RMIM Archive Article "261".
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
#
# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: Mubarak Begum: A Forgotten Voice
#
# Source: Femina (http://www.feminaindia.com)
# Author: Lata Khubchandani
#
------------------------------------------------------------------
MUBARAK BEGUM: A FORGOTTEN VOICE
By Lata Khubchandani
------------------------------------------------------------------
She has worked with most composers of her time, yet never had the
chance to make it to her zenith. Today, she remains a distant
memory
MUBARAK Begum didn't get many opportunities to get her voice
heard. Today, as she looks back at a career which didn't quite
take off in the real sense of the term, she says, "I've done only
25 per cent of the work I could have. My wings were cut before I
even began to fly. And I've never been able to understand why -
since I was a niche singer, there was no question of treading on
anyone else's toes. But just as I was getting popular, composers
stopped calling me for work. Finally, I reached a stage when I
had no work at all."
Now, as she waits for some miracle to release her from what has
become a life of drudgery, Mubarak Begum looks back fondly on her
days of struggle - when life still held out that most tempting
bait, hope.
FILMS WERE A PASSION
"As a child, I loved watching movies. Though originally from
Rajasthan, we lived in Sahrangpur Darwaza (Ahmedabad). I
remember, whenever I knew somebody was going to watch a film, I'd
throw a tantrum - I wanted to go, too! So, my 'taya' (paternal
uncle) would take me, even though once the lights went off and
the film began, I'd promptly fall asleep! When my family moved to
Mumbai, Suraiya was very popular. I'd see her films, imitate her
voice and sing all her numbers to perfection.
"Then I started learning music from Abdul Karim Khan's (a well
known classical singer of the time) nephew, Riyazuddin Khan. I
learnt just enough of classical music to be able to do 'riyaz' -
I was told that too much classical training made one's voice
unfit for light music.
"Around this time, I started singing on All India Radio (AIR)
and, apparently, had a large audience. Among them was Rafique
Ghaznavi Khan 'sa'ab', remembered as the man who said the famous
words (that accompany the logo of Mehboob Khan Films) - 'Muddayi
lakh bura chahe to kya hota hai, wohi hota hai jo manzoore khuda
hota hai'. He is the music composer of 'Taqdeer', Nargis's debut
film."
MIKE FRIGHT STRIKES!
"Anyway, Khan 'sa'ab' liked my voice and asked me to sing for
him. I was very raw then, and was made to rehearse at a recording
studio at Tardeo (Mumbai). But when I stood before the mike, I
just couldn't sing! Agajani Kashmiri, the well known writer, was
also present and kept saying, 'Go for another take.' The others
asked him, 'What take? She can't sing!' We (my father and I)
returned home. But, at the time, I felt no regret. I was too
naive to really understand the importance of it all.
"My father was very keen that I enter the music world, and con-
stantly did the rounds of producers' offices. That's how I met
Shyamsunder - a popular composer in those days - who introduced
me to Ram Daryani. He was making 'Badi Bahen' at the time and
promised to give me two songs in the film. But history repeated
itself - I was made to rehearse (this time in Shree Sound Stu-
dios); and I got so frightened, I couldn't sing!"
OVERCOMING MY FEAR
"This struggle continued till I met Yakub, who was making
'Aayiye', the music of which was composed by Shaukat Dehlvi, who
did the popular 'Nagma'. I remember going to Eastern Studios at
Worli (Mumbai), where Allaudin, Yakub's brother, was the recor-
dist. And there, for the first time, we recorded without a hitch!
The song was a solo, 'Mohe aane lagi angrayi... aaja aaja balam'.
I also sang a duet (with Lata Mangeshkar) for the same film, 'Aao
chalein, chalein sakhi wahan'.
"Meanwhile, I continued meeting composers, hoping to get work.
But some of them refused to hear me. When I went to meet S. D.
Burman, he said, 'Polish your voice, polish your voice' without
listening to my voice.
"My next film was 'Phoolon Ke Haar', for which I sang eight
songs. Composed by Hasraj Behl to the lyrics of D. N. Madhok,
Verma Malik and Indivar, the film had Geeta Bali and Nigar Sul-
tana in the lead roles. A few small films followed, for which I
got paid as little as Rs. 150."
MY BIGGEST PROJECT
"Then, I landed my biggest project, 'Daayra', thanks to Harish-
chandra Rao, its composer. I'd just finished recording a song for
Jamaal Sen, a relative of today's composers Dilip and Sameer Sen.
I believe Harishchandra Rao had tried to get other singers, but
they'd stood him up. So, he took me to meet Kamal Amrohi.
"Busy recording with Meenu Katrak, Kamal 'sa'ab' sent along a
representative to decide on my voice. That's how I got to sing
for 'Daayra'. The theme song, 'Devta tum ho mera sahara, maine
thamma hai daaman tumhara' was a duet between (Mohammad) Rafi and
me. I sang other numbers too - 'Jali jo shama, deep ke sang
jaloon', for example. I had about seven songs in the film, which
had Meena Kumari and Nasir Khan in the lead. Unfortunately for
me, 'Daayra' was an utter flop. I was extremely disappointed.
