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If you just move around in any corner of West Bengal or even Bengali localities outside Bengal, you can hear Bengali kids doing riyaaz in the morning. This demonstrates the fact that Bengalis instill the love and understanding for the creative pursuits like music, singing, dancing, painting at a very tender age. This cultural trend is perhaps the reason why Bengal has given Bollywood many famous singers since ages.
Geeta Dutt nee Roy came to Mumbai with her parents from East Bengal, (now Bangladesh) in 1942 when she was 12-year old. When she was only 15, music director S. D. Burman offered her a solo in Do Bhai. The music of that film clicked in a big way. The biggest hit of the film was ‘Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya’, sung by Geeta Roy. Disc sales of the song rocketed to new heights. This gave Geeta loads of offers and she became the top most playback singer of the Hindi film industry of that era. Her collaboration with composer S. D. Burman proved very fruitful for her. The team was a legendary one, dishing out hit after hit. Films like Do Bhai, Baazi, Munimji, Nau Do Gyareh, Kagaz Ke Phool, Sujata are just some examples. The jazzy musical score of Baazi revealed a new facet to Geeta’s singing. The appeal in her voice and the ease with which she went Western was marvelous to behold. The first thing that one noticed about her singing was that she never sang, she just glided through a tune.
MANNA DEY
Around the same time, appeared legendary singer, Manna Dey whose career spanned over five decades, He was a versatile genius. Manna Dey was initially groomed to be a music director under the mesmeric spell of his illustrious uncle K. C. Dey and composer Anil Biswas. But a song that Dey sang for the film Ram Rajya changed everybody’s opinion about his vocation. They all said he was better off as a singer. There was no looking back after that. Although he never quite got the success that contemporaries Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and later Kishore Kumar achieved, Manna Dey went on to record several unforgettable numbers. Notable among them are: ‘Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dware’, Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hei’, ‘Upar Gagan Vishal’, ‘Yeh Ishq Ishq Hei Ishq’, Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua’, Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke chal’, ‘Aaja Sanam’, ‘Ae Meri Zohra Zabin and ‘Aye Mere Pyare Watan’. And who could forget the ‘Ek Chatur Naar’ duet with Kishore Kumar in Padosan? Manna Dey was a flawless singer who could sing any type of song. His mastery over semi-classical numbers was matchless – ‘Laga Chunri Mein Daag’, ‘Tere Naina Talash Karen’ and ‘Poocho Na Kaise’. Manna Dey was one of the earliest playback singers to feel comfortable with fast numbers like ‘Jhoomta Mausam Mast Mahina’. Although respected by one and all in the industry, Manna Dey felt that the reason why he never enjoyed the top slot in singing was due to the fact that he was never a part of any camp or attached to any one composer. He had no regrets and remained happy with his work.
KISHORE KUMAR
And then who can forget the versatile genius, Kishore Kumar. He nurtured dreams of becoming a singer following the footsteps of his idol, the legendary singer K. L. Saigal. Kishore da frequently visited his famous star brother Dadamoni, Ashok Kumar in Mumbai from Khandwa, in Madhya Pradesh his birthplace, in the hope that he would introduce him to K. L. Saigal. But destiny willed otherwise. He was forced into acting – a hero who was as much a comedian. But Kishore Kumar’s real ambition was to become a playback singer, which became true when music director Khemchand Prakash called him to lend his voice for Dev Anand in Ziddi (1948). However, Kishore gave credit for his popularity to Burmans – father and son. It was S. D. Burman who made Kishore Kumar, the superstar singer of the 70s when he chose him to sing ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ for Rajesh Khanna in Aradhna. Earlier Sachin da had made Kishore the voice of Dev Anand in hit films Baazi, Paying Guest, Munimji, Guide, Teen Deviyan, and Jewel Thief. Another composer who placed implacable faith in Kishore Kumar was Sachin da’s son, R. D. Burman. Kishore’s ability to modulate his voice to suit the personality of the hero he sang for was what made him a star singer.
He was as much the voice of dapper Dev Anand, the adorable Rajesh Khanna as well as the angry young man Amitabh Bachchan. Talking about Rahul Dev Burman, Pancham da gifted us with many melodious tracks those are still alive in our mind. along with Asha Bhosle, R D scored many awesome tracks. He introduced Indians to Western music. In fact his father Sachin Dev Burman, besides being a great music composer. he was more over a master, a teacher for many greatest singers India witnessed like Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, etc. S D was pretty active with native Bengali music as well.
