KUNDAN LAL SAIGAL..MEMOIRS 24 HITS

PART I

Kundan Lal (K.L.) Saigal (Dogri: कुन्दन लाल सहगल) (11 April 1904 – 18 January 1947) was an Indian singer and actor who is considered the first superstar of the Hindi film industry, which was centered in Calcutta during Saigal's time, but is currently centered in Mumbai.
Saigal was born at Jammu where his father Amar Chand was a Tahsildar at the court of the Raja of Jammu & Kashmir. His mother Kesar Bai was a deeply religious lady who was very fond of music. She used to take her young son to religious functions where bhajan, kirtan and shabad were sung in traditional styles based on classical music. Saigal was the fourth-born child of five and his formal schooling was brief and uneventful. As a child he occasionally played Sita in the Ramlila of Jammu. Saigal dropped out of school and started earning money by working as a railway timekeeper. Later, he worked as a typewriter salesman for the Remington Typewriter Company, which allowed him to tour several parts of India. His travels brought him to Lahore where he befriended Meharchand Jain (who later went on to start the Assam Soap Factory in Shillong) at the Anarkali Bazaar. Meharchand and Kundan remained friends when they both moved to Calcutta and had many a mehfil-e-mushaira. In those days Saigal was a budding singer and Meharchand encouraged him to pursue his talent. Saigal often remarked that he was what he was because of Meharchand's encouragement and early support. He also briefly worked as a hotel manager. Meanwhile, his passion for singing continued and became more intense with the passage of time.

In the early 1930s, classical musician and music director Harishchandra Bali brought K.L. Saigal to Calcutta and introduced him to R. C. Boral. R.C. Boral took an instant liking to his talents. Saigal was hired by B. N. Sircar's Calcutta-based film studio New Theatres on a contract of Rs. 200 per month. There he came into contact with contemporaries like Pankaj Mullick, K. C. Dey and Pahari Sanyal.

Meanwhile, Indian Gramophone Company had released Saigal's record containing a couple of Punjabi songs composed by Harishchandra Bali. In this way, Bali became Saigal's first music director. The first film in which Saigal had a role was the Urdu film Mohabbat Ke Ansoo, followed by Subah Ka Sitara and Zinda Laash, all released in 1932. However, these films did not do very well. It was in 1933 that his four bhajans for the film Puran Bhagat created a sensation throughout India. Other films that followed were Yahudi Ki Ladki, Chandidas and Rooplekha. As a youngster, Lata Mangeshkar is alleged to have said that she wanted to marry K.L. Saigal after seeing his performance in Chandidas. In 1935, Saigal played the role that would come to define his acting career: that of the drunken title character in Devdas, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name and directed by P.C. Barua. His songs in the film, Balam Aaye Baso Moray Man Mein and Dukh Ke Ab Din Beetat Naahi, became popular throughout the country.

Saigal picked up Bengali very well and acted in seven Bengali films, produced by New Theatres. Rabindranath Tagore first heard Saigal before giving consent for the first time to a non-Bengali singing his songs. Saigal endeared himself to the whole of Bengal through his 30 Bengali songs.

Saigal's association with New Theatres continued to bear fruit in the successful films Didi (Bengali)/President (Hindi) in 1937, Saathi (Bengali)/Street Singer (Hindi) in 1938, and Zindagi in 1940, with Saigal in the lead. There are a number of songs of this era which form the rich heritage of film music in India. Also, in Street Singer, Saigal rendered the song Babul Mora live in front of the camera, even though playback was becoming the preferred method of singing songs in films.



In December 1941, Saigal moved to Bombay to work with Ranjit Movietone. Here he acted and sang in a number of successful films. Bhakt Surdas (1942) and Tansen (1943) were hits during this period. The latter film is still remembered for Saigal's performance of the song Diya Jalao in Raga Shuddha Kalyan; in the same movie, he also sang "Sapta Suran,Tin .. Gaa-o Saba Guni Jan". In 1944, he returned to New Theatres to complete Meri Behen. This film contained the songs Do Naina Matware and Ae Qatib-e-Taqdeer Mujhe Itna Bata De.