SONGS WERE WRITTEN FOR ME!
"Around this time, I was called to sing for Naushad 'sa'ab's'
film 'Shabab'. When I got there, I found all I had to sing was a
few lines in a child's chorus. The song was Rafi's 'Mehelon mein
rehne wale, hamein tere dar se...'.
"I was upset - it was such a big production and all I was getting
to sing was a few lines! Then, they offered to give me a full
song if I sang this one. I agreed.
"After which, S. D. Burman 'da' suddenly called me over to visit
him at Dev Anand's office in Juhu (Mumbai). He was composing for
the film 'Devdas' and wanted me to sing the number 'Woh na aay-
enge palatkar, unhein lakh hum bulaayein...'. The song had just
about two lines, which had to be repeated over and over again.
"Sahir Ludhianvi, the lyricist, who was sitting there, heard me
and said, 'I'll give you a full song.' That's how the song
finally had an 'antara' and 'asthayi'. Burman 'da' was very
pleased and praised me. All I could remember at the time was how
he'd refused to even listen to me when I'd approached him ear-
lier.
"I had the opportunity of singing in every film made by Bimal
Roy. 'Hale dil sunayenge...' ('Madhumati') became very popular.
Initially, even this song was just one stanza long, till Shailen-
dra 'sa'ab' told me he'd write the full lyrics and the song grew
in length.
"That song was recorded with only three musicians - a sarangi
player (Pt. Ram Narain), a 'tabalchi' and a harmonium player.
Composer Salil Choudhry heard it, as he was entering the room,
and was very thrilled!
MY MOST POPULAR NUMBER
"I've sung in practically all of Kidar Sharma's films too. For
one, whose production composer was Snehal Bhatkar, I sang 'Kabhi
tanhayiyon mein yoon, hamari yaad aayegi...' At the recording,
Kidar Sharma sat with his eyes closed till the song was done, and
then got up and gave me some money. When I hesitated, Snehal
Bhatkar told me, 'Take it. Whoever he gives money to makes a
name.' The film was 'Hamari Yaad Aayegi', with Tanuja.
"At the time, I was told the song was a background number (those
days background numbers didn't figure on records). But on a visit
to Pakistan, I found people talking about this song. Then, I
realised that Kidar 'sa'ab' had got a record made after all. This
song has been one of my most popular numbers. It still is.
MY REPERTOIRE GREW
"Composers Shankar-Jaikishen were becoming very popular around
this time, and I've always been a very ardent fan of theirs. I've
always respected them for their originality - they were like no
one else. I sang for 'Hamrahi' with them - the song was a duet
with Rafi 'sa'ab', 'Mujhko apne gale lagalo ai mere hamrahi...' I
worked with them in 'Around The World' (a duet with Sharda, 'Yeh
muh aur masoor ki dal...') and again in 'Arzoo' ('Jab ishk kahin
ho jaata hai...' - a 'quwaali'). "I worked with Kalyanji-Anandji
in 'Juari' ('Neend ud jaye teri chainse sone wale...') and in
'Yeh Dil Kisko Doon'. A song that scaled the heights of popular-
ity was 'Hume dum daike souten ghar jaana...', which I sang with
Asha Bhosle. Madan Mohan had me sing in 'Neend Humari Khwab
Tumhare' ('Sakiya ek bhi to de...'). In 'Saraswati Chandra', I
sang the number 'Vada humse kiya dil kisiko diya...' and in
'Kajal' - 'Agar tum na miloge to main yeh samjoongi...'. I had
begun getting more and more work."
SUDDENLY THERE WAS NO WORK!
"Then my life did an about turn. For no reason, my songs would be
recorded and then cut off from the film, like in the film 'Jab
Jab Phool Khile', and again, in a number I recorded with Shobha
Gurtu for Bappi Lahiri. Slowly, I realised that I was being edged
out of the industry."
By this time, Mubarak Begum had sung with almost every composer
and singer - she'd had duets with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle,
Geeta Dutt, Rafi, Mukesh, Talat Mehmood, Manna Dey... She'd sung
for regional language films like in Sindhi ("It was ever so dif-
ficult," she laughs, today , "to get the pronunciation right AND
concentrate on the singing! But watching my co-singer, Talat Mah-
mood, struggling too made me do my best"). Now, she sings for
stage shows - "I have to survive," she says.
TODAY...
But listeners will never forget what she has sung, even if her
repertoire hasn't been very large. She has some memorable numbers
to her credit - Jan Nissar Akhtar's number for 'Susheela' with
Talat Mahmood, 'Kuch ajnabi se aap hain, kuch ajnabi se hum...'
or the one from 'Dagbabu', 'Ghir ghir aaye badarva kare, rang
bhare ras bhare pyare pyare...'
this industry where awards are two a penny, Mubarak Begum has
received no recognition whatsoever for her work... "Forget appre-
ciating talent with an award, we're not even invited for the
functions any more. So completely have we been forgotten," says
she, sadly.
------------------------------------------------------------------
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian