Geeta Dutt - Musical Association with Various Composers

(1930 - 1972)

Master Ghulam Haider

Master Ghulam Haider (1908 - 1953) was one of the all time greats amongst the pioneering music directors of India. His biggest hit in early phase of his career came with Khazanchi (1941). The music of Khazanchi caused a revolution. By then composers of the 1930s who had embellished films with their exquisite compositions based on classical raagas, were beginning to sound commonplace. Combining popular raagas with the rich verve and rhythm of Punjabi music, Haider ensured the Indian film song would never be the same again.

He moved from Lahore to Bombay with his team in 1944, where he worked in films like Chal Chal Re Naujawaan (1944), Phool (1944), Humayun (1945), Bairam Khan (1946), and Shama (1946). It is true that his best known compositions are sung by legendary singer Shamshad Begum, and invoke Punjabi folk songs, and extensively feature percussion instruments like the dholak.

Young Geeta sang for the maestro Ghulam Haider in her debut year 1946 for a group song “Jab chaand jawan hoga” with stalwart singers Shamshad Beghum, Munawwar Sultana and Naseem for the film Bairam Khan.

Two years later, riding on the success of Do Bhai (1947), young Geeta was one of the most sought after playback singers in Hindi film industry. She sang nine songs for Master Ghulam Haider that year. Five of them were for the film Padmini, where she sang a duet with Dada Muni Ashok Kumar (“Sapera been bajayo re”) and the lovely solo “Mora piya nahin basmein mora jiya nahin basmein”. For filmistan’s Shaheed she sang “Aa jaa bedardi balama koi ro ro pukaare”. In Majboor, she sang two duets with the upcoming Lata Mangeshkar and that divine solo song “Main toh rah gayi aaj akeli re”.

Soon Ghulam Haider migrated to Pakistan and floated his own concern, Filmsaz, in partnership with Nazir Ajmeri and actor S. Gul. Their maiden production, Gulnaar, was released on November 6, 1953 and three days later, the great composer himself passed away at the young age of 45.

List of songs sung by Geeta Dutt

Please note that this list may not be complete

Year	Song	Film	Co-Singer
1946	Jab chand jawaan hoga,phir chandni raaton mein jannat ka samaa hoga	Bairam khan	Shamshad,munavver sultana and naseem
1948	Mein to reh gayi aaj akeli re	Majboor	-
1948	Gori sakhiyon se ankhiyaan churaye rahi re	Majboor	Lata
1948	Har shay par jawani hai	Majboor	Lata
1948	More angna kaag na bole,nayan mere kajle bhare	Padmini	-
1948	Hari chunariya wali ka dil atka	Padmini	G m durrani
1948	Sapera been bajayo re	Padmini	Ashok kumar
1948	Mora piya nahin bas mein	Padmini	-
1948	Aa ja aaja bidesi balma	Padmini	-
1948	Aa ja bedardi balma koi ro ro pukare	Shaheed	-

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