A tribute to Hemant Kumar on his 99th birth anniversary (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989)

I had written on the best duets of Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar in my first year of blogging. Then I had said: “Hemant Kumar in his voice brought the beauty of Bengal and melody of Rabindra Sangeet. When he joined with Lata Mangeshkar the effect was magical. Easily the best duets of Hindi films are of Hemant-Lata”. I further described these duets as the ultimate in melody. Now Songs of Yore has entered the tenth year, and Hemant Kumar would have entered his centenary year today. All this while I have been struck by the beauty of his fascinating duets with ‘other’ singers like Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle, and was looking for some opportunity to write a post on them. While Lata Mangeshkar personified melody and sweetness with Hemant Kumar, the ‘other’ singers brought their own unique verve and joy, and combining with his deep melodious voice created a different kind of charming effect.

Some of his most famous duets with the ‘other’ singers have been discussed earlier in year-wise reviews or some other contexts, such as Aa gupchup gupchup pyar karein (with Sandhya Mukherjee; Sazaa, 1951), Dil ki umangein hain jawaan (with Geeta Dutt; Munimji, 1955), Tumhi mere meet ho (with Suman Kalyanpur; Pyaase Panchhi, 1961), Na tum humein jaano (with Suman Kalyanpur; Baat Ek Raat Ki, 1962). This itself is an impressive list. But there are many more which are absolutely mesmerising.

Hemant Kumar is everyone’s favourite. At least one reader, N Venkataraman, who must be possessed of some psychic powers, in his comment yesterday, invoked Hemant ritu for today – I had indeed planned one. Weather Gods are unusually harsh on Delhi this year, the Grishm ritu shows no signs of relenting. But let us soak ourselves in the showers of bliss with Hemant Kumar’s duets with the ‘other’ singers, as a tribute on his 99th birth anniversary.

Geeta Dutt

1. Hare Muraare… Jai Jagdeesh hare (with Geeta Dutt) from Anand Math (1952), lyrics Jayadev, music Hemant Kumar

Hemant Kumar had special affinity with Geeta Dutt. In Saheb Bibi Aur Ghulam, for which he gave music, the songs in the voice of Geeta Dutt for Meena Kumari created a deeply tragic personality. In his debut film in Hindi as a music director, Anand Math, Geeta Dutt comes in a big way. In this unique composition, Hemant Kumar recites the 12th century Sanskrit poet Jayadev’s verse, and Geeta Dutt joins in with the refrain in an anguished voice. I remember Subodh once said that none can surpass Hemant Kumar in reciting Sanskrit shlokas.

2. Wo jabse mili ankhiyan tab se jiyraa dole re (with Geeta Dutt) from Amanat (1955), lyrics Shailendra, music Salil Chaudhary

An interesting fisherman and woman song. We just had a long series on chorus songs written by Shalan Lal. Salil Chowdhury is recognized as one of the Masters of chorus, drawing from his days in Calcutta when he wrote songs of mass awakening for the left movement. He uses chorus innovatively in this song, not as singers but dancers in the prelude and interludes. There are many songs in Hindi films, picturised on minor actors, watched by the quiet couple who are too shy to express themselves with abandon. The shy lead couple, Bharat Bhushan and Chaand Usmani, watch with vicarious pleasure the minor actors sing and dance, as if they are their surrogates. This song would remind the readers of some other songs, especially a non-film song of Hemant Kumar.

3. Ye mast nazar shokh ada kiske liye hai (with Geeta Dutt) from Bandi (1957), lyrics Prem Dhawan, music Hemant Kumar

Now you have the real shokh Geeta Dutt, and Hemant Kumar, too, changes tack to go along with her. They alternately ask each other, Ye mast nazar shokh ada kiske liye hai, and similar questions, and each replies coquettishly, Tum hi kaho, but the other persists Na na tum hi  kaho. One of the best question-answer duets.

4. Tum aur hum bhool ke gham (with Geeta Dutt) from Fashion (1957), lyrics Bharat Vyas, music Hemant Kumar

It seems Hemant Kumar was quite enthusiastic about using ‘other’ singers for duets with him. In Fashion, he also created a soulful, melodious duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Bahaaron se poochho, nazaaron se poochho, dil kyun deewana mera ho haya, laakh sambhala magar kho gaya. And with Geeta Dutt he comes up with a lively duet, Tum aur hum, bhool ke gham, gaayein pyar bhari sargam. There is not much difference in Bharat Vyas’s lyrics. Either could have been set to a faster or slower beat. It is Hemant Kumar’s special care that he creates singer-specific prelude and rhythm, which evoke different moods.

