Jikki – Master Venu 1956 – Madurai Veeran (Tamil / Tamizh) – Summa kidandha soththukku nashtam – Jikki and P.Leela – G.Ramanathan 1956 – Sahsraveerudu (Telegu / Telugu dubbed version of Madurai Veeran) – Somarulaithe thindiki nashtam – Jikki and P.Susheela – G. Ramanathan 1956 – Kaalam Maaripochchu (Tamizh / Tamil) – Yeru pooti poovaaye anne sinnanne – Jikki – Master Venu 1960 – Bambai Kaa Baabu (Hindi) – Dekhne mein bholaa hai – Asha Bhosle – S.D.Burman 1960 – Patang (Hindi) – Rang dil kee dhaDkan bhee – Lata Mangeshkar – Chitragupta So, starting from the 1920s Telugu folk song “Ayyo koyyoda”, down to “Rang dil kee dhaDkan bhee” in “Patang”, one can see how the tune was adapted over the years. Each song mentioned above became pretty popular and stands testimony to the universal nature of music – seeing or knowing no geographical or cultural or other barriers. On a side note: Early on the Telegu moviemakers filed a lawsuit on the Tamil moviemakers for copyright issues related to the tune.
I am not sure how the lawsuit ended though. Hans August 8, 2014 at 9:05 pm. Deshmukhji, Very very informative article. Many thanks for that. Though I dont know anything about telugu films, but during some discussion about Ghantasala and Rafi on mohdrafi.com I had seen somebody mention that some tunes from Mooga Manasulu were used in Milan.
Can you confirm whether it was so. Also, there was reference to Suvarna Sundari and ‘kuhu kuhu bole koyaliya’. That is also a good tune.
Also, when I was searching for the songs of Mooga Manasulu I found this song ‘maanu maakunu gaanu’ tune of the mukhda of which looks like the famous ‘teri pyari pyari soorat ko’ from Sasural. Could you confirm this. August 9, 2014 at 9:36 am. Ambrish ji, Thanks for your detailed comments. I have also recd. Your E Mail on this issue.
When one starts digging for history,one comes accross many conflicting claims. Each claimant gives convincing proof. Since these matters are from a period about 80 and odd years,it is difficult to come to any definite conclusion.
The claims of Telugu and Tamil historians have always been contradictory-not only in film matters but many other issues too. While writing this article,I took more than an year,searching for the desired informations-credible enough,with atleast 3-4 supporting proofs. I knew i was treading on a path which will be questioned by scholars Seeing the conflicting claims,I decided to side by the Telugu claims,since this was an article about Telugu cinema. Moreover the focus was to be on the similar songs,rather than the Film history.
I depended on the following references- 1. 2.Culturopedia.in 3.Telugu Film History,an article in Film Fare dated 23-8-1963 4. History of the Telugu films-Book authored by shri V V S R Hanumanth rao.
Thanks for your information again. -AD August 9, 2014 at 9:39 am. Hans ji, Mooga manasulu was remade into Hindi as Milan. I believe ‘Sawan ka mahina’ was the same tune as in Teluge,but I could not get the Telugu song VDO. Suvarn Sundari was remade as Suvarnsundari in Hindi and almost all songs of Telugu song tunes were also used in Hindi version,including the one you have mentioned. Similarly,Miss Amma tunes were used in its Hindi remake’ miss mary’. During the 50’s and early 60s there were hundreds of such songs between Telugu and Hindi.
-AD gaddeswarup August 10, 2014 at 1:10 pm. Gaddeswarupji, Some amazing thing are happening on SoY in quick succession.
Yesterday Mumbaikar8 made a fantastic discovery of SD Burman repeating his own tune after 21 years [Shamshad Begum’s rarely heard Saari khushiyan saath laayi from Jeevan Jyoti (1953) and Kishore Kumar-Lata Mangeshkar duet Tumhare sang to rain bitaayi from Sagina (1974)]. Now you discover Shanta Apte’s famous Har gali mei hain bagiche‘s tune repeated after 18 years in Telugu. Shanta Apte’s song is so mesmerising I am giving its link for the readers’ enjoyment. Har gali mein hain bageeche by Shanta Apte from Wahan (1937), lyrics Pt Narottam Sharma, music Master Krishnarao Now I am going to make a wild jump. I invite all the music lovers of SoY who have very sharp senses to listen to SD Burman’s two songs carefully, and in you mind slow down their pace. Are you getting Shanta Apte’s song?
N Venkataraman August 12, 2014 at 10:09 pm. Arunji, After the article on multiple version songs on Marathi-Hindi, you surprised us with Hindi-Kannada songs and now another one on Hindi-Telugu exchange. That adds one more feather to your cap. At one point of time I was toying with the idea of writing a piece on this subject. Finally I could not gather enough courage to venture into this subject, I was not very sure. My knowledge of Telugu compared to Tamil/ Bengali/ Malayalam is very, very limited. And it is quite appropriate that you have done this write-up.
Your comment, “While writing this article, I took more than an year, searching for the desired informations-credible enough, with atleast 3-4 supporting proofs”, reveals the effort and research involved behind your posts. Thanks for a wonderful commentary on Telugu film Industry since its inception, its position in relation to other South Indian language films and the exchange of melodies between Telugu and Hindi Films. Enjoyed listening to your selection. Lack of familiarity with the language may be a deterrent, but ultimately the melody lingers. Waheeda Rehman’s dance and the song from Rojulu Marai were splendid. If I am not mistaken Latha Mangeshkar sang her only Telugu film song for the film Santhanam (1955 (9T). The films Natakala Rayudu (3T), Kumkuma Rekha (5T) and Kuladaivam (7T) were remakes of Albela, Ek Hi Raasta and Bhabhi respectively, hence the melodies were retained in the Telugu versions.
The rest were, as I would like to term them, inspired and adopted melodies. Gudi Gantalu was the remake of the Tamil film Aalayamani (1962). The film was remade in Hindi as Aadmi(1968). The names of the lyricists in most of the Telugu songs are missing.
I would like to mention those names that I could gather. Abhimaanam (1T) – Samudrala Natakala Rayudu (3T) – Athreya Shanti Nivasam (6T) – Samudrala Kuladaivam (7T) – Samudrala Rojulu Marai(8T) – Kosaraaju Raghavaiah Chowdhary Santhanam (1956) (9T) – Lyrics: Anisetty and Pinisetty Gudi Ghantalu (10T) Narayana Reddy It won’t’ be out of place to mention a few words about some of the lyricist.
I belive the lyricist mentioned against the songs 1, 6 and 7 must be Samudrala Jr. If am wrong please correct me. Samudrala Ramanujacharya, was known as Samudrala Junior (1923 –1985). He was a drama writer, screen play writer and lyricist.
He was the son of Samudrala Raghavacharya, who was known as Samudrala Senior. Samudrala (Sr.)Raghavacharya (1902 –1968) also was a writer, producer, director and playback singer. It was on his advice Ghantasala tried his luck in Telugu films. Acharya Atreya, Anisetty Subba Rao, PinisettySrirama Murthy, and many more had moved to films from stage. A few typographical errors need correction. The singers name in 4H should be Surendra and the name of the film in 3T should be Natakala Rayudu. Sorry, I was out of town for a few days and could not comment earlier.
Thank you once again Arunji for yet another wonderful post. August 12, 2014 at 11:48 pm. Arun Ji, As far as I know Chandralekha had no Telugu version, but I believe Kamalakara Kameswara Rao was inspired by this film and based his 1953 Telugu film Chandraharam, on Chandralekha. Moonga Manasulu was remade in Hindi as Milan.
Later this was remade in Tamil as Praptham in 1971. As far as I know none of the original melodies were retained in the Hindi version.
The original Telugu tune of the song Sawan ka mahina was different. Here is the song. Manasaina cheli pilupu presented in the comments section is another wonderful song picturised on Waheeda Rehaman again. Thank You Gaddeswaroop Ji for presenting this song. Thanks to Ambrish Sundramj Ji for his erudite note on the song Yeruvaakaa saagaaroo tracing its origin from its folk roots to its Hindi incarnation.
Let me present couple songs that I had come across during my search earlier. In fact one can write a post on compositions of Ravi adopted in Telugu films. There are many. For now let us listen to this two songs. Ninnu choodani by P Susheela, film Manushulu mamatalu (1965), lyrics Dasarathi, music T Chalapati Rao Yeh khamoshiyaan yeh tanhaaiyan by Md.Rafi and Asha Bhosle, film Yeh Raste hai pyar ke(1963), lyrics Rajender Krishna, music Ravi Now a Telugu duet by Md.Rafi Gopala Bala by Md.Rafi and P Susheela from Bhale Tammudu (1969), lyrics C Narayana Reddy, music T Venkata raju Dekho Jee Ik Bala Jogi by Md.Rafi and Minoo Purushottam, film China Town (1962), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Ravi Thank you Akji for the prompt corrections gaddeswarup August 13, 2014 at 8:12 am.
Venkataraman ji, Thanks for your comments. As far as I know Lata has sung atleast 3 songs (there are chances of more also,which I dont know) 1.Santhanam-55 as mentioned by you 2.Dorikithe Dongalu ( Shri Venkatesha EEshaa) 3.Aakhri poratam-1988 ( Tellacheeraku.) I was keen on including names of Lyricists also,but most songs had no information on lyricists,so I dropped the idea. As far as Chandralekha is concerned,it may not have been remade into Telugu as you and Anand ji say,but dubbed Telugu version is available on line,as mentioned by me. Thanks for additional songs.
I have the following songs- Do Kaliyan,mausi,Bada bhai,Jaise ko Taisa,China Town,Sasural,Ujala,CID,Tumsa nahin dekha,Swarna sundari,Naagin,Aah,Voh kaun thi,VachanChori chori etc (other than what is posted here) and many more Hindi songs which have copies in Telugu. As I said, there are hundreds of such songs in Hindi/Telugu which have same tunes-specially from the Golden Age period.
Thanks once again. -AD N Venkataraman August 13, 2014 at 2:41 pm.
Gaddeswarup Ji, Thank You for the link to those wonderful songs. My understanding of Telugu is very limited and I could not fully comprehend the announcement made in Telugu, preceding the song. I could make out that the song was from 20s, I could hear the name of Valluri Jagannadha Rao.
Was he from Kakinada? Was the song in the first audio the original folk song Ayyo koyyoda? I heard the announcer saying “okkati Koyyodu Pattu”, which means one koyyodu song. What is Koyyodu? Was the song rendered by Vinjamuri sisters, Anusuya Devi and Sita Devi? Who was the male singer?
Was it Sthanam Narasimha Rao or Valluri Jagannadha Rao? I have heard the second song, from Sri Lakshmamma Katha, before. The third song also has a similar tune. I could not get any link to the song Somarulaithe thindiki nashtam from Sahsraveerudu.
Arun Ji, Thank you for the clarifications on Telugu songs rendered by Lata Mangeshkar and Chandrlekha. Gaddeswarup August 13, 2014 at 3:19 pm. Venkataramanji, From what I could make out, Valluri was from Kakinada. The somg was from 20’s but the recording seems to be from 1934 (or 32).
My Telugu is wek (out of A.P. Since 1956 except fpor two yeard in Hyderabad 60-62). I think ‘koyyodu’ means wooden fellow, but I will enquire and get back to you. My general impression is that a lot of Hindi sons were copied or adopted in Telugu films. The reverse flow is meagre. I remember Sansar which was a remake of Samsaram with many similar songs. There is a Telugu site sakhiya where they mentioned several songs adopted from Hindi.
Browsind it today, I found a surprise which I dis not earlier ‘Apna Desh’. I do not know any thing about the film but it has some Telugu songs. A quick google search says this about Shantaram () “He made one film in Tamil, ‘Namnadu’ (1949), and released its Hindi version, ‘Apna Desh’ with Telugu songs (by T Suryakumari) in Andhra, both not traceable today.” Sakhiya site has some of these songs The comments sugest that it was dubbed. N Venkataraman August 13, 2014 at 4:36 pm.
