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Gypsy Soul Raps for a Cause

And he changes avatars too — dressing up like a student in the ‘UPSC Wala Pyaar’ song, a tough guy in ‘Ehe Rajneet Ba’ (this is politics), in ‘Badass’ — a mafiosi look, and well a Bappi Lehri-inspired one in another…writes Sukant Deepak

‘Pyar vs Love’, ‘Mudda Bahut Ba’ (there are a lot of issues), ‘Dhanda’, ‘Ashlilta ki Tata Thaiya’ (goodbye to vulgarity) — rapper Rohiteshwar Sahaya aka Gypsy Soul, originally from Chapra in Bihar, is no ‘Gully Boy’.

A former head of the DD Sports Graphics Department, Soul who raps only in Bhojpuri and is a rage among teenagers in Bihar and Jharkhand, says his work has never been ‘commercial’, as every song of his takes up burning issues of his home state Bihar.

“Pick up any of my work, and it would reflect the social reality of our time. Gypsy Soul’s soul is not for sale,” he says with all the seriousness in the world.

And he changes avatars too — dressing up like a student in the ‘UPSC Wala Pyaar’ song, a tough guy in ‘Ehe Rajneet Ba’ (this is politics), in ‘Badass’ — a mafiosi look, and well a Bappi Lehri-inspired one in another

By the way, he also did a Safdar Hashmi play at the age of 14.

“To communicate with youngsters and ensure they understand that only they can change Bihar, I must be in the ‘right’ look. I record all the music in Mumbai to get access to the best of professionals and technology,” asserts the rapper, who is inspired by American legends like Tupac Shakur and Bigg D.

Early on, Soul would write lyrics for other rappers but later decided to jump into the field to make Biharis look within. And he assures all this happened much before ‘Gully Boy’ was released.

“Look I am a terrible singer, so rapping made a lot of sense. Also, many people asked why I was not working on my lyrics myself?”

And the name — ‘Gypsy Soul’… He says he loves travelling and just cannot be still in life as that would lead to stagnation.

For someone who grew up in small town Chapra but worked in Delhi, and now constantly travels between his hometown, Delhi and Mumbai, Chapra will always hold a special place, and that is where his lyrics emerge from.

“Small-town India has not changed, and I am not talking about roads or superstores. How many new schools have been set up? Have the streets become safer for women compared to 20 years ago, has migration become a thing of the past? Think about it,” says this BFA degree holder.

Soul insists that whenever he thinks about such issues, the pen is his catharsis.

“It is important to constantly talk about issues. Being an entertainer does not mean that you start living in an alternate reality,” he cautions.

As he sets to release his new single ‘Khelwar’ which focuses on the state of sports infrastructure in his home state, the rapper points out that he knows several top players who never get selected, lack experienced coaches, fewer grounds and policies for sportsmen that never reach them.

“No wonder you see so many of them selling tea,” laments the artist.

Disclosing that he plans to work on rap numbers around migration and the rising drug menace in Bihar, Soul says, “What efforts have been made to reopen the sugar mills? Did anyone think that Prohibition could result in an increased narcotics inflow in the state?”

Talking about the rap scene in India, he is optimistic that it is going in the right direction.

“One must witness the underground rapping that takes place in Mumbai and Kolkata where people share their work.”

Maintaining that despite numerous offers to rap on lyrics that may become instant hits, he concludes, “But then, Gypsy Soul’s soul will bleed, no?”

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Prateek Kuhad Reflects on a Decade in Music Ahead of India Tour

Stressing that performing live has always promised a peculiar high, the singer-songwriter remembers his last long tour in India in the year 2022…writes Sukant Deepak

Believe it or not, this songwriter and singer who studied math and economics at New York University and created a stir with his first EP, the self-titled ‘Prateek Kuhad’, and  ‘Raat Raazi’ in 2013 never thought that music would be a full-time career for him.

He always conceived it as a passion and something he would indulge in as a hobby.