By this time, alcohol had become a predominant factor in Saigal's life. His dependence on alcohol had begun affecting his work and his health. It was said that he could only record a song after being fortified with liquor. He survived ten years of drinking; however, his alcoholism was too advanced for even a single attempt at abstinence, and Saigal died in his ancestral city of Jalandhar on 18 January 1947, at the age of 42. However, before his death, he was able to churn out three more hits under the baton of Naushad for the film Shahjehan (1946). These are Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Ae Dil-e-Beqaraar Jhoom and Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya. Parwana (1947) was his last film, released after his death, in which he sang under the baton of Khawaja Khurshid Anwar.The four songs which Saigal sang in Parwana are: Toot gaye sab sapne mere, Mohabbat mein kabhi aisi bhi haalat, Jeene ka dhang sikhaae ja, and Kahin ulajh na jaana. Saigal was survived by his wife Asha Rani (whom he married in 1935); three children, a son and two daughters: Madan Mohan, Nina (born 1937) and Bina (born 1941); and an adopted child, his elder brother's daughter, Durgesh Nandani, whom he adopted when he was still single.

In a career of fifteen years, Saigal acted in 36 feature films[1] - 28 in Hindi/Urdu, 7 in Bengali, and 1 in Tamil. In addition, he acted in a short comedy Hindi/Urdu film, Dulari Bibi (3 reels), released in 1933. In 1955 B.N. Sircar released a documentary film based on the life of K.L. Saigal, Amar Saigal. In the film, G. Mungheri performed the title role of Saigal. The film contained 19 songs lifted from Saigal's films. In all, Saigal rendered 185 songs which includes 142 film songs and 43 non-film songs. Of the film songs, there are 110 in Hindi/Urdu, 30 in Bengali and 2 in Tamil. There are 37 non-film songs in Hindi/Urdu, and 2 each in Bengali, Pashto,[2] Punjabi and Persian. His non-film songs comprise bhajans, ghazals and hori. He has rendered the creations of poets such as Ghalib, Zauq, and Seemab.

Saigal's distinctive singing voice was idolized by the first generation of post-independence Bollywood playback singers, including Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar.

Born April 11, 1904
Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir
Origin Dogra Indian
Died January 18, 1947 (aged 42)
Jalandhar, Punjab
Genres Playback singing
Occupations Singer, actor
Instruments Vocalist
Years active 1932–1947




SONGS
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1.

FILM: STREET SINGER
LYRICS: WAAJID ALI SHAH

MUSIC: R.C. BORAL



baabul moraa, naihar chhuuTo hii jaae -(2)

baabul moraa - moraa, naihar chhuuTo hii jaae

baabul moraa, naihar chhuuTo jaae

baabul moraa, naihar chhuuTo hii jaae

chaar kahaar mile, morii Doliyaa sajaave.n re

chaar kahaar mile, morii Doliyaa sajaave.n

chaar kahaar mile, morii Doliyaa sajaave.n re

moraa apanaa begaanaa chhuTo jaae

baabul moraa, naihar chhuuTo hii jaae

aa.NganA to parbat bhaya aa..

aur deharii bhayii bidesh

aa.NganA to parbat bhaya haN

aur deharii bhayii bidesh

je baabul ghar aapano mai.n chalI piiyaa ke desh

baabul moraa - naihar chhuuTo - jaae

baabul moraa, naihar chhuuTo hii jaae

Audio


video



2.

FILM: DEVADAS
LYRICS: KEDAR SHARMA
MUSIC: TIMIR BARAN


Baalam aaye baso more man me.n (2)

baa-a-A-A-lam


baalam aaye baso more man me.n (2)

saavan aayaa tum na aaye (2)

tum bin rasiyaa kuchh na bhaaye (2)

man me.n more huuk uThat jab (2)

koyal kuukat ban me.n

baalam aaye baso more man me.n (2)



suuratiyaa jaakii matavaarii (2)

patalii kamariyaa umariyaa baalii

suuratiyaa jaakii matavaarii

patalii kamariyaa umariyaa baalii

ek nayaa sa.nsaar basaa hai (2)

jinake do nainan me.n

baalam aaye baso more man me.n (2)

VIDEO


video


3.

FILM: TANSEN
LYRICS: PANDIT INDRA
MUSIC: KHEMCHAND PRAKASH


baaG lagaa duu.N sajanii

film{Tansen}starring{Saigal} lyrics{Pt. Indra} music{Khemchand Prakash}

baaG lagaa duu.N sajanii (2)

tore nainan maaNii geharii (2)

sundar sudhar salonii

baaG lagaa duu.N sajanii (2)



tum basa.nt ho tum bahaar ho (2)

tum hii giit ho tum pukaar ho (2)

tum koyal tum kuuk hamaarii (2)

giit sunaa madhubayanii

baaG lagaa duu.N sajanii (2)



ra.ng bara.nge phuul khile.nge (2)

ban ke pa.nchhii gale mile.nge (2)

dulhan banakar kaliyaa.n ha.Nsatii (2)

dekh dekh mR^iganayanii

baaG lagaa duu.N sajanii (2)


VIDEO



4.