Indeed great contribution – by Shri Arun Kumar Deshmukh and his primary collaborators and by all those who have actively participated in the discussion. The only way to express gratitude for such monumental task is to thoroughly enjoy the article. These 10 songs are indeed representational, so would it be very out of place and uncalled for to request Arunji to take the analyses deeper and come up with more refined collations of resulting conclusions!? The cross-pollinations would certainly have left many interesting lessons and / or trends in so far as the crisscrossing goes., which, in retrospect, would be of great interest, joy and of course, a matter of documentation. August 13, 2014 at 6:08 pm. Venkataraman ji and Anand ji, Here is an article by me on film ” Apna Desh”-1949,with its history and the explosive story etc. As far as my information goes the original film was Rajkamal’s Hindi version.
The film was distributed in south India and even in Ceylon,making a local version in all languages,Telugu,Tamil and Sinhalese versions. That is how the Telugu songs were there.
It is true that V.Shantaram wanted to do Tamil and Telugu films,but he was firm on making them only in Bombay-which was not possible since major stars refused to come to Bombay. I am open for corrections any time on any of my comments,because there can always be something which one does not know! -AD gaddeswarup August 13, 2014 at 6:50 pm.
My apologies for various typos and mistakes; I seem to be bad at proof reading. Even in mathematics I am quite bad in calculations.
Thanks to Arunkumar Ji and Venkatraman Ji, I am finding out more about old Telugu films. Rangarao is correct, the earliest (?) adoptation seeems to be the song ‘Cheli cheli’ in Rukmini Kalyanam (1937). I could not find it but found one song and half minute of another song from that film on the net. Venkatraman Ji, I checked with an expert on the meanin of ‘koyyoda’. It seems to be approximately what I said.
N Venkataraman August 13, 2014 at 7:44 pm. Yes Arun ji, now I remember reading your article. It was very informative. Gaddeswaroop ji, Thanks for the additional information. F1 2001 Rfactor Download Cars. Reading about Rukmini Kalyanam(1937)and Shantaram reminded me of another Tamil film, “Sita Kalyanam’. Around 1933 V Shantaram wished to produce a Tamil film under the Prabhat films banner.
As mentioned by Arun ji, Shantaram wanted it be produced in Prabhat Studios using the props and sets of the film Sairandhiri (1933). Thus the entire family and friends of Sundaram Iyer travelled to Kolhapur and participated in the making of the film.
The film was released in 1934 and was a resounding success. Mumbaikar8 August 14, 2014 at 5:46 am.
Deshmukh Ji, I wonder how much time you must be spending in gathering the information, we are so grateful to you that you share all your knowledge with us. I am embarrassed to say that I cannot differentiate between the south Indian languages all of them are alike for me so I cannot do the himakat of talking about it. All I can say is, that I enjoyed the Hindi as well as their Telugu counterpart very much.
I have question for you, (I think I had asked the same question before) I want to know that as the tunes were the same, were the lyrics translated too and had the same meaning, or they are entirely different. Subodh Agrawal August 14, 2014 at 7:19 pm. Mumbaikar ji, Thanks for thinking so kindly about me. I believe in ” No candle loses its light while lighting other candles “. The Telugu version songs were not set exactly in the same situation in the films as Hindi,so the Lyrics are different in almost every song.
Subodh ji, Thanks for your kind words. Music has an Universal language,one does not need words! Ashok ji, My knowledge of current Telugu films and Music is not good,since I am living in Mumbai for more than 3 decades now. With such a lame knowledge it is not fair or justified to analyse and draw conclusions on the impact etc. I hope you will understand. -AD August 14, 2014 at 7:49 pm. Akji, A wonderful song indeed.
The entire credit goes to Gaddeswarup ji. You must have noticed Bhatia ji’s comment on this. Ksbhatia ji commented May 18, 2015 at 10:55 pm Gaddeswarup’ji; Amazing! There is hardly any difference!
So close; even the instrumental interludes are very close. I have a song behind my mind whose mukhda is quite close but not the whole song ‘ Mera chhota sa dekho yeh sansar hai ‘ by Lataji from old movie Bhai bhai with music by Madan mohan. May 19, 2015 at 6:11 pm. In my childhood I was fascinated by raja, maharaja and praja type movies which carried lots of unending sword fights on the horse back and other stunts.
Movies of the 50 thru mid 50s were the one which I would never miss to watch. Mehboob’s Aan was the one which impressed me a lot followed by Baadal and Aurat. The other reason of course was their excellent music. During this period I happened to see Chandralekha along with my parents and was bowled out for its lavish sets and scale of production. That movie made Ranjan as my fav.actor. Since this was a Gemini production I never used to miss Gemini and A V M productions there after; be it hindi or dubbed; be it social or a thriller. On recollection of my memory; I am reminded of one funny song of Chandralekha ‘ Nachi ghoda nachi ghoda ‘ by Geeta dutt and others.
This song in original [Tamil] form was like this It is very difficult to distiguish the two songs in its content and melody. Gaddeswarup May 22, 2015 at 3:53 pm. Skbhhatiyaji, Such movies were called jaanapadaalu (jaanapadam is the singular) in Telugu. It seems Vasan bought that studio when the previous owner, a friend of his, went broke and persuaded him to buy in an auction. It seems he initially lost money but a film he made in Telugu but not Tamil was big hit and he recovered.
After that he seems to have gone into making movies many languages. Here is one of my favourites about which Randor Guy writes ( )”A duet meant for the Hindi version was composed on the piano by Rajeswara Rao, and Vasan liked it so much he wanted it for the Tamil version too. This song was added after the shoot was over! Acharya invested the song sequence with fine creative touches — Radha’s hand covering Bhanumathi’s and both their hands gliding across the ivory keys of the piano! ‘Maanum Maiyilum Aadum Solai’ (the opening lines of the piano song) became quite popular.” It is Ranjan in the Hindi version Nishan, Bhanumati sang it both Telugu and Tamil. The Telugu version is not on YouTube but the Tamil version is There is also a famous multilingual song by Shamshad Begum in the Hindi version and Bhanumati in Tamil and Telugu. Again I lost track of which thread this should be, but your comment reminded of this and several such songs.
Hans May 23, 2015 at 1:13 am. I was a little busy so I was just reading and not commenting or listening songs. I listened to this twin song posted by Gaddeswarupji after comment by AK at 36 to see if I can help. From the start I knew that this is some sort of religious folk tune of the North (if it is also prevailing in South I dont know).
So I thought about films based on religious themes. Then suddenly it struck me that I have listened some song in Jogan.
Kindly see this song ‘uth to chale awadhoot’ I think this ‘man soona tere bin’ is based on this tune and the orchestration is very common in keertans of the north. Nobody seems to have noticed Bhatiaji’s find of tune similar to this ‘mera chhota sa dekho ye sansar hai’ which has two or three versions of this song in that film. I think there are many tunes on this tune in films and as AK suggests SN Tripathi might have come up with a few songs which perhaps were not much popular.
Avinas Vyas and Vasant Desai are also the likely candidates, because they composed many songs of this genre and extensively used folk tunes, though most of the time Bengali MDs or CR, OPN and Naushad are given credit for using folk tunes. Another song that comes to mind with similar tune used later and which became popular also is ‘mera dil ab tera o sajna’ from Dil Apna aur Preet Parai. May 23, 2015 at 10:08 am. Hans, I mentioned SN Tripathi because I was not able to recall the song I had in my mind.
The tune was typical of him. But when my attention was drawn to KS Bhatiaji’s comment, I realised Mera chhota sa dekho ye sansar hai was the song I was thinking of. Many Madan Mohan compositions are distinctly inspired from other composers. Tujhe kya sunaaun main dilruba based on Sajjad Husain’s Ye hawa ye raat ye chaandni is an oft repeated story.
OP Nayyar’s influence in some songs is well known. I have mentioned CR’s imprint in his early songs. Do you think MM might have been inspired by SNT in this song? Hans May 31, 2015 at 12:35 am. AK, It appears to me that there are shades of SNT in the song, but, I am not very good at such things.
Actually, I have no problems with someone using other’s tunes. I mention tunes which appear similar to me just as a matter of sport. Perhaps CR said something like that there is no copyright on folk tunes. So, MM and Roshan being Panjabi like OPN had equal capability to produce tunes based on panjabi folk. MM proved himself in Heer Ranjha where he produced all kinds of panjabi folk in the story which allowed that.
Unfortunately the film did not succeed, but the music is just legendary. Just six years after it he produced, in Laila Majnu, totally different type of music according to the theme though it was also a panjabi love story. The genius of MM produced music woven in the theme in different settings in different films like Haqueeqat, Sharabi, Jahanara, Gazal and Woh Kaun Thi in the single year 1964. In the same year in Aap Ki Parchhaiyan he produced ‘yehi hai tamanna – Rafi’ alongwith two ghazals by Rafi and Lata ‘main nigahen’ and ‘agar mujhse’.
He had such variety. The only problem with him was (like Naushad) that he kept the lyricist in bounds which sometimes misfired.
Regarding the ‘tujhe kya bataun’ copy I have read somewhere that MM took permission from Sajjad. In old times people interacted and appreciated each other and sometimes used the tunes. Sajjad himself has pinched a few tunes. There is a Lata song in Malhar ‘kahan ho tum jara awaj do’. Now look at the Asha song ‘tumhen hum yaad karte hain’ from Rukhsana (1955) I think twisting a tune to make it unrecognisable is worse than using it as it is.
Sajjad has this eccentric habit of killing the melody by using long and short vowels in wrong manner just to make the composition difficult and he would be damn happy when a singer would say ‘apki dhun badi muskil hoti hain’. In the above song you can notice such things he uses ‘yaad’ (as ‘yaaaaaaaaaaad’) and ‘teri’ very differently as also some other words. Talking about similar tunes look at two gems, ‘dil men ik jane tamanna’ from Benazir by SDB, and ‘husn se chand bhi sharmaya hai’ from Door Ki Awaj by Ravi. Though the record nos tell us Door Ki Awaj was released first, but can we say who was inspired by whom. I dont care and enjoy both. May 31, 2015 at 3:54 pm.
Hans, I am with you on this. I equally enjoy an ‘inspired’ song, if it is outstanding by itself. The best comment on this theme was made by Nashad. When charged by someone that his tune seemed to lack originality, he said everyone composes based on the same seven basic notes – show me someone who composes outside these notes.
There is bound to be some similarity between different songs and composers. I have heard another version of MM-Sajjad Husain encounter. Sajjad Husain was very annoyed, and it is said he accosted MM and asked him angrily, “Now you are resorting to stealing others’ tunes”. To which he got away by giving a clever answer, “If I have to imitate someone, I would imitate a genius like you”. The Mian was mollified. I have stated earlier that in spite of now knowing the ‘inspiration’, or ‘imitation’ if you will, I am a great fan of Tujhe kya sunaaun main dilruba. SSW May 31, 2015 at 5:29 pm.
I rather think that the chances that Madan Mohan took Sajjad’s permission to used the melody of “Yeh hawa yeh raat” is possibly more true than the other story of mollifying Sajjad which makes good copy. MM’s tune is almost an exact copy of Sajjad’s which MM would know better than any of us tyros. MM in my opinion is one of the greatest composers in HFM. Usually inspired tunes are centered around the mukhda which serves as a launching pad. This one is pretty much the same in both the mukhda and antara. To me there is no reason why a melody should not bend words. If that were not acceptable then why not just speak, and have only instrumental music.
In any case melodies that derive from earlier ones are no less original than their inspirations. Nobody says that Heisenberg is any less than Schrodinger because he worked on quantum mechanics later. Beethoven took many of Mozart’s and Haydn’s constructions and came about with his own stamp. Our own classical music is a new interpretation of a raga or composition each time it is sung or played. Hans June 5, 2015 at 1:52 am. Actually, what I had read was that MM took permission from Sajjad, yet he at a later stage mentioned this fact sarcastically when others were present and MM said something to the effect which AK has told.
Regarding bending of words, I agree with SSW, but that has to be done in accordance with the preceding and following words and the whole line so that melody is not lost. And bending has also to be done according to the capability of the singer. This can be explained only while listening the music and not through such discussion. The MD has to compose the song according to the situation, the song and the singer’s ability. Sajjad failed in this regard. He cared only for himself and believed in blaming singers for not coming upto the level of his composition. Look at how MM used Talat in Jahanara when his tremolo was at its worst and still came out with gems.