“Then one thing led to another, and the more I immersed myself in music and wrote songs, the more I realised how much I loved it. After finishing college, I decided to give it a shot in India, thinking I would give it a year and see how it goes. If things went well — I would keep doing it. And then… I never looked back,” Prateek Kuhad, best known for his album ‘Cold/Mess’ (2019) tells.

As he gets set to release his latest single ‘I’m Someone New’ and perform in 10 Indian cities, Kuhad, who learnt to play the guitar at age 16 and started writing songs soon, says that his latest single was written earlier this year over two different sessions in New York with producer and writer Greg Wattenberg.

“Working with Greg was an incredible experience. We wrote the song together and then produced it. It is about the transformative power of love and how it can intensely change a person. Considering it is a single, we wanted to create a different experience for our fans, other than the usual music video. So, we recently shot a live version of the song, and my entire band performed. We wanted to give a glimpse of the song at the tour this year, it is part of my setlist,” says the Jaipur-born Kuhad.

Ask him to rewind when his first album was released and compare it with current times, and the singer smiles that it has been a great decade of putting out music.

Recalling that when he started, the independent music culture in India was not this big, and even the concert culture was quite limited, he adds: “Today, an entire ecosystem thrives. The fact that I get to perform in countries across the globe, and the audience is always receptive is extremely rewarding. It has been a great decade of putting out and writing music, and I am honestly excited for the next decade now.”

Stressing that performing live has always promised a peculiar high, the singer-songwriter remembers his last long tour in India in the year 2022.

Adding that he is excited to get back and will be performing in several cities including Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Jaipur, Guwahati, Kolkata, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Pune this time.

He says: “It is always an enriching experience visiting different states and meeting people across India. There is so much to take away each time. Performing live, one is unfiltered, raw, and honest self to the audience. I believe the audience has also evolved over the past few years; they recognise the effort and reciprocate. The energy at my concerts is pure, and there is always warmth.”

The songwriter and singer who has also worked on film projects like ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ and ‘Karwaan’ admits that right now, his focus is on his own projects.

“Frankly, it is never about the medium as I enjoy writing songs that are personal to me. I have enjoyed the movie projects I did and am happy to do more, but surely writing music for myself gets preference in the scheme of things.”

Giving ‘Cold/Mess’ one of his biggest hits a “fair amount” of credit to his popularity, he feels his career has been built over the years through diverse elements.

“A lot of touring, and different songs that, while maybe not as big as cold/mess have been important. Take for instance, ‘Tum Jab Paas’, ‘Tune Kaha’ and ‘Oh Love’ are tracks that built my community and fan base in small ways. But they did,” he stresses.

Currently in Los Angeles and working with musicians based here, he is trying to write songs to pick from for the next album and hopefully get it ready for release this year.

“But no promises — I’m still working on it, and we will see how it goes. Besides that, there’s ‘The Silhouettes Tour’ happening. This year is all about touring. The US and Canada are done. There is Australia, Europe, the UK, Singapore, Dubai, and then India,” concludes the first Indian artist to be signed by the American record label Elektra Records in 2020.

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Roshan: The Man Who Brought Classical Music to Bollywood

Roshan deservedly was deemed to be the foremost exponent of the filmi qawwali, but his oeuvre was not limited to this form – it appears in just half-a-dozen of his 67 films…reports Vikas Dutta

He may have ended up as a mere footnote in the annals of Hindi cinema with music for just one flop film to his account, had his indulgent mentor been a more money-minded man. In the process, connoisseurs would have been deprived of scores of exquisite qawwalis, elegant love songs, and aesthetic compositions showcasing the immortal words of Tulsidas and Meera.

And for 21st-century Bollywood fans, would Hrithik Roshan have emerged, had his grandfather, drawn to films after hearing a K.L. Saigal bhajan, abandoned his ambitions?

