Talat Mahmood
Talat Mahmood | |
---|---|
Playback singing | |
Awards | Padma Bhushan Award by the Indian government in 1992 |
Website | Official website |
Talat Mahmood (24 February 1924 – 9 May 1998) was an Indian playback singer who is considered as one of the most popular male Indian
Talat Mahmood received the Padma Bhushan award in 1992, in recognition of his artistic contributions in the spheres of cinematic and ghazal music.[3][4]
He was particularly famous for singing soft and sombre ghazals in his quivering and silky voice. Romantic and tragic were the moods he liked most and it was he who helped a great deal in shaping the style and method of modern ghazal singing in India during the 1950s and 1960s.[1]
Early life
Talat Mahmood was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India to Manzoor Mahmood. Talat showed his musical leanings from a very young age and would enjoy sitting through all-night music concerts.[5]
Coming from a conservative Muslim background, singing was not encouraged. Talat had to choose between working in films and continue living at home. Despite his parents objection, he opted for the films, though his family accepted the fact only about a decade later when he gained some respect in the
Singing career
Talat apprenticed classical music under Pandit S.C.R. Bhat at Marris College of Music, Lucknow (presently
His reputation as a ghazal singer was not limited to his hometown of Lucknow, but it reached the city that proved to shape his destiny – Calcutta. The then famous ghazal singers were
In 1944, he sang the popular hit Tasveer teri dil mera behela nah sake gi.
In 1949, Talat moved to Bombay, to sing for the Hindi film industry. His big break came with the song Ae dil mujhay aisi jaga le chal composed by music director Anil Biswas, his mentor in Bombay, for the soundtrack of the film Arzoo (1950 film).[2]
Commemorative postage stamp
India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor him in 2016.
Acting career
Talat Mahmood acted in over a dozen films with actresses of the time like Nutan, Mala Sinha, Suraiya and others. Later he decided to give up acting to concentrate on singing.[1][6]
Talat acted in the following
Film Name | Year | Opposite |
---|---|---|
Raj Laxmi[6] | 1945 | Kananbala
|
Tum Aur Main[6] | 1947 | Kanandevi |
Samapti[6] | 1949 | Bharti Devi |
Aaraam[6] | 1951 | Madhubala, Dev Anand |
Thokar | 1953 | Shammi Kapoor |
Dil-e-Nadaan[6] | Shyama, Peace Kanwal | |
Daak Babu | 1954 | Nadira |
Waris | Suraiya, Nadira | |
Raftaar | 1955 | Nadira |
Diwali Ki Raat | 1956 | Roopmala, Shashikala |
Ek Gaon Ki Kahani | 1957 | Mala Sinha |
1958 | Shyama | |
Maalik[6] | Suraiya | |
Sone Ki Chidiya[6] | Nutan |
The advent of
However, Talat who was one of the first Indian singer to go on foreign concert tours in 1956 to East Africa, United States, the UK, West Indies. He performed in Royal Albert Hall in London, Madison Square Garden in the United States and in the West Indies. He continued singing until 1991, when he toured the Netherlands.[1]
Family
Talat married a Bengali Christian girl from Calcutta, who also acted in films and was a great fan of his, Latika Mullick, later named Nasreen on 20 February 1951 and had two children Khalid born in 1953 and Sabina born in 1959.[7]
His grand-niece and well known journalist is Sahar Zaman.[8] She has started a special multi-performance tribute platform called Jashn-e-Talat, dedicated to Talat Mahmood's career.