Or see how SDB used the limited capability of KK in the early period to come with good songs. But, it is good we three agree about inspired songs. In fact I have problem with only those MDs who create songs based on tunes by others but blame others. Look at RD, he claimed he is so great composer that his father used his tunes composed by him in childhood.
And look at this tune he used from CR’s film Zindagi aur Maut (1965). ‘Duniyawalon ke muqaddar ki’ by Manna Dey and converted to the Rafi song ‘aate jaate hue main sabki in Shaan. There are several such examples. Gaddeswarup June 5, 2015 at 6:38 am.
Here are two hindi/ telugu version songs from the same telugu film Santi Nivasam. The article also carried one song from Santi Nivasam which is true copy of Dil deke dekho hindi film song. Jhumta mausam mast mahina.Ujala Telugu version.
Tim Tim Tim taroan ke deep jale.Mausi.Telugu version It is interesting to note that quite a number of romantic songs of the the south indian films of different states as well as that of bollywood hindi movies made in the south have been picturised on this site/ location i.e. Krishna sagar dam about 30 km from Mysore. Old hindi film Aurat [ Premnath. Bina Roy] and Kya mil gaya hai kya kho gaya.song from Sasural was also shot here. So also titli udi ud jo chali from Suraj and some scenes of Padosan as well.
Aurat was shot here Peddadu July 26, 2016 at 1:59 pm. Peddadugaru, I quote here an excerpt from Cinejosh News “Bharatha Ratna Lata Mangeshkar has so far sung three Telugu songs and the details of those songs are as follows. * NIDDURAPORA THAMMUDAA: This song belongs to the movie ‘Santhanam’, released in 1955. This most popular song was the first Telugu song of Lata. Susarla Dakshinamurthy was the music director of this song. * SRI VENKATESA EESHAA: This song was from the movie ‘Dorikithey Dongalu’.
S.Rajeswara Rao composed the music of this devotional song. Lata shared her voice along with Balamuraleekrishna and P.Suseela. * TELLACHEERAKU: This song belonged to the movie ‘Aakhari Poratam’ released in 1988. Nagarjuna and Sridevi were the lead cast of this movie. Ilayaraja scored the music of this super hit song. ” I hope this will clarify the matter. -AD peddadu August 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm.
I would like to add a word regarding the release date of the Telugu film ‘Bhaktha Prahlada’ (1931). Though a 1931 production, it seems to be released first on February 6 1932 at Krishna cinema in Bombay, after getting it censored on January 22, 1932. It was subsequently released at National Picture Palace (later named Broadway Talkies) in Madras (). But the film could be shown Andhra region, (at Sri Durga Kalamandiramu) in Vijayawada (erstwhile Bezwada) only on March 18, 1933! This is borne by the image given at the begining of the article. LAKSHMI PRIYA August 29, 2016 at 11:45 am.
Dr.M.L.Jayanth Kumar, G. VARALAKSHMI was a singing actress. During her stint with Thungala Chalapathi Rao and Dasari Kotirathnam’s drama troupe as a child artist before joining film, she learnt music from the maestro Pendyala Nageswara Rao.
Her song poyiraa priyuda London Poyira Priyuda was a superhit from the film Barristor Parvateesam – 1940. Even the Premaye jagati from this film was a hit. She did sing her own songs in MOdati Ratri -1950 which is her own production.
She stopped singing after this film. Hear her 2 songs from Barrister Parvateesam – 1940 from this link – LAKSHMI PRIYA August 29, 2016 at 11:59 am. @71 Lakshmi Priyaji, You can also give creditr to L-P for composing distinct melodies for ‘Sur Sangam’, a remake of ‘Sankarabharanam’, the momentous landmark movie of K.Viswanath in Telugu. @5 Gaddeswarupji, Regarding ‘Man Suna Tere Bin Hoye Re’ by Lata and Usha Maneshkar in Jai Singh (1959), which is dubbed from Telugu Jaisimha(1955), here is the link: () Incidentally, one is reminded of Lata’s ‘Mera Chhota Sa Dekho Ye Sansar hai’ from Bhai Bhai (1956) with music by Madanmohan. Arunkumar Deshmukh August 30, 2016 at 10:08 pm. Lashmi Priya ji, Thanks for all this information.
I am not that well coversant with the details of Telugu Cinema now anymore. Once long time ago I used to be a keen follower, but later on with my being away from Hyderabad, I lost the track. And now the Hindi cinema field itself is so hugh that it is simply not allowing me to do anything else.
It is good that you came here and shared your information. Thanks a lot for this. We would love to have more of your knowledge about these songs. Thanks again.
-AD D P Rangan September 5, 2016 at 9:56 pm. Gaddeswarupji @80 It is interesting to note that original music for Telugu film Jaya Simha (1955) was composed by T.V.Raju, while Hindi-dubbed version was credited to Rameshnaidu. I’ld like to point out that master ‘copier’ Ghantasala (one notices many Hindi filmsongs were taken into Telugu films by him) had come out with Bhai-Bhai version in toto, for Sabhash Raja (1961), ‘Mana anandamayamaina smsarame’ by P.Suseela (). One’d notice the similar wording in translation of Bhaibhai song. Gaddeswarup October 19, 2016 at 2:38 am. Peddadu garu at #81, I think that the practices and norms were different those days, particularly with dubbed or remade or simultaneously made films.
There was copying too by almost all including S. Rajeswara Rao who I think was comparable to anybody MD in Hindi films. Hindi MDs copied too, more from the west and sometimes from the south but less often than southern MDs.
Copying from Robindra Sangeet or folk tunes was done by most I think. Thanks for the reference to the 1961 song.
It is new to me. I finished Intermediate in 1956 and have been essentially outside A.P.
Since then and have not seen many films either in Telugu or hindi. I just listen to film songs, often the same songs. Sudhir November 21, 2016 at 12:10 am. Thank you AK and Ambrish Sunadarm for the informative posts.
Yes, many popular tunes are used for devotional songs in ALL languages and faiths! I would love to hear the version mentioned to see if it evokes childhood memories! Many Indian tunes were also remade in Sri Lanka. My Sinhala friends would constantly sing those.
To my great surprise, Youtube has a compilation where Shanker-Jaikishan’s “Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi” is shown to be based on an older Arabic song! And just the other day I learned that Salil Chowdhary’s ‘Suhana Safar” from MADHUMATI is based on an old Polish marching song. Suresh Rao December 13, 2016 at 6:46 am. Peddadu ji, Thanks for the corrections.
May be my details are wrong but Madan Mohan’s son Sanjeev Kohli is on record having said that this tune was made by him in the early to mid 50s and that it was after he had heard Ghantasala’s song from a Telugu film- a remake of Kismat-43 ( which happens to be Bhale Ramudu-56). So it is certainly not from a song of 1959. In any case, I have not been in touch with Telugu music since a long time, due to my Hindi music work, so I will go by experts like you. -AD peddadu December 22, 2016 at 7:43 am.
Suresh Rao ji and Peddadu ji, It seems the fault is not what Sanjeev kohli said but it is me who got mixed up in unnecessary information leading to erroneous statements. My friend shri Ambrish Sundaram ji has finally clarified the matter and has sent me this message on this issue ” Hello Sir. Hope you are doing well.
This is a quick follow-up to the discussion on “Songs Of Yore” about the original version of “Nainon main basra chase”. I posted a couple of comments a day or two back but they have not been approved by the moderator yet and so are not showing up on the site. My 2 cents is that “Nainon mein basra chhaaye” is inspired from the Telugu song “Neeli meghaalalo gaali kerataalalo” from the 1960 movie “Bava Maradallu”. There are two versions of the song – one in the voice of S.Janaki and another in the voice of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao. Here’s the link to the S.Janaki version.
Please ignore the visuals. They are unrelated to the song.
Neeli meghaalalo నీలి మేఘాలలో.గాలి కెరటాలలో Movie: Bava Maradallu (1960) Lyricist: Arudra Music: Pendyala Nageshwara Rao Singer: S.Janaki A A A Neeli Meghalalo Gali Keratalalo Neevu Pade Pata Vinipinch youtube.com And here is the version of “Neeli meghaalalo” sung by Ghantasala. By the way, the music composer for “Bava Maradallu” was Pendyala Nageswara Rao.” I have heard these songs and confirm that Nainnon mein tune is very much similar to this. I feel now the matter should end here only.
My thanks to shri Ambrish Sundaram ji. -AD December 23, 2016 at 8:41 am.
Suraiya in the film Shama Parwana in 1954 Native name Suraiya Jamaal Sheikh Pronunciation Su-rai-yaa Born ( 1929-06-15)15 June 1929, (now in, ) Died 31 January 2004 ( 2004-01-31) (aged 74),, Burial place Bara Kabaristan, Marine Lines, Mumbai Residence Krishna Mahal,,,, Nationality Indian Other names Baby Suraiya (early films) Citizenship Indian Education High School Alma mater J.B. Petit High School for Girls, Fort, Mumbai Occupation Actress and playback singer in her own films (in Bollywood) Years active 1936–1963 Era pre-Golden era and Golden era of Bollywood music and films Known for Bollywood films and songs Notable work Films like Dillagi, Pyar Ki Jeet, Badi Behan, Dastan, Mirza Ghalib, Waris and multiple songs, which were hits in their times.
Style Acting - Romantic, tragic, heroine oriented films; Dancing - Indian classical, Western, Mughal style; Singing - ghazal, light romantic, sad with pathos. Home town Mumbai Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Weight about 55 kg(1950) Spouse(s) unmarried Parents.
• Aziz Jamal Sheikh (father) • Mumtaz Begum (mother) Awards (1) Gold Medal for film Kajal(1948) (2) President's Gold Medal for film Mirza Ghalib (1955) (3) Screen Videocon Lifetime Achievement Award (1996) (4) Urdu Academy (Delhi) and Sahitya Academy Award (1998) for perpetuating Mirza Ghalib 's memory (5) Bimal Roy Memorial Trophy (1999) (6) Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2003) (7) Voted as the Best on screen beauty with the most ethnic look in 100 years sponsored by the Indian Film Academy (2013) (posthumously) (8) 'Suraiya' stamp of Rs. 5/- issued by in her name (2013) (posthumously) Signature Notes. Love interest - Dev Anand (They fell in love in 1948, while shooting for the film Vidya. Dev Anand proposed to her in 1950, during the shooting of the film Afsar, yet she did not marry him because of her family's resistance. In 1951 she told Dev Anand to forget her. She remained a lifelong spinster.) Suraiya Jamaal Sheikh (15 June 1929 – 31 January 2004), popularly known as Suraiya, was an Indian Punjabi Muslim / film actress and playback singer in from the 1940s to the early 1960s, who remained unmarried throughout her life, after her love affair with actor Dev Anand was aborted by her maternal grandmother. She was the most popular singing star of the Indian sub-continent of her generation.
Until 1943, as a child singer, Suraiya did playback singing for one actress, namely, in three films, and also in some of her own films for her roles as a child artiste. After this, she only sang for her own films as an actress, and acted as a heroine from 1946 until the end of her career in 1963. From 1948 to 1951, she became the singing superstar of Bollywood, earning more for her performances than each the performing actors of the times, male or female, including,,, and. She received 1.5–2 lakhs rupees for her role per film, when top male actors were getting fifty thousand to one lakh rupees. For a song, she commanded rupees 1000, while Lata Mangeshkar was getting rupees 100–200 per song.
She was the only child of her parents. She had a natural talent for singing, acting and dancing from childhood.
She received basic training in music when her mother used to take her to a Hindustani music teacher or 'masterji' for training. She first sang for a children's program for in 1937. Later on Naushad gave her on the job 'training', while recording.
She went on to become one of the most successful singing film stars of Bollywood. She had received training in dancing from, dancer-actor and father of the famous comedian. She was also known for her North Indian Muslim feudal style acting or 'adakari' in many of her films (, Phool,, Shayar,, and ). This style 'endowed modernity with an aura of tradition' and brought nostalgic feudal tinge to the scenes. Her performance 'expertly integrated gestures, music and speech'. Suraiya in her heyday was known as 'Malika-e-Husn' (queen of beauty), 'Malika-e-Tarannum' (queen of melody) and 'Malika-e-Adakaari' (queen of acting), all rolled into one.