Roshan (1917-67), born Roshan Lal Nagrath on this day (July 14) in Gujranwala (undivided Punjab), spent just a third of his tragically short life in the film industry, but, in this span, he spun pure gold with his trademark classical music-based melodies. A leading music director, who also played a key role in his life, likened his music to honey dripping from a honeycomb.

Roshan deservedly was deemed to be the foremost exponent of the filmi qawwali, but his oeuvre was not limited to this form – it appears in just half-a-dozen of his 67 films.

On the other hand, there is “Khayalon mein kisi ke” (“Bawre Nain”, 1951), “Bade armanon se” (“Malhar”, 1951), “Main dil hoon ek armaan bhara” (“Anhonee”, 1952), “Salaam-e-hasrat qabool kar lo” (“Babar”, 1960), “Zindagi bhar nahi bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat” (“Barsaat Ki Raat”, 1960). “Ab kya misaal doon main tumhare shabaab ki” (“Aarti”, 1962), “Laga chunri mein daag” (“Dil Hi To Hai”, 1963), “Jo vada kiya vo nibhana padega” (“Taj Mahal”, 1963), “Dil jo na keh saka” (“Bheegi Raat”, 1965), “Rahen na rahen ham” (“Mamta”, 1966) and “Hum intezar karenge” (“Bahu Begum”, 1967).

Above all, there is the Meera bhajan “Ae ri main to prem diwani” (“Naubahar”, 1952) and “Man re tu kaahe na dheer dhare” (“Chitralekha”, 1964), skillfully adapted by Sahir Ludhianvi from Tulsidas’ “Mana tu kahe na dheer dharat ab…” and rendered sublimely by Mohammad Rafi.

Then, gauge how Roshan imbued a spiritual feel to “Chhupa lo yun dil mein” from “Mamta”, aided by the dulcet tones of Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, and Majrooh Sultanpuri’s poetry, while recalling his AIR days with the studio-based “Saari saari raat” (“Aji Bas Shukriya”, 1957).

But, as mentioned, all this would have never come to pass without the trust shown by legendary director, producer, lyricist and screenwriter KIdar Nath Sharma, who had spotted Roshan, then working with AIR Delhi as an esraj player, way back in 1945 and offered him a career in the film industry.

Roshan had refused then, but approached Sharma in 1949 when he moved to Bombay. Sharma offered him a chance to compose for his “Neki Aur Badi” (1949), convincing his own regular composer Snehal Bhatkar to sit it out and the latter obliged.

The film flopped and a distraught and disheartened Roshan told Sharma that he was no good and wanted to commit suicide. The filmmaker heard him patiently and asked him which Bombay beach he would prefer to do away with himself.

Then, on a serious note, he went on to say that if Roshan would defer his plans, he would offer him another chance in his forthcoming film.

This was not the end of the story.

During the film’s making, an influential distributor came to meet Sharma and in Roshan’s presence, promised him a large amount if only he would drop the music composer. Roshan went to another room and began sobbing, telling Sharma, who followed him, to accept the offer. Sharma, however, went back to his office and said no.

“Bawre Nain” (1951), with songs like “Teri duniya mein dil lagta nahi” and “Khayalon mein”, was a hit and started Roshan on his sparkling musical journey.

Sharma was more patient than Anil Biswas, who took direct action when Roshan began crying at his song recording, saying he would never be able to create such music. Biswas sought to calm him down, but when Roshan would not stop sobbing, he gave him a slap, wondering how he would succeed this way. It was Biswas only who likened his music to dripping honey.

Roshan, whose music reflected his classical training, also had a penchant for knowing when to let his tune yield to the lyrics or the singer. His — and Hindi cinema’s most famous qawwali — “Na to karvan ki talash hai” (“Barsaat ki Raat”) is a prime example and so is the same film’s “Maine shayad tumhe pehle bhi” where it just fills the gaps.

On the other hand, “Tum agar mujh ko na chaho” (“Dil Hi To Hai”) has a steady beat accompanying the singer.