5. Aa ja zara dil ke sahaare dilruba (with Geeta Dutt) from Ek Jhalak (1957), lyrics SH Bihari, music Hemant Kumar

This film had a Lata Mangeshkar solo, but it was a cornucopia of songs by ‘other’ singers, both solos, and duets with Hemant Kumar. Ye hansta hua kaarwan zindagi ka with Asha Bhosle is one of the immortal soft and soulful duets, though it falls in the category of duets that were really solos, as Asha Bhosle only interjects with a few words. Hemant Kumar creates a completely playful mood with the other prominent ‘other’ singer, Geeta Dutt. The video is from another film on which the creative uploader has superimposed this song. The song also had a solo version in Geeta Dutt’s voice. Here is a link containing both the versions.

6. Mujhko tum jo mile sara jahaan mil gaya (with Geeta Dutt), from Detective (1958), lyrics Shailendra, music Mukul Roy

Now Geeta Dutt changes tack to match Hemant Kumar’s style to sing a deeply soulful, romantic song under the baton of her brother Mukul Roy.

7. Gumsum sa ye jahaan ye raat ye hawa (with Geeta Dutt) from Duniya Jhukti Hai (1960), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Hemant Kumar

If Shyama lip-synchs Geeta Dutt, with Hemant Kumar singing for Sunil Dutt, the romantic duet would be joyous. In the moonlit night with clouds hovering around, Rajendra Krishna comes up with beautiful imagery: Dekho wo chaand badli ki oat mein chhupne laga/ Ye neel gagan bhi pyar ke aage jhukne laga.

With Asha Bhosle

Hemant Kumar had obviously great tuning with Asha Bhosle in duets. These range from some of the most soulful, melodious and soft songs to joyous with exuberance. Some of my great favourites I present next would make you question me why I keep on using the tag ‘other’ for her. I have to admit she was not ‘other’ as far as her duets with Hemant Kumar are concerned.

8. Ye mehfil sitaron ki raat ye bahaaron ki (with Asha Bhosle) from Arab Ka Saudagar (1956), lyrics Ravi, music Hemant Kumar

The lyricist Ravi is the famous music director Ravi, who is being celebrated in the current year with a series of articles on him. He was assistant to his mentor, Hemant Kumar, in this film. Hemant Kumar proves that for melody he did not have to depend entirely on Lata Mangeshkar. A fascinating romantic song.

9. Ye pyar bhara dil hai mohabbat ka khazana (with Asha Bhosle) from Yahudi Ki Beti (1956), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Kamal Mitra

If you start listening to Hemant Kumar’s duets with Asha Bhosle, you would think she must have been his favourite singer. Now a slightly faster tempo and a very joyous song. An unknown film with unimportant actors, and an unknown music director, but Hemant Kumar-Asha Bhosle create magic.

10. Ye shokh sitare karte hain ishare, aa baith ke do chaar ghadi pyar karein (with Asha Bhosle) from Hamara Watan (1956), lyrics Ravi, music Hemant Kumar

Ravi again as the lyricist and assistant music director to Hemant Kumar, and they produce an outstanding song. The lyrics and the mood are uncannily similar to Aa neele gagan tale pyar hum karein (Hemant-Lata; Baadshah, 1954).

11. Chal baadalon se aage kuchh aur bi samaan hai (with Asha Bhosle) from Ek Jhalak (1957), lyrics SH Bihari, music Hemant Kumar

I mentioned that Ek Jhalak had many outstanding songs by ‘other’ singers, especially duets with Hemant Kumar. Here is another supremely romantic song which takes you to an ethereal plane. Hemant Kumar creates a contrasting fast prelude music, and suddenly changes to a slow tempo.

12. Bahaarein bhi dekhi nazaare bhi dekhe (with Asha Bhosle) from Ek Jhalak (1957), lyrics SH Bihari, music Hemant Kumar

Complete change of tack, and a very fast-paced song. You can visualize that after the romantic build up like a slow aalap, the lovers are finally together in a drut. You get traces of the music of Ghar aya mera pardesi and Chali gori pee ke milan ko chali.

13. Tumhari mohabbat hai ek cheez aisi (with Asha Bhosle) from Saahil (1959), lyrics Kulbhushan, music Suresh-Talwar

Who had heard of the lyricist Kulbhushan? And Suresh-Talwar were not among the well-known duos, but what a song they create. After Hemant Kumar finishes his line, Asha Bhosle does a long humming before coming up with a longer Peechhe padega jo koi hamaare, bulayega humko karega ishaare, jo maangega koi mohabbat hamaari, tumhari kasam hum kisi ko na denge, in one breath. In every stanza Asha Bhosle’s humming adds to the melody; remember she only hummed in Ye hansta hua kaarwan zindagi ka, but that was nevertheless an integral part of the song.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer: The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over theses songs, which vests with respective owners such as Saregama India Limited and others.