In a career spanning from 1936 till 1963, Suraiya sang 338 songs in films (which were mostly her own films) and 2 in addition were non-film songs, namely, 'tum rahe kahan ko piya' and 'hum tum karenge pyar'. She acted in 67 movies, which do not include the incomplete films such as Jaanwar (with Dilip Kumar), Paagal Khaana with Bharat Bhushan and an Indo-British film on Wajid Ali Shah (1953) being directed by British director, Herbert Marshall, with Ashok Kumar in the role of Wajid Ali Shah. Suraiya as a child of six years in 1935 Suraiya was born in, (now in Pakistan) in a Muslim family to Mumtaz Begum and Aziz Jamaal Sheikh, who owned a furniture shop in Gujranwala. Soon, her father moved to Lahore, and Suraiya was taken by her mother, Mumtaz Begum, and maternal grandmother, Badshah Begum to Bombay in the early 1930s, when she was one year old. Her maternal uncle, named Zahoor (also known as ) also came to Bombay and became a well known villain in films. Suraiya's father later came to live with her and he died on the day of 'Holi' in March 1963. She attended New High School, now known as in,.
Later, from 1942 onwards, when she started singing for films as a 12 year old, her school principal Miss P.F. Patuck told her father not to let her be absent from school during school days.
She sang for Mehtab in three films in 1942–43 and also acted and sang in a few films as a child artist. In her childhood, (a few years younger to her who later became a famous music and sports writer, critic and correspondent), actor and composer (both a few years older) were her neighbourhood friends. Raj Kapoor and Madan Mohan both used to sing with her on A.I.R.(All India Radio), when she was a six-year-old girl. In fact, Madan Mohan first introduced her to A.I.R.(All India Radio) as a child singer. Later in life, Raju Bharatan wrote extensively about Suraiya in his books, while Raj Kapoor was her hero in one of her films; Dastan (1950), and Madan Mohan composed music for her film Khubsoorat (1952). Career [ ] As an actress [ ]. Suraiya (aged 16) as heroine in the film 'Parwana' in 1947 Suraiya made her debut as a child artist in Madam Fashion in 1936 as Miss Suraiya, along with as Baby Rani.
The film was directed by, mother of Nargis, with Jaddan Bai herself as heroine, and the music and songs were also written and sung by her. Later, she got a prominent role as a child artist with the help of her uncle, who was then a popular villain in films. During a holiday from school in 1941, she accompanied him to Bombay's Mohan Studios to see the shooting of the film, which was being directed. Vakil noticed the charm and innocence of young Suraiya and selected her to play the role of young Mumtaz Mahal. While she was singing for children's programs for All India Radio, Mumbai, as a six year old, and, who were her playmates in her neighbourhood and were 5 to 6 years older than her, used to be her co-artists. In fact, they first introduced her to A.I.R.
Raj Kapoor later attained fame as an actor and a filmmaker, while Madan Mohan became a well-known music director. Both were associated with her later as an adult, as her hero and as her music director respectively in films. At A.I.R., was at that time the station director at the Bombay radio station. As soon as music director heard Suraiya's voice, he chose her to sing (at age 13) for in 's film (1942). He became Suraiya's mentor and she sang some of the best songs of her career under his baton. Later, he gave hit after hit when Suraiya became a full-fledged singing star in (1946), (1947), (1949) and (1950). Composed approximately 51 songs for Suraiya, coming in at second place after for composing the highest number of songs for Suraiya (58 excluding 6 repeat songs for the film Kanchan (1955) from Amar Kahani (1949)).
Suraiya in a film role As a child artist, she acted and also sang in (1942), (1942), and (1943). As an adult, Suraiya initially played as a heroine in 's as Shama, with Prithviraj Kapoor as hero, and as a co-star in 's (1946), (which was written by, also known as Kashmiri) and (1947). She acted as a heroine in the film (1945) on the recommendation of, who liked her voice during a rehearsal of a song for Jayant Desai's film Samrat Chandragupt (1945) in which she was acting.
He recommended her to Desai, opposite himself in Tadbir (1945). She went on to co-star with in Omar Khayyam (1946) and. Although by then she had a few hit songs, the four solo songs which she sang in Parwana for music director made her a genuine singer-film star. She had high regards for, for whom she sang thirteen songs during the period 1943 to 1949. More opportunities arose for Suraiya after the reigning famous actresses and migrated to Pakistan following the Partition of India in 1947.
As an actress, Suraiya had an edge over her contemporaries and, because she could sing her own songs. After three hits; Pyar Ki Jeet (1948), Bari Behen (1949) and Dillagi (1949), she became the highest paid film star, earning 1-2 lakhs rupees per film, when male actors got much less. When Pyar Ki Jeet was released, it caused large crowds outside Suraiya's house that had to be controlled by posting an inspector and four constables. During the premiere of Bari Behen, there was a very large crowd outside the cinema hall and the police had to baton-charge when Suraiya was walking into the hall.
People even pulled at her clothes, so that after that, Suraiya stopped going to the premieres of her films. But her reign at the very top was till 1952, after which she reduced her assignments. She made a comeback in Waaris and (1954). Rustom Sohrab (1963) was the last film of her career. In the late 1940s, she worked with. While shooting the film (1948), she became romantically involved with him. The two of them were paired in seven films together; (1948), (1949), (1949), (1950), (1950), (1951) and (1951), all of which were successful at the box office.
In these films, Suraiya always had top billing in the credits, indicating that she was a bigger star than Dev Anand. She fell in love with him during the shooting of the song 'Kinare Kinare Chale Jaayenge' in the film Vidya in 1948.
While shooting the scene in the river, the boat they were in capsized, and saved Suraiya from drowning. From 1948 to 1951, their love affair was the talk of the tinsel world. During the shooting of the film Afsar, Dev Anand proposed to her and gave her a diamond ring worth rs. 3000, a huge sum in those days. Suraiya was glad to be proposed to, but soon her grandmother found out about her engagement and threw her ring into the sea.
Her maternal grandmother opposed the relationship, mainly because they were Muslims and Dev Anand was a Hindu. Suraiya and Dev Anand were stopped from acting together after their last film in 1951 by her grandmother. Thereafter, Suraiya remained unmarried by her own choice for the rest of her life. Jawaharlal Nehru and Suraiya talking after a special screening of film 'Mirza Ghalib' in Rashtrapati Bhawan (President's Residence) in 1954 Her reign at the top was from 1947 to 1952, during which period she acted in 38 films.
Her contract with A. Kardar ended with, after which she reduced her assignments in films.
She made national news with Sohrab Modi's film (1954), which won a national award, the President's Gold Medal for the Best Feature Film. In the film, she made vivid the role of the married Ghalib's lover. Along with an emotionally fluid performance where her expressions of love, expectation and hurt just seemed to merge into one another, the queen of cadence also recorded songs, which are still regarded by many as the definitive Ghalib renditions and the standard by which Ghalib's gazal singing is measured. No less a personality than praised her singing and acting by saying: Tumne Mirza Ghalib ki rooh ko zinda kar diya, (You have brought Mirza Ghalib's soul to life). After, she acted in movies such as Bilwamangal (1954), Waris (1954), Shama Parwana (1954), Kanchan (1955) (which was released in 1949 as 'Amar Kahani' and re-released as 'Kanchan'), Inam (1955), Mr.
Lambu (1956), Trolly Driver (1958), Miss 1958 (1958), Maalik (1958) and Shama (1961). In the mid-fifties, Suraiya told Lata Mangeshkar once that she would soon be cutting down on her films. Lata told her not to do so. Rustom Sohrab (1963) was her last film. The song 'Yeh kaisi ajab daastan ho gayi hai' from the film, which was one of her finest songs, was also her last, as with this song Suraiya also said 'adieu' to her singing career, along with her film career. Suraiya in an interview said that during the shooting of the film, she suffered from low blood pressure, which was the reason for her giving up her acting career.
As a heroine, Suraiya acted with the following actors as heroes in her films; Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, K.L. Saigal, Ashok Kumar, Ajit, Kamal Kapoor, Rehman, Surendra, Shyam (Chopra), Amar Nath, Karan Dewan, Jairaj, Mukesh, C.H. Atma, Talat Mehmood, Sheikh Mukhtar, Naseer Khan (Dilip Kumar's brother), Vijay Dutt (Guru Dutt's brother), Prem Nath, Bharat Bhushan, Suresh, Wasti, Moti Lal, Jayant and Nusrat. Her film Jaanwar in the early 1950s with Dilip Kumar as hero (and K. Asif as director), was left incomplete by her, as she refused to act in the film, because of rough behaviour by Dilip Kumar during the shooting of the film, when he tore her blouse and bruised her back so badly that it took a month to heal.
Later, director-producer K. Asif wanted a kissing scene. Suraiya knew that censors would not pass it. When she asked Asif how he would get it through the censors, he could not satisfy her and she withdrew from the film. There was another story also, that Dilip Kumar and K.Asif were hand in glove to exploit and humiliate Suraiya, because Suraiya had earlier ignored Dilip Kumar's plea to act with her. So they did some torrid scene and kept on repeating it for four days.
Fed up with this ghastly behaviour of the two, Suraiya refused to act for them and withdrew from the film. In 1953, she refused the film Anarkali as heroine, a role which went to Bina Rai. As a singer [ ]. Suraiya recording a song for the film 'Pagalkhana' (1952) (incomplete) for Vasant Desai (composer) (with hair) and P.L. Santoshi (director) (balding) Suraiya had a very sweet voice from childhood. She could sing all types of songs with ease, whether sad, with pathos in her voice, or romantic with amorous love, or comic with playful zest. Suraiya was initially not a classically trained singer in Hindustani music, knowing the 'grammar' or theory of Hindustani music, yet she was a practical singer by nature.
She became the most outstanding singing star of her times from 1945 to 1963 and reached dizzying heights during 1947–1950 in her popularity as an actress. Suraiya with music director Madan Mohan, wife Sheila and Lata Mangeshkar in 1953 after Madan Mohan's marriage Suraiya's first song as a child-singer was 'Boot karun main polish babu' (as a playback singer) in the film ' (1942), composed by Naushad. She went on to sing playback for actress for (1942), (1943) and (1942–43) for Naushad and A.R. Kardar (director-producer), when her principal, Miss P.F. Puttack, took a strong view of her truancy from school, and her 'adventure' came to an abrupt halt.
When Mehtab first saw baby Suraiya, she was hesitant to have her as her playback singer, but on hearing her, she wanted Suraiya to sing all her songs in her films. Even in later years, in 1946, Mehtab was so attached to Suraiya's singing, that she requested Suraiya to record disc versions of her songs in her film Shama (1946), produced by Sohrab Modi, when Suraiya had become a busy heroine and had left singing playback in films for Mehtab. Suraiya then sang for Mehtab, in her own disc versions, available on YouTube, which were recorded by Shamshad Begum in the film. Suraiya debuted with Manna Dey in his first Hindi film song, and their only duet 'Jago ayee usha' in Tamanna in 1942, was directed by his uncle, the famous. Again in 1942, Suraiya paired with in Station Master ( w.
Music director Naushad) for the song 'Sajan ghar aye'. Suraiya acted in both these films. Suraiya's first hit song was a duet with Arun Kumar in the film Hamari Baat in 1943, sung by her and Raj Kapoor on the screen. The music director was Anil Biswas.
The song 'Bistar bicha liya hai tere dar ke samne ghar hum ne le liya hai tere ghar ke samne' was a super-hit. A few years later, the great singer-actor, was so impressed by the singing of the youthful 16-year-old Suraiya, that he readily agreed to have her opposite him in the film Tadbir as a heroine and a singer in 1945. The music was directed by Lal Mohammad in the film. 'Rani khol de dawar milne ka din aa gaya' is a memorable song from the film, she sang it with Saigal. Saigal again opted for Suraiya as his heroine and a singer in the films Omar Khayyam (1946) (w music director Lal Mohammad) and Parwana (1947) (w music director Khurshid Anwar). Parwana was Saigal's last film and was released after his death.