FILM: MY SISTER [1944]
LYRICS: PANDIT BHUSHAN
MUSIC: PANKAJ MULLICK


do nainaa matavaare tihaare (ham par zulum kare -2)

do nainaa matavaare tihaare (ham par zulum kare -2)



naino.n me.n rahe to, sudh budh khoye.n 2

chhupe to, chhupe to chain hare - do nainaa -

do nainaa matavaare tihaare (ham par zulum kare -2)



tan tan ke chalAe.n tIr,

nas nas me.n, nas nas me.n uThAe.n pIr

tan tan ke chalAe.n tIr, nas nas me.n uThAe.n pIr

madabhare rasIle niThur ba.De,

na Dare na dhIr dhare

do nainaa matavaare tihaare (ham par zulum kare -2)



jab hotI ho - jab hotI ho tum us paar, man kI

man kI bInA ke baj uThate hain jor jor se taar

man kI - man kI bInA ke baj uThate hain,

jor jor se taar

paas Ae - paas Ae to aise bhUl gae,

pal Chin me.n - pal Chin me.n saba kuchh bhUl gae

paas Ae to aise bhUl gae,

pal Chin me.n saba kuchh bhUl gae

khushiyo.n ke sote ubal pa.De,

har a.ng me.n ra.ng bhare

do nainaa matavaare tihaare (ham par zulum kare -2)

VIDEO


5.

FILM: DHARTI MATA
LYRICS: PANDIT SUDHARSAN
MUSIC: PANKAJ MULLICK

SINGERS: SAIGAL, PANKAJ MULLICK AND UMA SHASHI

p : duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngele baabaa,

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii (2)

yah duniyaa ik sundar bagiyaa

shobhaa isake nyaare hai.n (2)

har Daarii par jaaduu chhaayaa (2)

har Daarii matavaarii hai

adbhut pa.nchhii phuul manohar (2)

kale-kale chaTakiilii baabaa

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii



p : duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii baabaa,

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii

u : a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa,

a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa (saath me.n)



u : kadam kadam par aashaa apanaa

ruup anuup dikhaatii hai (2)

biga.De kaaj banaatii hai,

dhiiraj ke giit sunaatii hai (2)

isakaa sur misrii se miiThaa

isakii taan rasiilii baabaa

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii

u : duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii baabaa,

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii

s : a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa,

a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa (saath me.n)



s : duHkh kii nadiyaa jiivan naiyaa

aashaa ke patavaar lage (2)

o naiyaa ke khene vaale (2)

naiyaa terii paar lage,

paar basat hai desh sunaharaa (2)

kismat chhail-chhabiilii baabaa

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii baabaa,

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii



s : duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii baabaa,

duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii

p, u : a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa,

a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa-a-ha-haa (saath me.n)

sab : duniyaa ra.ng ra.ngiilii baabaa, duniyaa

Audio


VIDEO




6.

FILM: MY SISTER
LYRICS: PANDIT BHUSHAN
MUSIC: PANKAJ MULLICK

chhupo na chhupo na chhupo naa

chhupo na chhupo na o pyaarii sajaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

baa.Nki rasiilii (2) hamaarii sajaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

sajan se chhupo na o pyaarii sajaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

milane ko aaye hai.n (2) aakar milo

naino.n se nainaa milaakar milo

dekho bano na, na hamako banaao

ruuThii huii ho to

haa~ ruuThii huii ho to ab maan jaao

bholii suuratiyaa, bholii suuratiyaa dikhaa do mohaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

sajan se chhupo na o pyaarii sajaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

kaisaa suhaanaa samay hai dilaaraa

bichhu.De hue - bichhu.De hue do dilo.n ka sahaaraa

kaisaa suhaanaa samay hai dilaaraa ~

bichhu.De hue do dilo.n ka sahaaraa ~~

aise me.n aao ~~ aise me.n aao zaraa gunagunaatii

soii huii kismato.n ko jagaatii ~~

rum-jhum-jhum-jhum ~~~ rum-jhum-jhum-jhum

rum-jhum bajaatii rupahalii pai.njaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa

sajan se chhupo na o pyaarii sajaniyaa

hamase chhupo na chhupo naa....

