Shamshad Begum had not been keeping well for the past few months
New Delhi:
Legendary playback singer ShamshadBegum, who mesmerised music lovers with classics like KahinPe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishaana, Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon,Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar and Kajra Mohabbat Wala, died at herMumbai residence from age related ailments. She was 94. (Read: Shamshad Begum: A song in her heart )
"She was not keeping well for past few months and wasin and out of hospital. She passed away last night at our home(Powai in northeast Mumbai). The funeral was a solemn affairwith a few friends present," Shamshad Begum's daughter Usha Ratra toldPTI.
"She kept herself away from glamour of the industrydespite being one of the top singers of her era as she did notlike limelight. My mother used to say that artistes never die.She wanted to be remembered for her songs," Usha added.
The singer was living with her daughter and son-in-lawYog Ratra in Mumbai, ever since her husband Ganpat Lal Battodied in 1955.
Born on April 14, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab in atraditional family, Begum made her debut on Peshawar Radio inLahore on December 16, 1947, captivating the hearts of herlisteners with her enchanting voice. (Read: Six things you didn't know about Shamshad Begum)
A versatile singer, Shamshad Begum enthralled millions with hersongs in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi.She sang for almost all the top composers of her timeincluding Ghulam Haider, Naushad and O P Nayyar.
Her major hits include Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin PeNishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar(CID-1956), Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re (Bahar-1951) and ChodBabul Ka Ghar (Babul-1950) and Kajra Mohabbat Wala(Kismat-1968).
Singing was a passion for Shamshad Begum from a very early age buther conservative family did not encourage her at that time. Itwas her paternal uncle who convinced her father to allow herto sing.(Pics: The greatest hits of Shamshad Begum)
She soon had a contract with record company Xenophone.Her father agreed to let her sing on the condition that shewould attend the recordings in a burkha and would not getherself photographed.
Shamshad Begum continued to honour her father's wishes even aftergetting married to Ganpat Lal Batto at the age of 15 in 1934.
Shamshad Begum recorded many songs under the guidance of ustadGhulam Haider. She started playback singing with DalsukhPancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat which had music by Haider.Pancholi's first Hindi film Khazanchi had all the songs in ShamshadBegum's voice.
Haider continued to mentor the budding singer byrecording her voice for films like Zamindar, Poonji andShama. He brought Begum to Mumbai as part of his team.She also sang for All India Radio as part of Delhi'sCrown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts. Hersongs were frequently aired on AIR Lahore.
A movie buff, Shamshad Begum was a huge fan of K L Saigal and saidthat she had watched his Devdas 14 times.Enchanted by her voice, director Mehboob Khan usedBegum's voice in Taqdeer (1943) where he introduced Nargisas a heroine.
Soon Shamshad Begum was singing for other composers like RafiqGhaznavi, Ameer Ali, Pt Gobindram, Pt Amarnath, Bulo C Rani,Rashid Atre, M A Mukhtar in the pre-independence era.After partition, Haider migrated to Pakistan but Begumremained in Mumbai.
Composer Naushad used Shamshad Begum's voice in films like AnokhiAda, Mela, Dulari, Babul, Deedar, Jadoo, Aan andMother India.
It was a time when Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle wereemerging as the new voices in cinema but Begum continued tohold sway.
Her famous duets in this period are Darr Na Mohabbat KarLe in Andaz, Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena from Deedarand the famous qawali Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat fromMughal-e-Azam, her last for Naushad.
The singer also recorded many songs with O P Nayyar andshe sang some of her most popular numbers under Nayyar'sdirection.
Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from Aar Paar, Ab To Jee HoneLaga from Mr and Mrs 55, Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin PeNishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyarfrom CID are popular and remixed even today. Shamshad Begum sangthese numbers under OP Nayyar's music direction.
Under Nayyar, Begum recorded songs in Musafir Khana,Shrimati 420, Howrah Bridge, Naya Daur and Kismat.Shamshad Begum is credited with singing the first westernisednumber Aana Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday for film Shehnaiunder C Ramchandra, who utilised the mischief in her voice forfun numbers like Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon for film Patang.Shamshad Begum's talent was first spotted by her principal whenshe was in primary school. Impressed by the quality of hervoice, she was made head singer of classroom prayer.At 10, she started singing folk based songs in religiousfunctions and family marriages.