Later, Suraiya continued to work with music director in a few films, and in 1946, she appeared with actress in as a co-star, with Naushad as the music director. She sang three songs in the film which became popular, of which 'Man leta hai angdai' went viral throughout the country. The musical film Dillagi (1949), under Kardar's direction, with Naushad's music, became a silver jubilee hit, with Suraiya becoming a national rage with her songs and acting. In a span of 22 years, she gave a number of hits. In her honey-rich voice, songs like 'Woh paas rahein, ya door rahein', 'Tere naino ne chori kiya', 'Tu mera chaand, main teri chandni', 'Yaad karun tori batiya' and the rare classical number 'Man mor hua matwala' created hysteria in the country. Was the music director in three films of Suraiya, viz. Ishara (1943), Parwana (1947) and Singaar (1949).
Suraiya sang 13 songs in these films. Some outstanding songs of Parwana are 'Jab tumhi nahin apne', 'Mere munderey na bol', and 'Papi papiha re'. With the music director duo,, Suraiya sang in 10 films and recorded the most songs (58, excuding 6 repeat songs for the film Kanchan) for any music director from 1948 to 1958. The films were (1948), Aaj Ki Raat (1948), Naach (1949), Balam (1949), (1949), (1949), Sanam (1951), (1954), Kanchan (1955) and Trolley Driver (1955).
Her song 'O, door janewale, wada na bhul jana' in Pyar Ki Jeet in 1948 became a hit all over India. Suraiya did only three films with music composer Sachin Dev Burman, viz. (1948) (with Dev Anand), (1949) (with Dev Anand) and (1952)), as she was associated with other composers, and SD Burman came late into the scene in Bombay. Yet, most of their songs are memorable. 'Man mor hua Matwala' (in Afsar), 'Nain Deewane' 'Layi khushi ki dunia' (with Mukesh in 'Vidya') and 'Preet sataye teri yaad na' in Lal Kunwar being some of them. All of Suraiya's songs from her film Mirza Ghalib (1954) (music director: Ghulam Mohammed) have become classical songs and have enhanced the beauty of Ghalib's ghazals for the connoisseur and the layman alike. The songs 'Yeh na thi hamari kismat', 'Nukta- cheen hai gam-e-dil', 'Dil-e-nadan tujhe hua kya hai', 'Aah Ko Chahiye', and 'Rahiye ab aisi jagha' are among the finest examples of ghazal singing.
Another movie of Suraiya which has evergreen songs is Shama (1961). The lyrics were written by the stalwart lyricist and the music composer was another 'Great';.
The memorable songs sung by Suraiya are 'Mast aankhon mein shararat', 'Dhadakte Dil Ki Tamanna ho', and 'Aap se pyaar hua jata hai'. Suraiya was the only singing actress who also worked as a heroine and co-star with many other singing-stars of her times, including (in Anmol Ghadi), (in Bilwamangal), (in Maalik and Waris), (in Mashuqa), (in Tadbeer, Omar Khaiyyam and Parwana) and (in 1857 and Anmol Ghadi). Her last film as a singing actress was, with the song 'Yeh kaisi ajab dastan ho gayi hai', being her last, yet one of the most remembered songs. Other notable directors who composed music for her songs include K. Dutta (in films Rang Mehal and partly Yateem), Krishen Dayal (in the film Lekh- songs such as 'Dil ka qarar lut gaya' and 'Badra ki chaon tale'), S.Mohinder (in Nilli), Sardul Kwatra (in Goonj), Madan Mahan (in Khubsoorat), Roshan (in Mashuqa- songs such as 'Mera bachpan wapas aya'), S.N.Tripahi (in Inaam), O.P.Nayyar (in Mr. Lamboo) and N.
Dutta (in Miss 58). The music for her film Main kya karoon (1945) was composed by Nino Mujamdar, for Shakti by Ram Parshad /Azim Beg and for Amar Kahani by Baij Sharma. Her songs in Hunsraj Behl's Khilari (such as 'Chahat ka bhulana mushkil hai' and 'Dile nashad na ro'), in 'Shaan' (such as 'Tarap ae dil'), in Rajput, Moti Mehal and Resham are still remembered by music lovers. Her music director in the film Shokian (songs such as 'Ratoon ki neend chen li') was Jamal Sen; and Bilo C. Rani directed in Bilwamangal (songs such as 'Parwano se preet sekh le'). Suraiya was recognized as the first 'Queen of Melody ' of the sub-continent and was the first singer to be given the honorific title 'Malika-e-Tarannum' (Queen of Melody) for her singing talent before partition, ahead of any other singer. Suraiya could sing in all octaves, though she mostly sang her songs in lower octaves, as many of them were 'ghazals' and 'geets'.
An example of her higher octave songs is from the film Tadbir (1945), viz. 'Jaag ae sonewale', with music by Lal Mohammad, who composed music in just four films, but was masterful in each one of them. Suraiya's style and voice changed over the years. Till 1949, she sang in a bass voice, usually in the old (then current) slow style of singing. From 1950, her style of singing changed to a faster rhythemic tempo of singing (of the fifties and later style) in a treble voice, a style, which is most common till now.
Anil Biswas, playing on radio, Suraiya's earliest song, 'panchi ja', composed by Naushad from the film 'Sharda' (1942), said her voice was sweet and unique in 1942 and remained the same thereafter.. Such uniqueness was rarely to be found amongst singers in later years, when Anil Biswas was playing her song. Suraiya sang her duets with the following singers for films, namely Manna De, Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Shyam Kumar, G.M.
Durrani, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Mukesh, C.H. Atma, Talat Mehmood, Surendra, K.L. Saigal, Surinder Kaur, Noor Jehan, Uma Devi, S. Batish, Arun Kumar, Nirmala Devi, Shankar Dasgupta, Raj Kumari, Amar, Meena Kapoor, Noor Mohammed Charlie, Indrabadan Bhatt and Hamida Banu. Suraiya's songs, as a tribute to her, are played every year on her birth anniversary on 15th June and her death anniversary on 31 January by Radio Sri Lanka (Hindi music) and are posted on YouTube by eraksoldies. Craze for Suraiya [ ] In the late 1940s and early 50s, craze for Suraiya amongst her fans was at its peak.
Her house at Marine Drive was always mobbed by her fans and suitors when her car used to come out or enter the gates. Most of her fans were obsessed with her. Cinema-goers threw coins at the screen when she appeared to sing in her films and would demand a repeat of her songs. 'She was a screen goddess and a mellifluous singer, who had the world at her feet.' Even one of them (actress Veena's brother) went on a fast outside her house, so that she would acquiesce and marry him.
Another crazy fan came with a 'barat'(wedding party) and dowry from Lahore, and yet another kept a photograph of her in the 'Puja' (temple at home) and would not eat without worshipping her. Even street singers would make money singing songs from her film Pyar ki Jeet. At the other extreme, even Kanti Desai, son of the Chief Minister of the then Bombay State, Morarji Desai (later Prime Minister of India), invited her to a private party, but she refused politely. It is said that Kanti Desai tried hard, even threatening her, but to no consequence. Actor Dharmendra was a great fan of Suraiya. He is said to have seen her film Dillagi (1949) forty times in his teens, walking miles from his hometown, Sahnewal in Punjab, to watch her movies. Suraiya's glamour statement and fashion [ ] Suraiya was known for her glamour, dresses and jewellery in films such as Mirza Ghalib, Pyar Ki Jeet, Dillagi, Sanam, Dastan, Diwana and Shama Parwana, while many of her films had simple, non-glamorous roles.
In real life, Suraiya was known for her love for ethnic dresses and jewellery. At functions, she wore her jewellery to her maximum advantage and wore make-up. She kept the image of actress Suraiya alive in her viewers minds till her later life. Journalist Suresh Kohli reported in the Deccan Herald in 2011, that during the 1977 Filmfare Awards function, a hush descended on the scene, when the heavily be-jewelled Suraiya, dressed in green brocade saree and sporting a 'bindi' and escorted by Filmfare editor B.K. Karanjia, walked towards Dev Anand, her favourite hero, former lover, marriage proposer and friend, whom she could not marry because of her family's pressure.
She had a special love for golden 'bindi' and would often be seen in public functions wearing it, even as late 2003, when she was honoured by an award by Dadasaheb Phalke Academy, Mumbai. Even now in India, jewellery, clothing, etc. Is sold by Suraiya's name by many online companies, because of the styles popularized by her in her films and by her adornments, such as 'Suraiya' earrings, 'Suraiya' bangles, 'Suraiya' burkas and 'Suraiya' mugs. Personal life and love affair with Dev Anand [ ]. Gregory Peck at Suraiya's home, Krishna Mahal, Mumbai in 1954 In the late 1940s, Dev Anand used to enact Gregory Peck's mannerisms to please Suraiya, as she was a fan of Gregory Peck and she often expressed this to Dev Anand. Their love-affair continued for four years from 1948 to 1951. Dev Anand nick-named Suraiya 'Nosey', while to Suraiya, Dev Anand was 'Steve', a name chosen from a book Dev Anand had given her.
Suraiya also called Dev Anand 'Devina' and Dev Anand called Suraiya 'Suraiyana', while faking an Italian accent. (Later on Dev Anand named his daughter 'Devina', as told to Suraiya, according to Star & Style, February 1987). Suraiya was so much in love with Dev Anand that she let Lata sing some of the songs picturized on her in her films, in order to get more time to be with Dev Anand.
Her love for Dev Anand was so intense that she was ready to forgo her singing star career for Dev, who was even more passionate about her. 'All I could then think of was my love for Dev - Suraiya as a singing star and her career be damned!'
(in 'A Journey Down Memory Lane' by Raju Bharatan). During the shooting of director Rana Pratap's film Jeet, both Dev Anand and Suraiya, with the help of the film cast and crew, namely Durga Khote (actress), Dwarka Divecha (cinematographer) and others, had made plans for marriage in a temple, and elopement, but at the last minute, an assistant director, jealous of their marriage, informed Suraiya's grandmother, who dragged her home from the scene. Speaking to journalist Sheila Vesuna, Suraiya said: 'Eventually, my grandmother succeeded in separating us. Dev was deeply hurt and offended by my lack of courage.
But I was afraid for him. In retrospect, I don't think anything would have happened if I'd been bold enough. But I was terrified of my grandmother. And was heartbroken. But time is the greatest healer.'
Suraiya's grandmother, Badshah Begum, who controlled the family, was fiercely opposed to Suraiya marrying Dev Anand. She was also supported by Suraiya's maternal uncle Zahoor and some film persons, viz.
Composer Naushad, director-producer A.R. Kardar, lyricist Naqshab (Nadira's first husband) and director M. During the shooting of Dev Anand's own production Afsar (1950), under the banner of 'Navketan', Suraiya's grandmother started to oppose their romance openly and started interfering even in the shooting of their love scenes. Kamini Kaushal, who worked with Suraiya and Dev Anand in Shair (1949), said in an interview to Filmfare in January 2014, that Suraiya would pass on her letters to her be delivered to Dev Anand, when her grandmother started keeping an eye on their love-affair. She said that Dev Anand was non-aggressive, not someone to put his foot down and say, 'I'll marry her'. Actually, Kamini Kaushal said in 2007 to rediff.com that in the early days 'Dev was very shy and introverted. We acted together in Ziddi, which was his second film and my fourth.
He is still a shy person, but puts on an act of flambuoyance. And let me tell you, it's a perfect act. I know him very well.' Dev Anand in a TV interview with Simi; 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal', after Suraiya's death in January 2004, revealed that Suraiya, who had gladly accepted his ring at first, never told him the reason for her later refusal of the marriage proposal, and that she was coerced to say 'no' to him by her grandmother. In an interview with 'Stardust', June 1972, Suraiya revealed that she lacked the courage to resist her family and that Dev Anand truly loved her. Dev Anand wanted her to be bold and get married to him in a civil court. But Suraiya refused.
'When I refused to marry Dev Anand, he called me a coward. Maybe I was one. I admit I didn't have the courage to take a step I was not absolutely sure of.
Perhaps, it was a folly, perhaps a mistake, or perhaps destiny'. Dev Anand in the interview with Simi, a few years after Suraiya's death, said that after she had said 'no' to him, much later, she probably regretted it. But by then, he had gone much ahead. Dev Anand was resentful that Suraiya did not marry him, even after she died. He said, 'Youth is arrogant and at the moment you hold your head high.
You are the queen of the world. One does not realize then. You realize much later.' But he also said, ' Maybe in her death she was probably released of her sorrows.