SHREYA GHOSAL
Among the new generation we have Shreya Ghoshal a perfect mix of beauty and voice. She was a discovery of one of the earliest music talent shows on Indian television, Sa re ga ma pa on Zee TV. Anyway, Shreya has bagged many awards, but winning four National Film Awards, many Filmfare awards, makes her stand apart In addition, Shreya has been honoured by the U.S State of Ohio. She was also featured in Forbes’ list of the top 100 celebrities of India. She was declared the most popular artist on Saavn (an Indian music streaming service) in 2013, followed by Arijit Singh, A. R. Rahman, Atif Aslam, and Mohit Chauhan.
Born as Kedarnath Bhattachariya, on the suggestion of Kalyanji Anandji he changed his name to Kumar Sanu, because his voice and singing style was much influenced by Kishore Kumar. He won best male playback singer award for continuous five years, Kumar’s popularity was well received because of the fact that he was awarded with Padma Shri by the Government of India. Playback singing touched its ultimate height during Sanu’s era. He reigned in the industry during 90s. Hs father trained him as a singer and tabla player. After getting a degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Sanu began performing in 1979, singing at shows and restaurants around Calcutta. . He sang famous number like ‘Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam’ from Dilwalae Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, ‘Bas Ek Sanam Chahiye Aashiqui Ke Liye’ in Aashiqui, “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To” from 1942 A Love Story “Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein” from Baazigar among dozens of others.
Fifteen years his junior, Shantonu Mukharji or Shaan started from small screens to big, Famous for his pleasant smile, this versatile young singer initiated his professional quest just at the age of 17. Accolades like “Magician of Melody”, “Voice of Youth” fit him well. He hosted many talent shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs, Voice of India etc. He is considered as the one of the most popular voices for romantic as well as melodious songs and is one of the most versatile singers. He has sung songs of different genres like pop, sad songs, patriotic, jazz, ghazals, hip-hop, rock, and many more.
He has sung songs in Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Nepali, English, Hindi, Oriya, Malayalam, Telugu and Marathi. The famous numbers sung by him include hits like “Musu Musu” (influenced by a hit Nepali song); “Wo Pehli Baar” from Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi; “Tune Mujhe Pehchaana Nahin” from Raju Chacha; “Apni Yaadon Ko” from Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat; “Nikamma Kiya Is Dil Ne” from Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa; “O Re Kanchi” from Asoka; “Yeh Hawein” from Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai; “Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe” and “Woh Ladki Hai Kahan” from Dil Chahta Hai; “Subha Ho Gayi Mamu” from Munna Bhai M.B.B.S; “Suno Na” and “Tera Muskurana” from Jhankaar Beats; “It’s The Time To Disco” and “Kuch To Hua Hai” from Kal Ho Na Ho. He is quite popular in Pakistan as well. Shaan has sung many hit Pakistani songs.
The golden man, and a trendsetter, Bappi da or Bappi Lahiri made his distinctive mark in Bollywood . Very few would know that his actual name is Alokesh Lahiri. If we are aware of something called disco music, Bappi da is the man behind it. Tracks like ‘Yaad aa raha hai,’ ‘Koi yahan aha nache nache’ from Disco Dancer can spontaneously lift you up. Especially 80s and 90s were referred as the Bappi Lahiri era. He popularized the use of synthesized disco music in Bollywood and sang some of his own compositions. He was popular in the 1980s and 1990s with filmi soundtracks like Wardat, Disco Dancer, Namak Halaal, Dance Dance, Commando, Gang Leader, and Sharaabi among others.
Another modern Bengali gem from Kanpur, Abhijeet Bhattacharya proved that melodious romantic tracks don’t need to be slow and boring always. His songs like “Yeh Teri Aankhen Jhuki Jhuki”, Suno Na Suno Na” will keep Abhijeet alive among Indian music fans. He has won many Filmfare Awards for best male Playback singer. However, the song “Chand Taare” from Yes Boss brought him the most popularity.
ABHIJEET
Around the same time emerged yet another popular singing sensation from Bengal, Babul Supriyo Tracks like “Hum Tum”,” Kahona Pyaar Hai” are still favourites for many. This hard-working talented artist has been a part of more than 75 Indian movies. Babul is quite active in regional movies like Bengali, or Odia as well. His passion for music can be well guessed when we say he quit a well-paid job at Standard Chartered Bank to be a singer. He is famous for his songs like ‘Zindagi Char Din Ki’ from the film Prem Yog, ‘Hata Saawan Ki Ghata’ from Hello Brother, ‘O Piya, O Piya’ from Agni Sakshi and a host of others.
Fridaybrands.com opines that Bengal should groom more and more singers for Bollywood today and other states should follow the Bengali tradition of grooming children for creative pursuits like singing, dancing and painting.
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