Daily Times

Music director Madan Mohan called singer Geeta Dutt again to sing more club songs for ‘Jaagir’ and ‘Night Club’ which were released in 1959, but in the film ‘Chandan’, he had a winner in “Aankh Milane Ke Liye”.

Just like the song from ‘Bhai Bhai’, this is a free flowing sweet melody coming from Madan Mohan. A song from the film ‘Night Club’, “Kahan Phir Hum Kahan Phir Tum, Kahan Yeh Raste” is a lesser heard club song, but Geeta puts just the right sensuousness in this one. All this happened despite that Lata Mangeshkar had termed Madan Mohan as his brother but Madan Mohan was a man of principle and where ever Geeta’s voice was needed, he called her. Overall Geeta rendered about twenty songs for him, the firstone being ‘Sachi Bata Batane Main’ from the film ‘Ada’ (1951). Filmistan’s production ‘Shabistan (1951) had two lovely duets by Talat Mahmud and Geeta Dutt; ‘Haan Yei Mausam-e-Bahar’ and ‘Kaho Aik Baar Mujhe Tum Sei Pyaar’.

It is very interesting to note that Lata Mangeshkar and Geeta Dutt rendered many duets together when Geeta was at her prime and Lata was a new entrant. The first song was ‘Hum Panchi Mastane’ from the 1957 film ‘Daikh Kabira Roya’ by Madan Mohan. Lyrics were penned by Rajinder Krishen for this Anita Goha, Shobha Khote and Ameeta starrer film. The Mala Sinha, Rajinder Kumar starrer film ‘Faishon’ (1957) had another female duet ‘Madh Bhari Pyar Ki Yei Palkain’ penned by Bharat Vyas and music by Hement Kumar. Another Rajinder Kumar movie ‘Goonj Uthi Shehnai’ (1959) but this time with Ameeta had Lata-Geeta duet ‘Akhian Bhool Gaein Hain Sona’ with music by Vasant Desai and lyrics by Bharat Vyas. Geeta Dutt sang for Anita Goha and Lata for Ameeta. Then came Raj Kapoor’s mega release ‘Jis Desh Main Ganga Behti Hai’ also starring Padmini, Pran, Chanchal, Lalita Pwar, Tiwari and Salochna. It was a Radhu Karmakar directed film with lyrics by Shelinder. The duet was ‘Hum Bhi Hain Tum Bhi Ho Dono Hain’. Lata Mangeshkar sang for Padmini, Mukesh sang for Raj Kapoor, Geeta Dutt sang for Chanchal, Manna Dey sang for Pran and Mahendra Kapoor sang for various other dacoits. Earlier in 1948, Master Ghulam Haider before moving to Pakistan had used Lata and Geeta together in his film ‘Majboor’ for the song ‘Har Shai Pei Jawani Hei’, starring Munawar Sultana, Shyam, Indu and Sohanlaal. Then in Raj Kumar, Shyama starrer film ‘Panchayat’ (1959), both singers rendered a duet ‘Taa Thaiya Karte Aana O Jadugar’ in the music of Iqbal Qureshi and lyrics of Shakeel Noomani. Lata sang for Shyama and Geeta for Jabeen. In 1952 film ‘Parbat’ a song by Lata, Geeta and Rafi was recorded by Shakar Jaikishen. Its lyrics penned by Shailender were ‘Kaya Bataun Muhabbat Kaya Hei’. The cast of the film was Nutun, Premnath, Purnima and Ulhas. Even two years earlier than this film, a movie namely ‘Sipahiya’ was released with a duet by Geeta and Lata, ‘Chalo Ghinghat Main’. It was a Madhubala starrer film with music by C. Ramchander. In the film ‘Pyar Ki Pyaas’, both rendered a duet ‘Mere Aangan Main Ujala Hei Meri Godi’. Music was given by Vasant Desai. Continued