Hemant Kumar

The renowned Bengali-Hindi film composer and singer Hemant Kumar Mukherjee is remembered to this day for some of the most melodious songs in the cinema of both languages. Born in Banaras, Hemant Kumar left school to become a professional singer. He learnt music under the guidance of Phani Bannerjee and Shailendraprasad Gupta, and started off initially by singing on the radio.

In Bengal, Hemant Kumar achieved status as a Rabindra Sangeet singer, film composer, and playback singer, becoming famous as the singing voice of superstar Uttam Kumar. He made his debut as a singer in Bengali films with Nimai Sanyasi in 1940 and in Hindi films with Iraada in 1944. His debut as a composer in Hindi films was with Anandmath. He became a star singer when he rendered the classic Yeh raat yeh chandni phir kahan in Jaal.

He hit the big time as a composer in Hindi films with Nagin, which included the landmark Tan dole number. This film also fetched him the Filmfare Award for Best Music Composer. Hemant Kumar was the man behind the haunting music of Anupama.

Hemant Kumar’s collaboration with Guru Dutt led to the classic song Jaane woh kaise in Pyaasa and, later, the brilliant musical score of Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. He turned producer with Mrinal Sen’s Bengali film Neel Akasher Neeche (1958) and went on to produce Hindi films such as Bees Saal Baad, Kohraa, and Khamoshi - (Source :- Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema)

Hemant Kumar & Shamshad Begum

Hemant Kumar (the music director) and Shamshad Begum – Like other music directors from Bengal belt i.e. Anil Biswas and Salil Chaudary, Hemant Kumar used Shamshad’s voice sparingly. As far as I know, the only song he composed for Shamshad, was a duet with Geeta Dutt from Yahudi ki Ladki (1957) – Hum Kisi Se Na Kahenge. Sadly, this was also the last duet Geeta and Shamshad Begum sang together.

Hemant Kumar (the singer) and Shamshad Begum – This is one of the most unusual combination of singers singing together. Shamshad and Hemant sang only 1 to 2 duets together in their long careers. One of them was from the 1953 film Sholey with music by Naresh Bhattacharya and Dhaniram – Ae dil to kahin lai chal. The song appears two times in the film – once as a solo by Hemant and then as a duet by Hemant and Shamshad. The solo version starts slowly and the opening lines are sung at low pace without orchestral support. In duet version the orchestra is right from the beginning. The duet is more catchy owing to change  of  rhythm  from Hemant to Shamshad after mukhada; and then again after the antara.