Dev Anand was not the only one. Probaby she had many other sorrows as well' In the interview to Stardust, Suraiya said that there were many reasons for her refusal not to rebel against the family and marry him. 'Though I was sure of Dev's love, I was unsure of myself. I was confused.' The principal reason for the opposition from her grandmother and her advisers was that Dev Anand was of a different religion, and the covert one was that Suraiya was the only earning member of the family. Naqshab even brought a copy of the Koran to make her swear that she would not marry Dev Anand (February 1987, 'Star and Style' interview of both Dev Anand and Suraiya by Sheila Vesuna). The film people had also their own professional and personal interests in opposing an early marriage of their popular singing star.
Also, director M. Sadiq, who was a married man, himself wanted to marry her. Suraiya's parents wanted her to marry Dev Anand, but being a mellow couple, their voice was ignored by the grandmother. In the 'Star and Style' interview, Suraiya said that she gave in only when both her grandmother and her maternal uncle threatened to get Dev Anand killed.
Suraiya told during this interview, that during the shooting of the film Neeli, when she told Dev Anand that she did not want her to be the cause of his death, he slapped her across the face and called her a 'coward'. She did not mind Dev Anand slapping her, because she knew how much he loved her. Dev Anand later kept on apologising for days about his behaviour.
The painful experience with Dev Anand left her bruised emotionally, a phase from which many said she never recovered.. She deliberately cut down her assignments after 1952. A retreat from the public atmosphere was followed by a return in films such as Mirza Ghalib (1954), for which she received praise even from the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, but she never attained the dizzy public popularity she had attained earlier on.
Suraiya refused to marry anyone in future, in spite of efforts by her family to persuade her to marry certain film directors and businessmen of their community. Sadiq, film director and actor Rehman were some of the film persons who were interested in marrying Suraiya. Dev Anand, who was very depressed on her reluctant refusal to marry him, was counselled by his brother to recover and stand up from the break up, and he went on to marry four years later in 1954 in a hurried simple marriage, but as he said in his auto-biography, Suraiya was his first true love. Elsewhere, he has said to Shekhar Hattangadi that in spite of his marriage to Kalpana Kartik after his failed love affair that 'Suraiya was the love and passion of his life and that I will always cherish her memory'. While Suraiya was alive in October 2003, Dev Anand accepted the fact that 'Suraiya was my first and only real love.
I wanted to marry her and she was willing. But her Muslim family objected to me, being a Hindu, and created a big row over the communal issue. Remember, she was already a big singing star when we first met, and I was a nobody.
Fans mobbed her, her songs were on the air, and her star image added to the attraction.' In an interview to A. Ganesh Nadar of rediff.com, reminiscing about Suraiya in his autobiography, Dev Anand said: 'The book would not be honest without mentioning her. Parting with her was painful. I met her for the last time on the terrace of her building on Marine Drive (in south Mumbai).
That was the saddest day of my life.' A limerick ('latka'), “chhayi bahar hai, jiya beqarar hai, aaja mere Dev Anand, Suraiya bemar hai” was often heard in 1950s, to cajole Dev Anand to woo Suraiya once again. Suraiya never regretted that she loved Dev Anand. To the interviewer of 'Stardust' in June 1972, she said '.one forgets only what one regrets. I do not regret for a moment that I loved Dev Anand.
Why should I deliberately bury my past, which holds my most precious memories?' It was reported by film magazines in 1950s, after Suraiya had reluctantly turned down Dev Anand's marriage proposal, that he sent Suraiya red roses on her birthday every year. The Chicken Jaco Pdf Converter here. This was refuted by Dev Anand in his autobiography in 2007. In 1979, in a chat with Raju Bharatan for his later book A journey down melody lane (2010), Suraiya regretted that she was completely under her grandmother's thumb and could not oppose her in marrying Dev Anand, even when she was in intense love with him, who as a gentleman, never exceeded his limits, unlike many other actors, who had tried to be fresh with her. 'I would have wed my Dev and would have been perfectly happy with him to this day. I say this since I found Dev to be a perfect gentleman compared to.
At all times by contrast, Dev was scrupulously correct in his romantic approach. Even the first kiss upon me, he planted only when I looked up, offering my lips. I tell you, I should have stood up to my granny then and there. Gone ahead and wed my Dev.
But I was too much under Granny's thumb and the moment was gone.' Suraiya and Dev Anand later met as friends on a few occasions in parties in Mumbai.
Suraiya gave up her professional career as an actress and singer in 1963, and even later refused to sing for music directors, such as Naushad and for music companies like HMV and Polydor, despite several requests by them. She went on to live life away from the media glare and public eye thereafter, except for appearing on a very few public occasions, such as during Noor Jehan's visit to India in 1982.
She did give a few interviews for magazines and some media people from India and Pakistan in the 1970s and 80s. Only later in life in the 1990s and thereafter, did she accept awards and mementos and appeared on a few public occasions. Gregory Peck visits Suraiya at her home. [ ] Suraiya was an ardent fan of the Hollywood star, who paid her a surprise visit along with her uncle at midnight from the hotel Ambassador near her house on 5 January 1954. Gregory Peck had come to Bombay for presenting the first Filmfare Awards, but was late because of a flight delay from Ceylon, where he was acting in the film The Purple Plain.
In 1952, Suraiya had given Frank Capra a signed photograph of her to be delivered to her idol, Gregory Peck, when Capra came to India for 20 days to attend the International Film Festival. Suraiya said that 'he found my photograph which I sent him through Mr. Capra so beautiful that he had it on the wall of his bedroom! He did, and he actually asked me to act with him in a picture.' Later life and last days [ ] Suraiya's maternal grandmother, Badshah Begum, who played a major part in her career and even her personal life, later went to Pakistan to live with her brother and his son, and she was left alone with her mother, Mumtaz Begum. The time with her mother were her happy years, when her mother took care of her daily needs and she would occasionally go to her film world friends. She had a few friends like old-timers,, and, with whom she met occasionally.
Upon the publication of a special article, 'Suraiya Yesterday and Today', in the new series 'Weekly Special' of 'The Illustrated Weekly of India', (25 November 1979), an interview by Raju Bhartan, conducted at the insistence of the magazine's new editor, M. Kamath, who was an avid Suraiya fan, Suraiya became the talk of the town once again. Many Bollywood celebrities, associated with her earlier, called her up to reminisce and congratulate her. Bharat Bhushan and Shammi Kapoor, her film heroes and Dharmendra, who was an ardent Suraiya fan, were the first to call, followed by Naushad, her music director of many a jubilee hit and her heroes and co-singers Mukesh, C.H. Atma and Talat Mahmood. Suraya's mother was very happy and Suraiya invited Raju Bhartan for high tea at her house. After her mother's death in 1987, Suraiya started feeling lonely in her (rented) apartment (owned by Aswin Shah) in Krishna Mahal, Marine Drive in Mumbai, where she lived from the early 1940s until her death in 2004 at the age of 74.
She possessed several apartments in Worli, Mumbai and a house and an orchard in Lonavala, near Pune. Suraiya met Asha Bhonsle on 10 December 1993 at Raju Bharatan's daughter Shilpa's wedding reception at Bombay's Vile Parle, where Raju Bharatan asked Suraiya in a chat along with Asha, whether the two had sung a song together, to which Suraiya said, 'regrettably no', forgetting that the two had sung a duet together in 1954 in 'Shama Parwana', titled 'Jake lage naina, wo paiye nahi chaina'. In December 1998, Suraiya then over 68 years old, while in New Delhi to receive the Sahitya Academy Award during Mirza Ghalib's bi-centenanry celebrations, talked in a low voice and declined to sing, saying she had left “mosiqui (music) years ago”. When a reporter mentioned Dev Anand, she avoided the comment, and chose to change the subject by saying that it was getting late and she had to go back.
Tabassum, who worked with Suraiya in 'Bari Behen' and 'Moti Mahal' as her younger sister, met her often at her home, or rang Suraiya from home. During Suraiya's last few months of her life, Tabassum said 'It's sad that she had shut her doors to the world in her last days. Sometimes when I visited her, I’d find papers and milk collected at her door. She never opened the door. But she’d talk comfortably with me on the phone.
I remember our last conversation. I asked her: 'Aapa kaisi hain?' (Elder sister, how are you?' ) She replied in verse: 'Kaisi guzar rahi hai sabhi poochte hai mujhse, kaise guzaarti hoon koi nahin poochta.' ( 'Everbody asks me 'how are you', but nobody asks me how I spend my days and nights.' ) (As told to Farhana Farook in 2012).
She died on 31 January 2004 aged 74, after being hospitalized for a few days. In her last six months, she was taken care of by her neighbour and family friends; Dhimant Thakar's family, with whom she stayed during this period. She was very close to the two daughters (Amee and Camy) of Dhimant Thakar. She was admitted for a brief period for hypoglycemia, ischemia and insulinoma to Harkishandas hospital ( Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre ) in South Mumbai by the Thakars.
In the hospital, actor, music director, and, writer-producer of her films 'Jeet', 'Vidya' and 'Parwana' (along with R. B.Haldia), visited her during this period. She died at 9.25 am on 31 January 2004.
Actor, who was her ardent fan, also attended her funeral. She was buried at Bada Kabaristan in Marine Lines, Mumbai. After her death, Suraiya's property at Worli and her house at Krishna Mahal, Marine Drive, where she lived on rent for over 70 years, went into legal dispute, as she did not leave behind an explicit will. While the house at Krishna Mahal was claimed by her adopted family (and lawyer) and her Pakistani cousin, Mehfooz Ahmed (maternal uncle M. Zahoor's son) in Dubai, her property was claimed by the adopted family of her lawyer (based on his daughter being a nominee in Suraiya's papers and gift to her as 'hiba'), and her cousin. No relatives from her father's side claimed anything from her property. In 2006, Mumbai High Court granted Mehfooz Ahmed, her Pakistani cousin, born in Lahore in 1943 and staying in Dubai, the right to administer Suraiya's estate, as she died without a will.
In 2008, her maternal cousin brother (Mehfooz Ahmed), who never met her for over 40 years before her death, got the right to the rented house at Krishna Mahal, valued at 7.5 crores rupees, as a tenant by the High Court judgement (according to Mumbai's old rent control laws) over her family lawyer. The house owner Ashwin Shah did not contest the case. The cousin had no objection to the house being sold. Honours and recognitions [ ] In 1946, Suraiya's film Anmol Ghadi with Noor Jehan and Surendra celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' (25 weeks continuous run in one or more cinema halls) in Bombay (now 'Mumbai') and other cities of India.
In 1947, Suraiya's film Dard in which she co-starred with Munnawar Sultana and also sang her own songs, celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' in Bombay (now 'Mumbai') and in other major cities in India. In 1947, Suraiya's film Natak as heroine, with Amar as hero, celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' in the major Indian cities. In 1948, Suraiya was awarded a gold medal by the noted theatre personality, for her role in, in which she acted as a sixteen year old to a sixty-year-old woman. The film was produced by the noted ghazal and folk singer Malika Pukhraj, after she had gone to Pakistan, under the 'Ratan Pictures' banner, and was directed by M.
In 1948, her film Pyar ki Jeet with Rehman as hero, became a hit and celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' in Bombay and in other cities in India. In 1948, Suraiya was voted as the 'Best movie actress of the year' In 1949, her film Dillagi with actor Shyam as hero, celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' in Bombay and in other major cities. In 1949, Suraiya's film Badi Behen, with Rehman as hero, became a huge success and got recognition as a 'Silver Jubilee' film. In 1950, Suraiya's film Dastan with her as heroine opposite Raj Kapoor as hero, celebrated 'Silver Jubilee' in the major cities of India. The film collected rupees 65,00,000. In 1951, in the inaugural issue of the famous film news-weekly 'Screen', Suraiya was given the pride of place on the front page, with her photo adorning the page.
In 1952, her film Diwana, with Suresh as hero attained success as a 'Silver Jubilee' film in the major cities of India. In the 4 April 1952 issue of the newly launched film magazine 'Filmfare', Suraiya's colour photograph appeared on the front cover during the first year, second month of its publication, the first issue of which came out in March 1952. Suraiya featured regularly in 'Lux' soap campaigns in magazines and 'Lux' calendars in the 1950s. In 1954, Suraiya's duet 'Rahi Matwale' from the film Waris with Talat Mehmood was selected as the fifth Song of the Year, chosen by listeners in 'Binaca Geet Mala' on Radio Ceylon. In 1954, her film Mirza Ghalib was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year.
The film collected rupees 90,00,000. In 1955,, a film in which Suraiya acted, was awarded the President's Gold Medal for the Best Feature Film of 1954 (first Hindi film), during the, and her acting and singing were highly appreciated and extolled by the then Prime Minister, at Rastrapati Bhawan, during the special screening of the movie, which Suraiya said was bigger than an Oscar. In November 1956, Suraiya was specially invited to the Soviet Union, where her films Mirza Ghalib and Waris were shown in the 'Festival of Indian Cinema' along with other films such as Awara of Raj Kapoor and Nargis, who also went as part of the delegation. The films were shown in cities such as Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.
In 1994, a retrospective of Suraiya's films was held at Mumbai by the 'Cine Club' during 21 to 26 March 1994, which was inaugurated by the then Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra, (later Chief Minister of Maharashtra), in Suraiya's presence, wherein she gave an introductory talk about her films and the prevailing trends in Bollywood films. This event is posted on YouTube as 'Suraiya-Khusboo ka Safar' in four parts. In 1996, Suraiya was awarded the, presented to her by the actor-politician. Dressed in a splendid white salwar kameez, Suraiya was overwhelmed with emotion on the occasion, and said in her ever sweet voice that she had had a long association with the film industry.
She was deeply moved to note that the people continued to remember her after so many years. When the anchor-actor, Javed Jafri asked her to sing a few lines of any of her songs, she refused. Indian Express reported: 'As a star, she still remembers the meaning of letting a legend live. Heroines are captured forever on the silver screen and the public memory must never be updated.'
In December 1998, she was specially honoured for perpetuating Mirza Ghalib 's memory by her acting and songs by the then Prime Minister, during the Mirza Ghalib bi-centenary celebrations in New Delhi, conducted by the Urdu Academy and Sahitya Academy. In 1999, she was honoured with the, instituted by the Bimal Roy Memorial and Film Society, Mumbai. In 1999, Suraiya was specially invited as the chief guest to present the Zee Cine Lifetime Acievement Award to Lata Mangeshkar, the event being conducted by Amin Sayani. On 30 April 2003, Suraiya, 'the unforgettable diva of yesteryear', as described by the Times of India, was honoured by the and at a special function on the 134th birth anniversary of Dada Phalke, and the occasion was chaired by the Cultural Minister of Maharashtra,. The Times of India reported: 'Dressed in a crimson red zardosi churidar with sparkling long dangling earrings, the singing rage of the 40's, Suraiya received a standing ovation as she went on the dais to receive a small token of appreciation from the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy and Screen World Publication, organisers of the show'.
In 2010, her song, 'teri naino ne chori kiya' from her film 'Pyar ki Jeet'(1949) was selected by Times Music in its 150 best songs of Bollywood during the period of 80 years, 1930 - 2010, released in 10 CDs, along with a book, written by music critic, Rajiv Vijaykar, highlighting the landmark songs. In 2012, Suraiya was selected in the top twenty superstars of Bollywood of all time in Bhaichand Patel's book 'Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema' published by Penguin Books. These, according to the author, were the most popular star actors of their times. On 3 May 2013, a postage stamp, bearing her image in various roles, was released by the owned by the Government of India to honour her on the occasion of the '. In 2013, in a poll conducted by the ethnic Indian brand, in association with the International Indian Film Academy, as part of the 100 years of Indian Cinema, Suraiya was voted as the 'Best On Screen Beauty with the Most Ethnic Look', followed by Indian film actresses,,,, and. In 2017, a number of Suraiya's songs have been included, along with her interviews in the Saregama 'Carvaan' preloaded portable digital music player brought out by Saregama music company.
Amin Sayani, renowned radio and TV anchor, and music historian selected Suraiya's song 'Wo pas rahe ya door rahe' from film Badi Behen, as one of the top 12 songs during the period 1949 to 1953. A building in which Suraiya owned flats in Worli, Mumbai is named 'Suraiya Apartments' and a road in Nagargaon, Lonavala, District Pune, where she had some property is named 'Suraiya Road' after her. Suraiya's personality [ ] Speaking about Suraiya, Dev Anand said in an interview: 'Suraiya and I fell in love when we started working together. She was a very nice girl who radiated warmth and friendliness.
She was an established star, but had no airs about her. I was passionately in love with her. I was young, It was my first love and very intense.' 'Suraiya had beautiful eyes, she was young, a nice person and we got friendly with each other very quickly, but she was a total prisoner in the hands of her family.
She was never an independent girl, controlled by the family members.' Suraiya continued to be so mesmerized by Dev Anand's memories and her love for him, that in a much later interview with Raju Bharatan, she always kept referring to him as 'my Dev', when talking about Dev Anand and her aborted love-affair (aborted by her granny, A.R. Kardar (producer-director) and Naushad (music-director)). 'I should have stood up to my granny, then and there.
Gone ahead and wed my Dev. But, I was too much under Granny's thumb and the moment was gone. What hurt like hell was their 'Woh Hindu hai' ('He is a Hindu') line on which they based their opposition. I owe so much to Kardar and Naushad (for her professional life), but I will never forgive them for the one-track outlook they adopted in creating hurdle after hurdle for me in the purely personal matter of my marrying my Dev'.' Suraiya had a calm temperament and never showed any bitterness or rancour that is often found in people who have tasted the fruits of success and had to move on. On the contrary, there was a sense of relief from having escaped from the applause, bright lights and camera. (Interview to 'Society Magazine' in January, 1982.) Suraiya never boasted of her singing and acting ability, in spite of her immense popularity in her times.
Rather, she was often dismissive about both her acting and singing talents, whenever an interviewer questioned her about them, as per her interviews to media and to Raju Bharatan, while he was researching for his books. About her singing, she remarked to Raju Bharatan in his book 'Lata Mangeshkar- a Biography', that 'Noorjehan was born great, Lata achieved greatness, I had singing greatness thrust upon me'.
She was wrong on this count, seeing that she sang only for her films, as remarked by Lata and Naushad's insistence on her to sing again, while she was in her fifties, but she refused to oblige him. The centre of attraction of Suraiya's beauty were her large expressive eyes, which were so magnetic that songs were written about them. A song which was sung by her in Pyar ki jeet (1948) about the eyes, 'tere naino ne chori kiya', where her eyes were shown to advantage on screen, catapulted her to be the reigning superstar of her times, fetching her one and a half lakh rupees per film, the highest in those times, when heroes were getting less than one lakh rupees. Suraiya was well built with strong bones from her teenage years, although she was not so in her earlier days. In a film, Prithviraj Kapoor, who was the hero of her film, found it difficult to carry her up the stairs, when he had to shoot repeatedly for a scene.
Suraiya loved dolls. Wherever she traveled, she always brought back dolls. She also loved lamps and bought many antique lamps. There were antiques, awards and paintings around the house.
She was obviously a lover of art. (from Amee Shah, daughter of her lawyer and a family friend Dhimant Thakar, after her demise, on rediff.com). Suraiya read a lot and was especially fond of Urdu 'shaiyari'. She had a good collection of books. Her favourite authors were Somerset Maugham, Marie Corelli and Khalil Jibran, according to her fan, businessman Mushtaq Abdulla, who met her at her home in 1980.
She was reticent by nature and kept only a few close friends. Amee Shah, daughter of her lawyer, revealed that she often spoke about Nargis.
Nargis had lived only four buildings away and they were childhood friends. Suraiya had lived in Krishna Mahal since she was four years old.
In her childhood days, Raj Kapoor used to come there often, to take Nargis and Suraiya (aunty) to All India Radio. Suraiya liked Adnan Sami and often copied the way he moved his hands (in the fashion of the 'lift kara de' song). Though she had put on weight after she stopped acting, she had become slim again during her last five years.
She had photos of personalities close to her and of VIPs adorning her drawing room, as seen after her demise. Among them was her mother, Mumtaz Begum, with Raj Kapoor posing with her much after her retirement, and C.M.
Vilas Rao Deshmukh bestowing an award, among others. She had a very large sized photograph of herself adorning the wall of her drawing room of her adulthood in the 1970s, in her usual glamorous fashion. This photograph has been used in her albums released later by HMV and T-series.
She had her drawing room very tastefully decorated. In her youth, Suraiya was friendly with elderly journalist B.K. Karanjia, editor of Filmfare and Screen.
She stood by him when a section of the movie industry did not support his hosting 'Constellation Nite', for a charitable cause (scarcity in the State) for a technical reason. The event was held on 10 May 1953 at the Lloyd's Reclamation Grounds on Marine Drive. When she went on stage to sing a song from the film Pagalkhana with Vasant Desai wielding the baton, Dilip Kumar was so moved at the end, that he went on stage to garland her, which brought the whole house down. ('Counting my Blessings' by B.K. Karanjia.) Suraiya on her co-actors [ ] During her 28 year long career, Suraiya worked with several actors and actresses. During her interviews in 1952 and later, she described the qualities of her co-stars in great detail.
She worked with in Ishara in 1943, when she was only thirteen, and Prithviraj Kapoor was in his mid forties. He encouraged her as his heroine, in spite of the age difference.
She said that she respected him very much, and the respect increased over the years. Suraiya described as a 'bombshell' on the sets and predicted in 1952 that he would make a great producer-director in future, as he was very imaginative. Suraiya worked with in three films during 1945 and 1946, when she was 15 to 16 years old. To her, working with Saigal was a great honour and privilege, as he was the king of romance and singing at that time. She was the heroine of actor, and worked with him in three films, viz.
Dillagi, Nach and Char Din, before he died suddenly of a fall from a horse on the set in 1951. She said that she often thought of him as the Errol Flynn of India, as he was a merry person, jocular and talkative. Suraiya confided that Shyam was quite close to her family, and even often teased her granny., with whom Suraiya worked in one film, Khiladi (1950), was very humorous on the sets, although he appeared to be a serious person. To her, Ashok Kumar matured much as a polished actor after Mahal (1949)., her hero in Moti Mahal, appeared to be a shy person to her at first, although to his fans, he was a 'tough' guy. He did not mind people saying anything about him.
He was nicknamed 'John Hal' on the sets. Her hero of several films,, was a 'thinking actor', who often played chess with her, a game she did not like much. He was generally serious, but could be witty at times with his jokes, which he wanted others to listen to., actor and hero in many of her films, had been known to her since her childhood. She knew him as a very generous and straightforward person, who was taken advantage of by many people. He too, was often a guest at her home on Sundays for lunch., younger brother of, who acted in Lal Kunwar (1952), could do well under a good director.
He was much interested in puzzles and often asked about puzzles on the sets from his co-artists. Suraiya acted with as his heroine in three films, Do Dil, Aaj Ki Raat and Lekh. Motilal made a perfect lover on the sets, as he was a 'natural actor'. Acted in Mashuka (1953) with her and was self-conscious on the sets at first, and Suraiya had to guide her. Suraiya said that she had known since her childhood, when he was already a grown person.
She acted in two films with Surendra, viz. Anmol Ghadi (1946) and 1857 (1946). Surendra once told her, when she was acting as a heroine opposite him, that he had saved her as a child from a car on the road when she was a toddler, wearing nothing.
According to Suraiya, was a debonair, handsome actor, who acted in the most number of films (seven) with her. Although Dev Anand believed himself to be a 'tough' guy, he actually was not. He had a habit of pulling Suraiya's hair between takes.
He could play all types of roles, but hated singing roles. His greeting 'hello' to all, while entering the sets, was known to everyone. In an interview in Stardust in June 1972, Suraiya described him as a very sensitive person. Though her maternal grandmother and her son treated her very badly, he bore it all till he could take it no more. Yet, he proposed to her, which she did not accept, under pressure and threat from her grandmother and her son, with whom the grandmother later left for Pakistan.
In the same issue of 'Stardust', Suraiya in the section 'These are a few of my favourite things' to the query: 'My favourite co-star' wrote: 'Dev Anand..of course.' Suraiya spoke highly of Noor Jehan, a few years her senior in acting, in an interview to 'Times of India' newspaper on 25 December 2000. 'Noor Jehan was my ideal.