There was much more music left in Roshan when he succumbed to a heart attack in 1967.

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Taylor Swift Performs ‘Mary’s Song’ Live After 16 Years

Kelce was present for this special moment. He has become a fixture at Swift’s record-breaking stadium tour and even joined her onstage for a show in London last month…reports Asian Lite News

Pop icon Taylor Swift finally treated her fans to a song they had waited years to hear live.

The singer-songwriter surprised the sold-out crowd at her Eras Tour show in Amsterdam by performing a mashup of ‘Mary’s Song’, ‘So High School’, and ‘Everything Has Changed’ during the secret songs segment, reports People.

At the end of the mashup, Swift sang the closing lyrics to the 2006 classic ‘Mary’s Song’, which has taken on new meaning since she started dating NFL star Travis Kelce: “I’ll be 87, you’ll be 89 / I’ll still look at you like the stars that shine / In the sky, oh my my my.”

According to People, the ‘Fortnight’ singer had a big smile on her face as she performed the song for the first time since 2008. Fans cheered as they heard those lyrics because the Kansas City Chiefs player’s jersey number is 87, and Swift was born in 1989 (and has an album called 1989).

Kelce was present for this special moment. He has become a fixture at Swift’s record-breaking stadium tour and even joined her onstage for a show in London last month. Among the audience members who experienced the moment live were Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes.

The couple stopped in Amsterdam during their European vacation, which also included Spain, London, and Switzerland. With the football players in the crowd, Swift switched up the lyrics once again in ‘Karma’ to mention “the guy on the Chiefs,” which she sings whenever Kelce is in the crowd.

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Vicky Kaushal Grooves to Punjabi Beats in ‘Tauba Tauba’

‘Tauba Tauba’ from ‘Bad Newz’ is by Karan Aujla, who is known for hits such as ‘Players’, ‘Gangsta’, ‘Mexico’, and ‘God Damn’…reports Asian Lite News

Actor Vicky Kaushal never misses a chance to groove to Punjabi music, and this is exactly what he did in the song ‘Tauba Tauba’ from his upcoming film ‘Bad Newz’.

On Wednesday, Vicky shared the music video of the song ‘Tauba Tauba’, where he is seen executing some intricate dance moves with ease.

“Punjabi gaana aur main dance na karu?! Let’s go! #TaubaTauba song out now,” he captioned the clip.

This isn’t the first time Vicky has danced to a Punjabi number.

Last year, Vicky went viral dancing in an all-black outfit to Riar Saab and Abhijay Sharma’s song ‘Obsessed’.

His dance moves even helped the song reach the second position on the Top 50 Hits from India on the music streaming platform Spotify.

‘Tauba Tauba’ from ‘Bad Newz’ is by Karan Aujla, who is known for hits such as ‘Players’, ‘Gangsta’, ‘Mexico’, and ‘God Damn’.

Directed by Anand Tiwari, ‘Bad Newz’ is a comedy-drama that also stars Ammy Virk, Neha Dhupia, and Triptii Dimri.

The film tells the story of two Punjabi boys and a Christian Hindu girl. One of the boys has a one-night stand with the girl, who ends up getting pregnant.

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A. R. Rahman’s ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ Debuts at IFFM 2024

‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ will premiere at the festival, where it is also competing for the Best Documentary Film…reports Asian Lite News

Oscar and Grammy award-winning composer A. R. Rahman’s documentary ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’, which is directed by Rohit Gupta, is set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2024 in Australia.

Speaking about the film’s premiere at the festival, Rahman said: “The film is very special to us, as it throws light on the beautiful state of Nagaland and highlights the rich cultural and musical history it contains. Rohit and I are looking forward to the premiere and showcasing it to the audiences in Melbourne.”

‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ traces the journey in Nagaland, of rhythm and sound, tracing the evolution of music across cultures, tribes and generations.

‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ will premiere at the festival, where it is also competing for the Best Documentary Film.

