“ AAHAA RIM JHIM KE YEH PYAARE PYAARE GEET LIYE ”
TALAT MEHMOOD (1924-1998 )
Although he started as a Gazal singer at AIR Lucknow, he moved to Kolkata and then to Mumbai to try his luck in films . Looking handsome and elegant ,he also got offers to act in films apart from singing under some renowned music directors that included Anil Biswas ,C Ramchandra , Chitragupt , Madan Mohan , Khayyam, Naushad ,Shanker Jaikishen and Kalyan Ji Anand Ji.
About working in Calcutta and Mumbai , Talat once said:
“ I noted the difference between filming in Bombay and Calcutta. Unlike the more artistic Calcutta where movies were made at a slow pace, Bombay was commercial. Life was hectic. Everyone was in his own world and was, of course, very professional.”
He acted in more than 12 films with some leading heroines of those days that included kanan Bala , Suraiya , Nutan , Mala Sinha and Nadira . His last acting performance was for a 1958 movie 'SONE KI CHIDIYA 'with Nutan . For this movie , O P Nayyar had brought in Asha and made the hero Talat Mehmood sing some memorable songs .One song that became all time hit is 'PYAAR PAR BUSS TO NAHIN HAI MERA LEKIN PHIR BHI . '
After hearing the final recording of the song , O P Nayyar told Talat Mehmood :
“ Kyaa baat bhai ? Sahir Sahib ki nazm ki saari tanhaayi aur udaasi aap ne gaane mein Nikhaar di “.
And Talat was a king of his own style. Loved , sought after and respected for his mannerism , elegant dresses and social etiquettes . Some memorable songs sung by Talat that come to my mind at the moment are :-
1 Shame Gham ki kasam
2 Aey sanam aaj yeh kasam khaayein
3 Itnaa na Mujh Se Tu Pyaar Badaa
4 Nazar Uthaa ki yeh Rangeen samaa rahey na rahe
5 Mein Dil Huun Ek Armaan Bhara
6 Aey meray dil kahin Aur chal
7 Woh zaalim Pyaar kyaa jaane
8 Yeh hawa yeh Raat Yeh Chandini
9 Chal Diya kaarwaan
10 Hain sab se Madhur woh Geet
11 Aey gham e Dil Kyaa Karuun
12 Ishq Mujh Ko Nahin Wahashat hi sahi
13 jaayein To Jaayein Kahaan
14 Bechain Nazr Betaab Jigar
15 Raat ne Kyaa kyaa Khwaab Dikhaaye
16 Aankhon Mein Masti Sharaab ki
17 Dekh Li teri Khudaayi
18 Phir Wohi Shaam Wohi Gham Wohi Tanhaayi Hai
19 Chamka Chamka Subah Ka Tara
20 Raahi Matwaale
Talat has sung solo songs, songs , duets , non film Geets , Gazals, Bhajans and Naats . He sang More than 30 Bangla popular songs . He sang , Malyalam , Tamil , Telgu , oriya ,Awadhi ,Assamese . Bhojpuri , Gujrati , Maarwari , Maraathi , Sindhi , and Punjabi songs . He worked with almost all the lyricists of the film Industry . He must have sung about 900 songs . I need to add something more that goes as under:-
(a) He was always elegantly dressed . A two piece suit , enviable ties , polished shoes , stylish smoking and his soft voice attracted attention. He got his suits stitched from England .
(b) He had the largest gan following world over . I quote a few like Maharaja of Patiala . Pandit Nehru , King Zahir Shah of Kabul, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and General Thimaaya .
(c) He always encouraged new comers . Radio singer Suman Hemmadey's ( later Suman Kalyanpur ) first film song was a duet with Talat Mahmood in "Darwaza". A total newcomer, she made it to the big league when Talat agreed to sing the duet with her. The film Industry took immediate notice of her talent .
(d) He toured the US, UK , Gulf and West Indies and had successful shows tickets for which were always fully sold in advance.
(e) Doordarshan's documentary on Talat Mahmood "Sham e Gham Ki Qasam" was a wonderful production..Viewers loved "Sham e Gham Ki Qasam" and Doordarshan was always flooded with requests for repeat telecasts of this show.
(f) He had a romantic image and the largest fan following amongst women of all age groups. He was always a ladies man. They loved and adored him. But inspite all this female fan following , he was never involved in any controversy or scandal. His music directors , co singers , female co-stars and even Dilip Kumar , Raj Kapoor and Sunil Dutt have spoken extremely highly of his noble personality. His heroines would say that he is too shy for romantic scenes . He was equally misfit for fight sequences in his films.
I conclude this mini post on Talat Mehmood with lines from a Gazal of Majrooh Sultanpuri...
Dahar mein Majrooh koyee jaavidaan mazmoon kahaan,
Mein jissay chhootaa gayaa woh jaavidaan bantaa gayaa..
Jis taraf bhi chal pade hum aabalaa paayaan e shauq,
Khaar se gul aur gul se gulsitaan bantaa gayaa....''
So long so much ..,
( Avtar Mota )
PS
For the above photograph, i remain grateful and indebted to Khalid Mehmood son of the legendry singer.
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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A master beyond comparison and a gentleman to the hilt . Perhaps the world will not see people of this ilk again ..
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