Noor Jehan was the most affectionate person, an ideal mother and a top class career woman. She was one of the greatest singer-actresses the world has ever seen and the film industry has yet to produce another like her. I was only 14 years when I acted with Noor Jehan and was not a trained singer. But both Noor Jehan and Naushad encouraged me to sing in the film Anmol Ghadi, I got a small role in the film, but got noticed because of her.
The film was a big hit and celebrated a diamond jubilee in the Novelty Cinema. It was a great experience with Noor Jehan, as she was friendly, witty and used to crack jokes and also used to give me tips on makeup. She was like my sister, a great mother and a fighter who carried on with her career despite being a single mother'. Suraiya's views on later day Bollywood cinema in nineteen nineties [ ] Speaking during the retrospectives of her films in March, 1994, Suraiya was critical of the trend in Bollywood films of excessive sex,nudity and violence in films, which led the youth of the country in wrong direction.
She was also critical of the censor board, which passed such scenes and double meaning dialogues and songs in films, without much thought. They did not understand the meaning of such dialogues and passed them, as if keeping their eyes, ears and mouth shut. No doubt, Bollywood had some very good film-makers, like B. Chopra and his brother Yash Chopra, who made meaningful and healthy films. Suraiya said that the film fraternity should have its own screening body, which should provide guidance to film-makers and did monitoring of films, before sending them to the Censor Board. Suraiya's association boosted actors' and film artistes career [ ] A number of actors' career took off after acting with Suraiya in her films, such was her appeal. Comedian Om Prakash, who tried his luck as a hero and as a villain in Lahore, began to succeed in his career after acting in Suraiya's film Char Din (1949), on coming to Bombay (now Mumbai).
So, also, was Baby Naaz, who acted with Suraiya in her film Resham (1952), and later became a famous child actress in Boot Polish (1954), and later as a well known actress. Meena Kumari acted as a supporting actress with Suraiya in Sanam (1951), and was selected as a heroine in Baiju Bawra in 1952, with Bharat Bhushan, a film which won her a Filmfare Award. An indirect contribution of Suraiya in furthering Mohammed Rafi's music was her generosity. In his struggling days, Mohammed Rafi used to come to Marine Drive esplanade early at 4 A.M. To practice his music.
Suraiya, on finding out that it was Rafi who did 'riyaz' (practice music) near her house, because of shortage of space in his small house at Bandra, asked him to come to her house to practice in the morning. For one year, Rafi practiced music at her house, till he got a bigger house for himself. Competition with Lata [ ] Although Suraiya had no feeling of competition with Lata Mangeshkar in her singing career, as Suraiya was an established singing star when Lata was starting her music career, and as Suraiya sang only for her own films, yet cine magazines attributed in the 50s and 60s that there was competition between them. This was discussed by media even after her death with Lata, who said that that there was no question of competition, as Suraiya sang for herself. But, Lata said that although she was much awed by Suraiya's star status in her heyday, she was not very close to her.
Even Suraiya remarked, as stated by Raju Bhartan in his book 'A journey down melody lane', that Lata was formal with her when she met Lata in 1994 after Suraiya's retrospective of her films was shown in 1994 and in 1999 when she presented Lata with the 'Zee Lifetime Achievement' award. In 1962, when Lata got food-poisoning, cine magazines spread rumours that Suraiya had got her food poisoned.
Both Lata and Suraiya ridiculed the story, when asked about the rumours. Suraiya said that there was no question of rivalry, as she herself suggested Lata's name in the film 'Balam' in 1949 as a singer for her film, since she was too romantically involved with her hero in films, Dev Anand, at that time and was glad to give her assignments to Lata. Much later, after Suraiya's death in 2004, Lata remarked that she was aghast that people could write such things about Suraiya. There was never any competition between them. Lata broke her silence after Suraiya's death and mentioned: 'I can’t claim to have been close friends with her. But whenever we met she was really warm, though mischief-makers, the 'Narad Munis' of our industry, tried to spoil our relationship. I remember they spread the rumour that: 'Suraiya gave Lata something to eat which has spoilt her voice.'
When press persons asked me about this I was aghast: 'Suraiyaji ke baarey mein aisa kaise soch sakte hain?' ('How could one even think such a thing about Suraiyaji?'
She was a star in her own right. And because she was an actress, she felt no sense of rivalry with me or I with her.'
Insufficient later years recognition by the Government and Bollywood media [ ] As reported in 'The Tribune' in 2004, while much lesser actors and singers were honoured with Padma awards, the Indian government failed to give her due recognition in bestowing her an appropriate Padma award, while she was still alive. In her singing days, she was no less than Lata. To her fans, she was even more, since she was a singing actress. Even the Bollywood media moghuls, except for the 'Screen' film media, which bestowed her a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, failed to remember her in giving her a Lifetime Achievement Award for her illustrious career. Tributes to Suraiya [ ] On her death on 31 January 2004, the then Prime Minister of India, in a condolence message said: 'Suraiya was not only a good actress, she was also a talented singer. The legendary singer was endowed with a mellifluous voice'. Information and Broadcasting Minister said: 'Suraiya was one of the most popular singing superstars of the forties and her famous honey voice and rich songs will remain popular for all time to come.
Her contribution to the development of the Indian cinema will be remembered for long'., director-writer, the only living director (when she died) to have worked with her (in Pyar Ki Jeet) remembered her: 'Suraiya, Bano to me, was a bundle of unforgettable qualities. A sublime voice, the ring in the voice, the perfect diction, the effortless rendering. But she always insisted that she was no singer. There were congratulations all around (on her success in his film). But Suraiya insisted she was no great shakes as an actress. The argument was over when she gave a sterling performance in Bari Behen. The success made Suraiya smile that unforgettable smile that could send a thousand hearts aflutter.
She was right at the top and I was very happy for her.' , veteran actor, said on her passing away: 'She was a caring girl, very affectionate, particularly with junior artistes. Suraiya will be sorely missed, even though she had been a recluse for decades.' Said on her death: 'I felt sad when she died. One does feel sad at death. I did not go to her funeral because I would have been reminded of her past.
I cried from a distance.' In an interview with Simi Garewal in her show; 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal', Dev Anand paid his ultimate tribute to Suraiya, speaking poignantly about their failed love affair and Suraiya's loneliness in life. He said: 'In her death, maybe she was relieved of her sorrows in life'. Speaking to 'The Indian Express' correspondent, Dev Anand said: 'I first met Suraiya on the sets of a film called Jeet. I think it was in the year 1948. She was a big star, a super singer while I was a newcomer.
I remember our first shot together. I was playing the piano while she had to lean towards me and sing. We hit off well and struck a good friendship. Our story is quite an old story now. It's history now, but at the same time it's become a legend.
I shared some great memories and moments with her. Suraiya has been a great chapter in my life. She was a very vibrant person and had beautiful and arresting eyes. She was a very talented singer and a spontaneous actress. She was a star, but she never forgot that she was a human being first.' On being asked as to why he did not go to meet her in the hospital in her last days, Dev Anand said 'I didn't go and meet her in the hospital because that would boomerang.
The whole thing would have been highlighted and a round of fresh scandal would have started.' Music director Naushad in an interview to 'Outlook' Magazine on her demise had only praise for her immense talent and character. 'Actually she was a very sophisticated and cultured person.
She knew how to show respect to elders and even when she became a star, she continued to behave with the same dignity and decorum with which she had first met me.' Lata Mangeshkar, Suraiya's co-singer in her films 'Balam', 'Sanam' and 'Diwana', narrated to Subash K.
Jha of 'The Times of India' newspaper: 'My eyes mist over when I remember Suraiyaji's stardom. 'Kya naam tha unka'!
('How popular was she!' I used to just gaze at her long sleek car (a Cadillac). I remembered her car's number by heart. 'Humlog sochte thay kitne bade artiste hain'! ('We would feel in awe, how big an artiste was she!'
People say Suraiyaji's death is a big loss to the film industry. But who went to see her when she was alive?' Singer said that Suraiya had played heroine opposite his father, playback legend, in the movie Mashooka (1953), as the lead actor. 'Papa was very fond of her. She met me at a couple of award functions and was always affectionate.'
, actress and wife of actor Amitabh Bachchan, poignantly remembered Suraiya in 2004 just after her death, while receiving the 'Sansui Lifetime Achievement Award', saying that more tributes should have come her way, regarding how big an artiste she was. Earlier, in 1974,, then an upcoming actress-cum-singer, in an interview to the Hindi film magazine 'Mayapuri' said: 'I want to be a heroine-cum-singer like Suraiya. Her voice was fabulous, and she sang her own songs for films. I want to do the same.' Editor of the film weekly ', Rauf Ahmed, remembered her: 'She was the uncrowned queen of her time, a dazzling singing star. She took off from where Noor Jehan left when she went to Pakistan. When Suraiya acted with Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor, she was bigger than all of them.'
(For the Screen Videocon Lifetime Achievement Award (1996)): 'It was difficult to bring Suraiya to the Screen Awards ceremony. Till the last moment, we didn't know if she would arrive to collect the award,' he said. Wrote after her death: 'She evoked the kind of hysteria [in the late 1940s] that can be compared only with in his heyday from 1969 to 1972. Ask any old-timer and they would confirm that people bunked offices, schools and colleges, even shops closed on the opening day of her films, to see her films first day, first show.' Newspaper wrote about Suraiya: 'What can you say about a lady, who was courted by Dev Anand, respected by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, but feared by Lata Mangeshkar! That she was beautiful, talented, adored by millions, but died a lonely single woman?
Or, that she was the best ever superstar singer-actress of Indian films, yet walked away to a self-imposed exile at the height of her glory? Yes, Suraiya was all this, plus 'a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma' who resolutely shunned screen and media once she departed from the arc lights.' Suraiya's songs, as a tribute to her, are played every year on her birth anniversary, 15th June and her death anniversary on 31 January by Radio Sri Lanka (formerly Radio Ceylon), and are posted on YouTube by eraksoldies..
Radio Vividh Bharti, Mumbai has been playong her songs on her anniversary. Suraiya's interviews, features and books [ ] During her lifetime There have been numerous features and articles in various national magazines on Suraiya during her lifetime. Some of these magazines were 'The Illustrated Weekly of India', 'Stardust', 'Society', 'Star & Style' and 'Filmfare'.
The details of available articles/references are as follows: (1) 'Suraiya, yesterday and today' (six pages), a feature and interview by Raju Bharatan in the magazine 'The Illustrated Weekly of India' in the 25 November 1979 issue. (2) 'Why did Suraiya break Dev Anand's heart?'
, a feature and interview in the magazine 'Society' by Deepa Arora in the January 1982 issue. (3) 'Will Suraiya ever forget Dev Anand?' , a feature and interview in the film magazine 'Stardust' in the June 1972 issue. (4) 'Suraiya on her co-artistes', in a film magazine in 1952. (5) 'Suraiya: A voice from the past', a feature and interview by Sheila Vesuna.
(6) 'Dev Anand – Suraiya Love Story. In their own words', a feature and interview of both Suraiya and Dev Anand in 'Star and Style' by Sheila Vesuna, February, 1987. (7) In Suraiya's interview in 'Nai Duniya' in the 1990 issue, wherein she tells how her grandmother, who was opposing Suraiya and Dev Anand being alone for one and a half years, was by a ruse asked to go home from the sets to get Suraiya's necklace for continuity in a scene, so that the two could be alone in her make-up room. Also, she revealed that the real reason the grandmother opposed her marriage was that she was the main financial support of the family, by covering it up as a Hindu Muslim marriage factor, to which she was opposed. Suraiya also said that Kamini Kaushal, who was also in love with Dilip Kumar at that time, gave her a number of tips on where and how to meet Dev Anand. Books on Suraiya Although no major book has been written wholly about Suraiya, a number of books have been written in which Suraiya has come alive, featuring her in a major way in various chapters.
Some of these books are: (1) 'Naushadnama; the life and music of Naushad' by Raju Bharatan (2) 'A journey down melody lane' by Raju Bharatan (3) 'Romancing with life' (Autobiography) by Dev Anand (4) 'Counting my blessings' by B.K.