“I feel the narrative holds global relevance, along with the incredible healing power of music. The film has been painstakingly made in over five years and I am excited to see the audience’s reactions to it and for them to explore the rich cultural and musical tapestry of Nagaland. Especially to hear a completely new sound coming from India,” said Gupta.

The film marks Rahman’s second major foray into the realm of filmmaking as a producer, with his earlier production ’99 Songs’, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival.

“When we saw the documentary, we knew there was something special to it. We are delighted to have the world premiere of the film at IFFM and have Dr Rahman and filmmaker Rohit Gupta present it to our audiences,” shared Mitu Bhowmick Lange, IFFM Festival director.

‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ has been directed by Rohit Gupta and produced by A. R. Rahman, with Abu Metha, Adam J. Greig, Theja Meru, Rohit Gupta, Sheila Houlahan, Rohhit Daas serving as Executive Producers.

The festival, which is set to celebrate its 15th year, will be commencing from August 15. The curtains will be coming down on August 25. The festival, which is an annual celebration, is presented by the Victorian Government.

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Taylor Swift Connects ‘Folklore’ to Ireland During Dublin Show

According to ‘People’, Swift added that she got to serve as a narrator for once, rather than sharing her own personal feelings and experiences…reports Asian Lite News

Pop sensation Taylor Swift, who recently performed in Dublin as part of her Eras Tour, has shared some of the inspiration behind her 2020 album ‘Folklore’.

The singer-songwriter opened up about how she developed the fictional story of her fantasy-inspired, pandemic-era album and revealed that Ireland played a big part in the story’s setting, reports ‘People’ magazine.

” ‘Folklore’ in general, it just belongs in Ireland,” she told the crowd after finishing her rendition of ‘Cardigan’ during her second night at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

“How I imagined the album world looking (was like) Ireland. Storytelling with lots of different characters,” Swift continued, referring to the stories within the record.

“You guys have that on lock, too. That’s very Irish, the storytelling.”

The singer said that ‘Folklore’ was an opportunity for her to try a “different” style of songwriting that she hadn’t explored before, which included more linear stories and characters who “fall in love and get their hearts broken.”

According to ‘People’, Swift added that she got to serve as a narrator for once, rather than sharing her own personal feelings and experiences.

“When I was making this album, it was two days into the pandemic that I started ‘Folklore’, I wasn’t in Ireland. So I had to create an album where the imaginary world that I pretended to go to every single day while I was writing it… I gotta be honest, kinda seemed like Ireland,” the Grammy winner told the crowd.

“So we’re back to where we belong,” Swift added, before preparing to begin her track ‘Betty’ — yet another character from her story-driven album.

“‘Folklore’ belongs to you guys.”

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Aftab Shivdasani Ventures into Musical Horror with ‘Kasoor’

Aftab made his debut as a leading actor in 1999 with ‘Mast’, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. He subsequently appeared in films such as ‘Kasoor’, ‘Awara Paagal Deewana’, ‘Hungama’, and ‘Masti’…reports Asian Lite News

Actor Aftab Shivdasani will be starring in an upcoming film titled ‘Kasoor’, which is a “musical, romance, and horror genre.

Following the success and enthusiastic response to ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kafi Hai’, producer Asif Shaikh of Practical Productions has roped in Aftab for the musical horror film ‘Kasoor’, presented by Bablu Aziz.

Confirming the news, producer Asif said: “It’s a very unique concept — a musical romance horror. When Aftab heard the story, he was very excited about the subject. The audience will see Aftab Shivdasani in a very different role on the silver screen.”

“It’s an author-backed role, and we are in the process of finalising one female lead and another male lead alongside Aftab. The announcement for these roles will follow soon.”

Directed by Glen Barretto and written by Mudassar Aziz, the story revolves around three main characters.

The 45-year-old actor was first selected as the Farex baby at the age of 14 months. He was then seen in films such as ‘Mr. India’, ‘Shahenshah’, ‘ChaalBaaz’, ‘Awwal Number’, ‘C.I.D.’, and ‘Insaniyat’ as a child star.

