Daily Times

The most famous song remains his rousing rendition of Vande Mataram. Singer Geeta Dutt’s rendition of “Aa Re Bhanvare Aa” was a melodious number and seemed evocative of Tagore’s ‘O Rey Grihobaashi’.

The rain-soaked song ‘Nainon Main Saawan Aankhon Mein Phaagun’ conveys a sad longing for the lost childhood. The film also had her singing a duet ‘Kaise Roko Gei Aise Toofaan Ko’, a duet with Talat Mahmood. It starts with a slow rhythm and slowly picks it up. Based on the lyrics of the song, it carries the essence of the theme of the film. This is one of the rare gems sung by Geeta Roy and Talat Mahmood, a rare combination also. Frankly speaking I did not know that both sang songs together also till I listened to this lovely piece. Then Geeta Dutt sang the lovely lullaby ‘Rangeeli Rangeeli Chhabili Raani Nindiya’ for ‘Ferry’ in 1954, an album which is rather rare now. The song ‘Na Ro Aei Rone Waale’ is a gloomy piece and the distinctive violin pieces in the preludes and interludes set the somber mood of the song. The more memorable song from that year however remains the lovely ‘Naa Yei Chaand Ho Gaa Na Tare Rahain Gei’ from the film ‘Shart’, a sad, poignant piece. This song was also rendered by Hement Kumar himself separately.Hement Kumar’s film ‘Bahu’ was released in 1955 and Geeta Dutt and Talat Mahmood created magic in two very melodious numbers. The first was ‘Daikho Daikho Jee Balam’ and Geeta Dutt’s enunciation of ‘Nanha Saa Jiyaa’ is absolutely sweet. The music on ‘been’ the snake charmer’s musical instrument in the interludes makes for a pleasant listening experience too. The other piece is ‘Thandi Hawaaon Main Taaron Ki Chhaon Main’ where both the singers sing with an abandon borne out of confidence in their loves.

Geeta Dutt sang a perfectly bubbly and fun number with Balbir in the film ‘Laaltain’ (1956) called ‘Oh Lily Lily Lily’ where she expounds on why she loves Johnnie and needs to go meet him in Delhi. This is a rather saccharine and happy song. She also tells Hemant Kumar: ‘Kabhi Akar Kar Baat Naa Karna’ and that she has given up her ‘Dil Ki Dilli’ to him. This is a rather fun song to listen to. The same movie had her singing the foot tapping ‘Lo Aaya Johnnie Karigar’. Two songs from the opposite end of the spectrum are ‘Qaraar Jis Ko Naa Aaye’ (Maine Tujhe Pukara)’, a duet with Hemant Kumar and ‘Agar Pyaar Main Muskuraaye Naa Hote’, a hauntingly sad melody. However, the more popular songs of 1956 came from the movie ‘Arab Kaa Saudagar’ where she sang of broken dreams and unrequited love in ‘Muhabbat Kaa Natija Duniya Main Hum Ne Buraa Daikha’. An opposite mood was portrayed in ‘Do Ghari Ki Yei Bahaar Hai Karke Pyaar Daikh Lei’ which is the Geeta Dutt that we have grown more used to now.

In 1957, we witnessed songs from about seven different films. Most of these come from the film ‘Yahudi Ki Larki where she sailed breezily through ‘Aa Hum Sei Pyaar Kar Lei’ and ‘Samara Samara Kyaa Duniya Hai’. Another fast paced song was ‘Kar Lei Dil Kaa Sauda Dil Sei’ was executed in Geeta’s flamboyant style. The highlight of this album is the duet that she sang with Shamshad Begum ‘Hum Kisi Sei Naa Kahenge’ where both play off each other’s voice with great precision and this makes for a great listening experience. Another lovely album was ‘Bandi’ where Geeta sang two duets and a solo piece. ‘Gora Badan Moraa Umariya Baali’ is a folk-based melody and her voice manages to convey the great innocence that the lyrics suggest. Her duet with Kishore Kumar ‘Ghar Ki Raunaq Hai Gharwali’ is a fun number. The other duet ‘Yeh Mast Nazar Shokh Adaa Kis Kei Liye Hai’ has her and Hemant Kumar conversing back and forth in song and their banter endows this song with particular sweetness.

The film ‘Hill Station’ had her singing a few happy numbers, a duet with Muhammad Rafi, ‘Gori Gori Patli Kalaai Re Balamwa’ and two solos, ‘O! Baazigar Hey Baazigar Do Pyaar Ki Baatein Kar’ and ‘Yeh Maara Woh Maara’.

In the film ‘Aik Jhalak’, she sang ‘Aaja Zaraa Mere Dil Kei Sahaare Dilruba’ and the way she says Uff and Haaei at the end of different stanzas makes this song immediately hers. The sweet notes of ‘Kis Liye Maathe Pei Bal Hei’ capture the pleading tones of the young woman in love as she tries to ask her lover why he is angry with her. Continued