Personality
People, who were close to Talat, describe his nature as a quiet one. It is often remarked that he was a decent man, and his velvety and silky voice also reflected that decency and sense of calmness. Music directors, who worked with him, claimed that while listening to him, one would develop the feeling that Talat was a soft-hearted man. Dilip Kumar termed Talat as "a perfect gentleman". Veteran Indian film music director Mohammed Zahur Khayyam is reportedly quoted as saying, "He was a perfect gentleman. With him there was no loose talk. He was always well-dressed: his shoes shining and his trousers perfectly creased."[1]
Available work
Talat sang approximately 750 songs in 12 languages spread over 4 decades spanning between the 1940s and 1980s. He recorded his first song back in 1941.[1]
Popular singles
Some of his most memorable songs from Indian cinema are:
Song | Film | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Humse Aaya Na Gaya | Dekh Kabira Roya | 1957 | |
Aa Chan Ve | Mutiar,Punjabi movie | 1951 | With Surinder Kaur |
Jatta aayi basakhi faslan di mukk gayi raakhi and (he sang all songs this movie also) | Koday Shah ,Punjabi movie |
1953 | chorus with Shaminderpal Singh, Meena Mangeshkar
|
Jayen To Jayen Kahan[2] | Taxi Driver | 1954 | |
Tasveer Banata Hoon | Baradari | 1955 | |
Dil-E-Nadaan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai | Mirza Ghalib | 1954 | Duet song with Suraiya |
Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha | Chhaya | 1961 | Duet song with Lata Mangeshkar |
Seene Mein Sulagte Hai Armaan | Tarana | 1951 | Duet song with Lata Mangeshkar |
Aansoo Samajhke Kyon Mujhe | Chhaya | 1961 | |
Aaha Rimjhim Ke Yeh Pyare Pyare Geet Liye | Usne Kaha Tha | 1960 | Duet song with Lata Mangeshkar |
Sham-E-Gham Ki Kasam | Footpath | 1953 | |
Jalte Hain Jiske Liye | Sujata | 1959 | |
Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na Aansoo Bahana | Madhosh | 1951 | |
Phir Wahi Sham, Wahi Gham | Jahan Ara | 1964 | |
Ae Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal | Daag | 1952 | |
Zindagi Denewale Sun | Dil-e-Nadaan | 1953 | |
Main Dil Hoon Ek Armaanbhara | Anhonee | 1952 | |
Andhe Jahan Ke Andhe Raste | Patita | 1953 | |
Kadale Neela Kadale | Dweep | Music By M.S.Baburaj, Malayalam film | |
"Lal Lal Hothwa Se" | Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram | 1963 | Bhojpuri Film |
"Lagi Nahi Choote Ram" | |||
Ashqon Ne Jo Paya Hai | Chaandi Ki Deewar | 1964 | Music: N Dutta; Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi
|
Bechain Nazar, Betaab Jigar | Yasmeen | 1955 | |
Raat Ne Kya Kya Khwab Dikhaye | Ek Gaon Ki Kahani | 1957 | |
Chal Diya Karvaan, Loot Gaye Hum Yahan | Laila Majnu |
||
Hoke Majboor Mujhe Usne Bulaya Hoga | Haqeeqat | 1964 | song with Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey & Bhupinder Singh |
Aye Dil Mujhe Aisi Jaga Le Chal | Arzoo | 1950 | |
Milte Hi Aankhen Dil Hua Deewana | Babul | 1950 | |
Mera Jeevan Saathi Bichhar Gaya | Babul | 1950 | |
Koi Nahin Mera Is Duniya Mein | Daag | 1952 | |
Hum Dard Ke Maron Ka | Daag | 1952 | |
Mohabbat Ki Kahaniyan | Woh Din Yaad Karo | 1971 | Melodious duet song with Laxmikant-Pyarelal
|
In his personal visit to Dhaka in 1960, he sang two beautiful Bengali songs for the film Rajdhanir Bukey directed by Ehtesham and music director Robin Ghosh.
Song | Film | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Tomare legechche etoje bhalo | Rajdhanir Bukey | 1960 | Lyrics: KG Mostafa |
Amaar se gaan furiye gechhe | Rajdhanir Bukey | 1960 |
Death
Talat Mahmood died on 9 May 1998.[1][9]
In 2018, an event was arranged in New Delhi to pay tribute to Talat Mahmood on his 20th death anniversary. This was called Jashn-e-Talat and marked the start of an ongoing tribute festival curated by his grand-niece Sahar Zaman [10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Avijit Ghosh (9 May 2008). "Remembering Talat Mahmood". Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f "Talat Mahmood – Part 1 (a profile)". Cineplot.com website. 3 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "Padma Awards List (1954–2013)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ Talat Mahmood's award in 1992 on Government of India (padmaawards.gov..in) website Retrieved 3 November 2020
- ^ a b David Courtney. "Biography of Talat Mahmood". Chandrakantha.com website. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Talat Mahmood's Filmography". Cineplot.com website. 13 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "Profile of Talat Mahmood". Cineplot.com website. 15 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ Zaman, Sahar. "In fond remembrance of the ghazal's 'velvet voice'".
- ^ "Talat Mahmood: 'Fact File'". Talatmahmood.net website. 19 August 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ Arts festival to pay tribute to late singer-actor Talat Mahmood Outlook (Indian magazine), Published 25 November 2018, Retrieved 3 November 2020