Aftab made his debut as a leading actor in 1999 with ‘Mast’, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. He subsequently appeared in films such as ‘Kasoor’, ‘Awara Paagal Deewana’, ‘Hungama’, and ‘Masti’.

In 2018, Aftab made his debut in Tamil cinema with ‘Bhaskar Oru Rascal’ and in Kannada cinema with ‘Kotigobba 3’ in 2021.

The actor was last seen in Hindi cinema in the 2019 film ‘Setters’, a crime thriller directed by Ashwini Chaudhary. The film also stars Shreyas Talpade, Sonnalli Seygall, Vijay Raaz, Ishita Dutta, Pavan Malhotra, Jameel Khan, and Pankaj Jha.

It revolves around examination cheating rackets in India, showcasing an eponymous racket where brilliant students sit for exams in place of weaker students for money.

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World Music Day: Jasleen Royal’s Picks & Burrah’s Spiritual Anthem

‘Assi Sajna’ is sung by Aditya Sharma, INTENSE, and Jasleen…reports Asian Lite News

On the ‘World Music Day’, singers and songwriters Jasleen Royal and Jasdeep Singh aka Burrah, shared about the tracks that they are currently listening to on loop.

Jasleen, who is known for the track ‘Ranjha’ from the biographical war film ‘Shershaah’ starring Sidharth Malhotra said: “I am listening to ‘Assi Sajna’ and ‘Tum Se’ on loop right now. Both feel like the perfect mood for this weather and spark a subtle excitement making them feel like a warm hug.”

The song ‘Tum Se’ is sung by Raghav Chaitanya, Sachin-Jigar, and Varun Jain. It is from the science fiction romantic comedy movie ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’ starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.

‘Assi Sajna’ is sung by Aditya Sharma, INTENSE, and Jasleen.

Burrah, who was a part of ‘MTV Hustle’ and ‘Coke Studio Bharat’, shared: “Currently I’m in a supremely creative space, been writing a lot of music, so I’ve been constantly listening and feeling my unreleased songs on loop to perfect them and bring them to truth. Beyond that, I’m constantly listening to ‘Chaupai Sahib’, it’s a hymn written by Guru Gobind Singh ji.”

“In Sikhism, it’s recited to gain spiritual safety and defence from external and internal enemies, worries and afflictions,” he said.

Burrah further added: “I’m working on a very special project.. deep inside I feel I’m in a sensitive and sacred space, like giving birth. This activity serves to protect my energy and keep me grounded while also connecting me to the divine. Also been listening to ‘Bajarang Baan’ a lot. On a secondary note, ‘Sajni’ sung by Arijit Singh is constantly playing on loop at my home, it’s quite therapeutic as well.”

Jasleen is known for tracks like ‘Peh Gaya Khalara’, ‘Raatein’, ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’, ‘Nachde Ne Saare’, ‘Udd Chaliyan’, and most recently ‘Heeriye’, which featured Dulquer Salmaan.

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Remembering Hemant Kumar’s Musical Legacy

A rare combination of a gifted musical composer, who wove in classical strains, and a playback singer, with a gently soothing voice, he recorded his first (Bengali) song in 1940 and the first Hindi song a couple of years later…writes Vikas Dutta

You should have been named Hemant Kumar because you sing so well, the tetchy heroine of the night-long caper film ‘Solva Saal’ (1958) snaps at the interloping hero after being gratuitously serenaded by him in a Bombay suburban train while she is trying to elope with her beau. This was subtle praise for the singer of ‘Hai apna dil to awara’, who was no other than Hemant Kumar.

The tribute was well deserved for the singer-composer for his prowess spanned Bengali and Hindi films and whose well-modulated baritone was the voice of superstars of both industries, especially Uttam Kumar and Dev Anand. And then, he became the first Indian invited to compose for a Hollywood film – Conrad Rook’s ‘Siddharta’ (1972), based on Herman Hesse’s novel, and also used two of his Bengali songs in it.

