Waqt ne kiya, kya haseen sitam
One can, to some extent, define the voice quality of exemplary singers such as Asha Bhonsle, Lata ji, however it is not easy to classify the voice of the supremely talented Geeta Dutt. Her voice - as sweet as honey and yet the depths of her voice carried the pain of broken heart like none other. Her voice has the quality of taking the listener through the same emotion that the song represented. When she sang 'Thandi Hawa Kali ghata', one can feel the playful breeze or in the song - 'Koi door se aawaz de', the listeners can feel the haunting sadness of a woman.
It was the amazing 'Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya' in 1947 that made Geeta Dutt a household name. While she sang for many composers, her songs with Dada Burman, O.P.Nayyar and Hemant Kumar continue to be the immortal flame, filling my world with their glow.
Her voice was breezy and fresh, filled with love and pensiveness. It is said that her singing style was highly influenced by her tumultuous relationship with her husband, the famous actor director Guru Dutt. Their creative association started with the movie Baazi and they married soon after. While this association gave us innumerable masterpieces, their personal life was equally troublesome, slowly pushing her into the darkness of depression and alcoholism.
Even though short lived, her career was illustrious and I have always felt her voice as dreamy, surreal and simply vibrant, breathing life into the beautiful lyrics of that time. She continues to be my favourite singer and on her death anniversary, July 20th, here is my tribute to her.
There are songs and there is 'aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo'. The intensity of this song is not easily understood as many look at its literary meaning and do not really understand the essence of the immortal lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. The realm, where the boundaries between infinite love and devotion cease to exist and one surrenders to that love, is where this song belongs. The song is beautifully composed by Burman dada using the Baul music, the music of bhakti. How apt for this song! I don't think any singer other than Geeta Dutt could have represented the agonies and the ecstasies of this song. Who other than her could have expressed the passion and the miseries of a woman separated from the one who she is devoted to with her being. That is the essence and the soul of this song and belongs to my top 10 any day.
I have written about this song earlier as well but a post on Geeta Dutt cannot be complete without talking about this cult classic. Sung with such pathos, this iconic song penned by Kaifi sahab and composed by Dada Burman is said to be a reflection of Geeta Dutt's own life. The pain of her troubled relationship with Guru Dutt flows into this song and her haunting, melancholic voice reminds one of the transient nature of relationships and life itself.
ये मोहब्बत है ओ भोले भाले,
कर ना दिल को ग़मों के हवाले
काम उल्फ़त का नाज़ुक़ बहुत है
आके होठों पे टूटेंगे प्याले
बाबूजी धीरे चलना, प्यार में ज़रा संभलना
हाँ बड़े धोखे हैं, बड़े धोखे हैं इस राह में
ना ये चाँद होगा, ना तारे रहेंगे
मगर हम हमेशा तुम्हारे रहेंगे
नज़र ढूंढ़ती थी, जिसे पा लिया है
उम्मीदों के फूलों से दामन भरा है
ये दिन हमको सब दिन से प्यारे रहेंगे
It was the amazing 'Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya' in 1947 that made Geeta Dutt a household name. While she sang for many composers, her songs with Dada Burman, O.P.Nayyar and Hemant Kumar continue to be the immortal flame, filling my world with their glow.
Her voice was breezy and fresh, filled with love and pensiveness. It is said that her singing style was highly influenced by her tumultuous relationship with her husband, the famous actor director Guru Dutt. Their creative association started with the movie Baazi and they married soon after. While this association gave us innumerable masterpieces, their personal life was equally troublesome, slowly pushing her into the darkness of depression and alcoholism.
Even though short lived, her career was illustrious and I have always felt her voice as dreamy, surreal and simply vibrant, breathing life into the beautiful lyrics of that time. She continues to be my favourite singer and on her death anniversary, July 20th, here is my tribute to her.
Aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo - Pyaasa, 1957
There are songs and there is 'aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo'. The intensity of this song is not easily understood as many look at its literary meaning and do not really understand the essence of the immortal lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. The realm, where the boundaries between infinite love and devotion cease to exist and one surrenders to that love, is where this song belongs. The song is beautifully composed by Burman dada using the Baul music, the music of bhakti. How apt for this song! I don't think any singer other than Geeta Dutt could have represented the agonies and the ecstasies of this song. Who other than her could have expressed the passion and the miseries of a woman separated from the one who she is devoted to with her being. That is the essence and the soul of this song and belongs to my top 10 any day.
सखी री, बिरहा के दुखड़े सह सह कर, जब राधे बेसुध हो ली,
तो इक दिन अपने मनमोहन से जा कर यूँ बोली
आज सजन मोहे अंग लगा लो, जनम सफ़ल हो जाए
हृदय की पीड़ा, देह की अग्नि, सब शीतल हो जाए
मोहे अपना बना लो, मोहे अपना बना लो
मोरी बांह पकड़, मैं हूँ जनम जनम की दासी
मोरी प्यास बुझा दो मनहर गिरिधर, प्यास बुझा दो मनहर गिरिधर
मैं हूँ अन्तर्घट तक प्यासी
प्रेम सुधा, मोरे सांवरिया, प्रेम सुधा इतनी बरसा दो, जग जल थल हो जाए
Waqt ne kiya - Kaagaz ke Phool, 1959
I have written about this song earlier as well but a post on Geeta Dutt cannot be complete without talking about this cult classic. Sung with such pathos, this iconic song penned by Kaifi sahab and composed by Dada Burman is said to be a reflection of Geeta Dutt's own life. The pain of her troubled relationship with Guru Dutt flows into this song and her haunting, melancholic voice reminds one of the transient nature of relationships and life itself.
बेक़रार दिल इस तरह मिले
जिस तरह कभी हम जुदा न थे
तुम भी खो गए, हम भी खो गए
एक राह पर चल के दो क़दम
वक़्त ने किया, क्या हसीं सितम
तुम रहे न तुम, हम रहे न हम
Babuji Dheere Chalna - Aar Paar, 1954
O.P.Nayyar's music always had a fresh quality to it and this song penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri, beautifully expresses the vivaciousness of Geeta's voice cautioning against the heartbreak that accompanies the journey of love. This was also her first song that I had heard on radio some 39 years back.It has stayed fresh in my memory and continues to be a favourite in my playlist.ये मोहब्बत है ओ भोले भाले,
कर ना दिल को ग़मों के हवाले
काम उल्फ़त का नाज़ुक़ बहुत है
आके होठों पे टूटेंगे प्याले
बाबूजी धीरे चलना, प्यार में ज़रा संभलना
हाँ बड़े धोखे हैं, बड़े धोखे हैं इस राह में
Na ye chaand hoga - Shart, 1954
What can I say about this song composed by Hemant da. Both the versions, one sung by Geeta Dutt and the other sung by Hemant da represent the best of Hindi film music's golden era. Her melodious and quivering voice filled with emotions, bring out the everlasting love with such intensity that it continues to give goosebumps till date.ना ये चाँद होगा, ना तारे रहेंगे
मगर हम हमेशा तुम्हारे रहेंगे
नज़र ढूंढ़ती थी, जिसे पा लिया है
उम्मीदों के फूलों से दामन भरा है
ये दिन हमको सब दिन से प्यारे रहेंगे
Meri jaan, mujhe jaan na kaho - Anubhav, 1971
Trust Gulzar sahab to weave a web of magic with words and give us this fiercely passionate and intimate song. The minimalistic music by Kanu Roy enhances the lyrics beautifully. A very interesting fact about this song is that it was recorded using just one musical instrument and the sound of rain. Geeta's silky voice is a perfect match to the poet's imagination. This song is an alluring mix of sensuality, romance, intimacy and tenderness and Geeta Dutt's voice just smoothly glides through, taking the listener through all these emotions.Sadly, this song is also considered the swan song of Geeta Dutt who was going through a very rough phase and passed away soon after.
सूखे सावन बरस गए, कितनी बार इन आँखों से
दो बूँदें ना बरसे, इन भीगी पलकों से
मेरी जां, मुझे जां ना कहो मेरी जां
In all my other posts, I have described my selection of top 5 songs and then followed it up with a list of some more. I am breaking that trend here by writing about 2 more songs. Apart from the ones I have mentioned above, the 1962 movie, Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam cannot be left out when talking about her. The soundtrack composed by Hemant da and lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni is a masterpiece.
Meena Kumari was the heroine of this movie. One cannot help but wonder if Meena Kumari and Geeta Dutt's lives were mirrored with both struggling with failed relationships and resulting alcoholism.
Out of the 7 songs in this movie, 3 were sung by Geeta Dutt and each expressing a different emotion. The following two songs from this movie represent the different stages in the life of the protagonist - the first where she is looking forward to start her life with her husband and second in which she tries to save her failing marriage.
Piya Aiso jiya mein
Her tender voice has a 'khanak' in this song, filled with playfulness of love. The lilting melody aptly describes the feelings of a married woman, consumed by love, ready to embark on a journey of togetherness with her husband. The freshness of the song stays with you for many days.पिया ऐसो जिया में समाये गया रे, के मैं तन मन की सुध बुध गवाँ बैठी
हर आहट पे समझी, वो आये गयो रे, झठ घूँघट में मुखड़ा छुपा बैठी
मैंने सिन्दूर से मांग अपनी भरी, रूप सैयां के कारण सजाया
इस डर से किसीकी नज़र न लगे, झठ नैनं में कजरा लगा बैठी
Na jao saiyaan, chuda ke baiyaan
Her haunting voice sums up the life of this Indian woman who is traditional to the core and yet liberated enough to express her desires to her wayward husband. No one but Geeta Dutt could have brought out the poignancy and the misery of that situation with such pleading tenderness.न जाओ सैयां, छुड़ा के बैयां , कसम तुम्हारी मैं रो पड़ूँगी , रो पड़ूँगी
मचल रहा है सुहाग मेरा, जो तुम न होंगे तो क्या करूँगी, क्या करूँगी
ये बिखरी ज़ुल्फ़ें, ये खिलता कजरा, ये महकी चुनरी, ये मन की मदिरा
ये सब तुम्हारे लिए है प्रीतम, मैं आज तुमको न जाने दूँगी, जाने न दूँगी
Thandi hawa, kaali ghata - Mr. & Mrs. 55
Jaane kahaan mera jiga gaya ji - Mr. & Mrs. 55
Nanhi kali sone chali - Sujata
Preetam aan milo - Mr. and Mrs. 55
Ja ja ja ja bewafaa - Aar Paar
Hoon Abhi main jawaan - Aar Paar
Ye lo main haari piya - Aar paar
Jaata Kahaan hai deewane - CID
Mera sundar sapna beet gaya - Do Bhai
Balam se milan hoga - Chaudhavin ka chaand
Na main dhan chahoon - Kala Bazaar
Koi Door se aawaz de - Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam
Aye Dil Mujhe bata de - Bhai Bhai
Kaisa Jaadu balam tune daara - 12 'O' Clock
Credits: http://www.geetadutt.com/
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