Audio

video




7.

FILM: TANSEN
CAST: SAIGAL, KURSHID...
LYRICS: PANDIT INDRAL
MUSIC: KHEMCHAND PRAKASH


din suunaa suuraja binaa

aura chandaa bina rain

ghar suunaa diipaka binaa

jyoti binA do nain



diyaa jalaa-o jagamag jagamag

diyaa jalaa-o jagamag jagamag

diyaa jalaa-o (4)

diyaa jalaa-o jagamag jagamag

diyaa jalaa-o jagamag jagamag diyaa jalaa-o



saras suhaagan sunarii (2)

e-e-e-e

saras suhaagan sunarii –

saras suhaagan sunarii

tere mandir me.n dekh a.ndheraa (2)

ruuTh na jaaye diyaa teraa (2)

aa~

diyaa jalaa-o (4)

diyaa manaao diyaa jalaa-o

diyaa manaao manaao jalaa-o

jagamag jagamag (2)

jagamag jagamag diyaa jalaa-o

VIDEO



8.

FILM: BHANWARA / HARJAI [ 1944]
CAST: SAIGAL, ARUN, KAMLA CHATTERJEE, MONIKA DESAI
LYRICS: KEDAR SHARMA
MUSIC: KHEMCHAND PRAKASH


SINGERS: SAIGAL & CHORUS

diyaa jisane dil \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2

diyaa jisane

chhoraa dil

diyaa jisane

o beTaa dil

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2

jiyaa kaun jise niichii nazaro.n ne maaraa \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2

ko \: diyaa jisane dil \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2



nahii.n bhuulatii wo adaa kyaa adaa thii \-2

lipaTanaa tumhaaraa jhijhakanaa tumhaaraa \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2



ko \: jiyaa kaun jise niichii nazaro.n ne maaraa \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2
meraa aashiyaa.N phuu.Nk Daalaa gulo.n ne \-2

bahaaro.n ne aa kar meraa ghar ujaa.Daa \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2

ko \: jiyaa kaun jise niichii nazaro.n ne maaraa \-2

luT gayaa wo bechaaraa \-2

maze luuT le chaar din chaa.Ndanii hai \-2

sai ko\: jawaanii ko dekhaa bu.Dhaapaa pukaaraa \-2

ko \: haa haa haa

sai ko \: luT gayaa wo bechaaraa

sai \: beTaa

sai ko \: luT gayaa wo bechaaraa

VIDEO


9.

FILM: SHAJEHAN [1946]
LYRICS: MAJROOH
MUSIC: NAUSHAD


chaah bar_baad karegii hame.n maaluum na thaa (2)

rote rote hii kaTegii hame.n maaluum na thaa (2)



maut bhii ham pe ha.Nsegii

hame.n maaluum na thaa

zindagii rog banegii hame.n maaluum na thaa (2)

chaah barbaad karegii hame.n maaluum na thaa



chhaayii ghanaghor ghaTaa

chaa.Nd sitaare na rahiiN

vo ummiide.n na rahii.n ab vo sahaare na rahe

Gair to Gair hii the voh bhii hamaare na rahe

hamape aisii bhii pa.Degii

hame.n maaluum na thaa (2)

chaah barbaad karegii hame.n maaluum na thaa


VIDEO


10.

FILM: SHAJEHAN [1946]

LYRICS: MAJROOH
MUSIC; NAUSHAD


jab dil hii TuuT gayaa, jab dil hii TuuT gayaa

ham jii ke kyA kare.nge, ham jii ke kyA kare.nge

jab dil hii TuuT gayaa \- 2



ulafat kA diyaa hamane, is dil me.n jalaayaa thA\- 2

ummiid ke phuulo.n se, is ghar ko sajaayaa thA \- 2

ik bhedii luuT gayaa, ik bhedii luuT gayaa

ham jii ke kyA kare.nge, ham jii ke kyA kare.nge

jab dil hii TuuT gayaa



(maaluum nA thA itanI,

mushkil hai.n merI raahe.n

mushkil hai.n merI raahe.n ) \- 2

aramaa.n ke bahe aa.Nsuu, hasarat ne bharI aahe.n\-2

har sAthI chhuuT gayaa, har sAthI chhuuT gayaa

ham jii ke kyA kare.nge, ham jii ke kyA kare.nge

jab dil hii TuuT gayaa


VIDEO



CONTINUED ... SEE>>. PART II