Born on this day (June 16) in 1920 in then Benares in a family of modest means, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay was interested in music from his early years and abandoned his engineering education for music.

A rare combination of a gifted musical composer, who wove in classical strains, and a playback singer, with a gently soothing voice, he recorded his first (Bengali) song in 1940 and the first Hindi song a couple of years later.

But, while well-established in Bengali films in the 1940s, he could not make a simultaneous mark in Hindi films. It was only in the early 1950s that he was called to Bombay to give music for ‘Anand Math’ (1952), and came to national prominence for both his spirited compositions and renditions of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Jagdish Hare, Jai Jagdish Hare’ in it.

His next two films flopped, and a disheartened Hemant Kumar, as he had become on the suggestion of veteran filmmaker Sasadhar Mukherjee, was planning to head back to Calcutta but was convinced to stay on.

‘Nagin’ (1954), with its hypnotically compelling music, especially that snake-charmer melody on a ‘been’ – actually rendered on the clavioline by Kalyanji and on the harmonium by Ravi – both his assistants before they went to become prominent music directors in their own right – cemented his place in the Hindi film industry and also fetched a Filmfare Award for music.

But while he went on to give music – and his voice – for several other landmark films, and also went on to remake gothic literary masterpieces like ‘Bees Saal Baad’ (1962), and ‘Kohraa’ (1964), and that stark drama ‘Khamoshi’ (1969), his impact in Bombay started declining in the late 1960s as his brand of music and his genteel voice did not attract the attention it once had. However, he continued to enjoy a flourishing career in Calcutta, especially for his Rabindra Sangeet renditions, apart from films.

Hemant Kumar, who later on started to dye his hair as he contended that youngsters would not appreciate love songs from a grey-haired man, also became known for refusing a Padma Shri in the 1970s and a Padma Bhushan in the 1980s “as too late,” slowed down a bit in the 1980s due to health issues but went on. In fact, he had returned from a concert in Dhaka in September 1989 before suffering a major and fatal heart attack.

A top-notch music composer and a playback singer, like S. D. Burman, Hemant Kumar differed from the senior Burman, whose songs were more situational, more popular and enduring songs.

Take ‘Yaad kiya dil ne kahan ho tum’, picturised on a dapper Dev Anand, in ‘Patita’ (1953), or the exuberant ‘Main gareebon ka dil hoon watan ki zabaan’, from ‘Aab-e-Hayat’ (1955), which seems another of the Arabian Nights-type escapade that were once Bollywood staples, the ethereal duet ‘Nain se nain naahii milao’ in V. Shantaram’s ‘Jhanak Jhanak Paayal Baaje’ (1955), and the peppy and playful ‘Zara nazron se kah do ji nishana chuk na jaye’ (‘Bees Saal Baad’) are proof.

Then, his own composed and sung ‘Na tum hamen jaano’ from ‘Baat Ek Raat Ki’ (1962), where Dev Anand softly croons a piece of the ‘antara’, rather than the ‘mukhda’ over a sleeping Waheeda Rehman, before beginning the song.

And there was his penchant for the telling pause and change of tone – the nearly indiscernible break before ‘Bichhad gaya har saathi dekar/Pal do pal kaa saath/Kisko fursat hai jo thame deewaanon ka haath’.. and the slight change of tone for ‘Hamko apna saaya tak aqsar bezar mila…’ in ‘Jaane woh kaise log the..’ from Guru Dutt’s ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) and the voice shift in the transition from ‘… jaagte rahenge aur kitni raat ham…’ to ‘Muktsar si baat hai..’. from his Bollywood swan song ‘Tum pukaar lo, tumhara intezaar hai’ in ‘Khamoshi’.

It is no wonder why Lata Mangeshkar and Salil Choudhary dubbed him “Voice of God.”

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