In her twilight years, Shamshad Begum was confined to awheelchair. She was conferred Padma Bhushan award in 2009.
Watch video:
"She was not keeping well for past few months and wasin and out of hospital. She passed away last night at our home(Powai in northeast Mumbai). The funeral was a solemn affairwith a few friends present," Shamshad Begum's daughter Usha Ratra toldPTI.
"She kept herself away from glamour of the industrydespite being one of the top singers of her era as she did notlike limelight. My mother used to say that artistes never die.She wanted to be remembered for her songs," Usha added.
The singer was living with her daughter and son-in-lawYog Ratra in Mumbai, ever since her husband Ganpat Lal Battodied in 1955.
Born on April 14, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab in atraditional family, Begum made her debut on Peshawar Radio inLahore on December 16, 1947, captivating the hearts of herlisteners with her enchanting voice. (Read: Six things you didn't know about Shamshad Begum)
A versatile singer, Shamshad Begum enthralled millions with hersongs in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi.She sang for almost all the top composers of her timeincluding Ghulam Haider, Naushad and O P Nayyar.
Her major hits include Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin PeNishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar(CID-1956), Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re (Bahar-1951) and ChodBabul Ka Ghar (Babul-1950) and Kajra Mohabbat Wala(Kismat-1968).
Singing was a passion for Shamshad Begum from a very early age buther conservative family did not encourage her at that time. Itwas her paternal uncle who convinced her father to allow herto sing.(Pics: The greatest hits of Shamshad Begum)
She soon had a contract with record company Xenophone.Her father agreed to let her sing on the condition that shewould attend the recordings in a burkha and would not getherself photographed.
Shamshad Begum continued to honour her father's wishes even aftergetting married to Ganpat Lal Batto at the age of 15 in 1934.
Shamshad Begum recorded many songs under the guidance of ustadGhulam Haider. She started playback singing with DalsukhPancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat which had music by Haider.Pancholi's first Hindi film Khazanchi had all the songs in ShamshadBegum's voice.
Haider continued to mentor the budding singer byrecording her voice for films like Zamindar, Poonji andShama. He brought Begum to Mumbai as part of his team.She also sang for All India Radio as part of Delhi'sCrown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts. Hersongs were frequently aired on AIR Lahore.
A movie buff, Shamshad Begum was a huge fan of K L Saigal and saidthat she had watched his Devdas 14 times.Enchanted by her voice, director Mehboob Khan usedBegum's voice in Taqdeer (1943) where he introduced Nargisas a heroine.
Soon Shamshad Begum was singing for other composers like RafiqGhaznavi, Ameer Ali, Pt Gobindram, Pt Amarnath, Bulo C Rani,Rashid Atre, M A Mukhtar in the pre-independence era.After partition, Haider migrated to Pakistan but Begumremained in Mumbai.
Composer Naushad used Shamshad Begum's voice in films like AnokhiAda, Mela, Dulari, Babul, Deedar, Jadoo, Aan andMother India.
It was a time when Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle wereemerging as the new voices in cinema but Begum continued tohold sway.
Her famous duets in this period are Darr Na Mohabbat KarLe in Andaz, Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena from Deedarand the famous qawali Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat fromMughal-e-Azam, her last for Naushad.
The singer also recorded many songs with O P Nayyar andshe sang some of her most popular numbers under Nayyar'sdirection.
Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from Aar Paar, Ab To Jee HoneLaga from Mr and Mrs 55, Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin PeNishana, Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyarfrom CID are popular and remixed even today. Shamshad Begum sangthese numbers under OP Nayyar's music direction.
Under Nayyar, Begum recorded songs in Musafir Khana,Shrimati 420, Howrah Bridge, Naya Daur and Kismat.Shamshad Begum is credited with singing the first westernisednumber Aana Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday for film Shehnaiunder C Ramchandra, who utilised the mischief in her voice forfun numbers like Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon for film Patang.Shamshad Begum's talent was first spotted by her principal whenshe was in primary school. Impressed by the quality of hervoice, she was made head singer of classroom prayer.At 10, she started singing folk based songs in religiousfunctions and family marriages.
In her twilight years, Shamshad Begum was confined to awheelchair. She was conferred Padma Bhushan award in 2009.
Watch video:
