LAHORE: Lata Mangeshkar was born in Indore and her native language was Marathi. But she sang songs in many languages including Punjabi. She had started her career in the pre-partition Indian cinema when Punjabi films had quite a standing and it continued, even in India, for at least a decade after the Partition of India as well as of Punjab.

Chaman was the first Punjabi film after the Partition and it was released in Rattan Cinema of Lahore on Aug 6, 1948. Lata sang three songs for the film whose music was composed by Vinod (real name Eric Roberts) who hailed from Lahore. The film was directed by R.K. Shorey who later migrated to Bombay from Lahore. Lata sang three songs for the film, Galyan Wich Phirde Dhola Nikke Nikke Baal Wey, Rahay Rahay Jandia and Assan Bekadraan Naal. All three songs were sung by Pushpa Hans also and his songs featured in the film for unknown reasons.

The lyrics were written by Aziz Kashmiri, a journalist-turned lyricist who also started his journalistic as well as film career from Lahore.

US-based journalist and author Harjap Singh Aujla, in one of his articles in the South Asian Post, writes that the climax of the film was the two songs sung by Lata. He terms Chaman one of earliest films that had used the voice of Lata.

In 1949, the film Lachhi was released and it became a hit. Lata sang a song for the film Naalay Lammi Tey Naalay Kaali and a duet, Kali Kanghi Naal, with Mohammed Rafi. Along with Lata and Rafi, Shamshad Begum, yet another artiste from Lahore, was the playback singer for the songs composed by Hansraj Behl. All three singers and the composer featured in many other Punjabi movies in the days to come until the decline of the Punjabi cinema in India.

Iqbal Qaiser, who is working on an encyclopaedia of Punjabi films, tells Dawn that Lata had sang total 80 Punjab songs and she was a playback singer in 20 films. He says that the first film that Lata sang for was Lachhi and not Chaman. He says that the film production had started before the Partition and 75 of its production had been completed when the Partition happened in 1947 and the rest of it was completed in India. He says Hansraj Behl was the first music director who used Lata’s voice in the film and he was known as Behl Lyallpuri. According to Qaiser, Lata’s last Punjabi song was in the film Mehndi Shagnaa Di that was released in 1992. In it she had sung a song, Mathe Utte Tikka La Key, written by Babu Singh Maan.

Madari was released in 1950 Lata sang two songs Puch Mera Haal Kadday and Rassi Utte Tangya Dopata Mera Dolda. The music was composed by the exponent of Punjab gharana of Tabla, Ustad Allah Rakha who was called A.R. Qureshi when he started composing music for films. Ustad Allah Rakha was one of the disciples of table and Pakhawaj master Mian Qadir Bakhsh. It is said that Lata was referred to Allah Rakha by music composer Master Ghulam Haider who Lata considered among his mentors. The lyrics were written by Aziz Kashmiri.

Ustad Allah Rakha composed music of another movie, Phumman, that appeared in 1951. Lata sang two songs for the movie, Mein Uddian Chuk Chuk Wekhan and Raatan Andherian Aa Geyyan. In 1954, Shaminder Chahal directed a film, Vanjara, and Lata sang songs Jag Ja Ni Batti and Saday Pindi Wich Pa Kay Hatti. She sang three duets with Shaminder, namely Charkhay Dian Ghookan Nay, Maraan Kandhaan Uttey Leekaan and Teri Rawaan Gi Mein Ho Kay.

In 1960, the film Do Lachhian was released. In this film, Lata sang a duet with Rafi, Assan Keeti Aey Sanjnaa Teray Naal Thoo. The lyricist was Varma Malik, another name who contributed lyrics to many of Lata’s songs along with Aziz Kashmiri and music was composed by Hansraj Behl.

The same year, Lata gave her voice to the songs for another Punjabi movie, Pagri Sambhal Jatta, including Raah Jangay Mahi Nu, Tap Ni Jawani Aey Tap Tap and Mahi Pal Wich Chhalke Jawani Lay Gaya.

Aziz Kashmir again wrote lyrics for film Guddi released in 1961 in which Lata sang a duet with Rafi, Pyar De Bhulekhe, which was a massive hit.

Rafi, Shamshad Begum, Lata and Hansraj Behl again got together for the film Pind Di Kurri, released in 1963. Lata sang the famous song Menu Teray Pichay Sajna, Kaddi Hansna Peya, Kaddi Rona Piya. She sang a duet with Mahender Kapoor Lai Aaa Tar Torr Nibhaeen.

The last Punjabi movie in which Lata perhaps worked as a playback singer was Reshma in 1982, starring Shailendra Singh, the singer, as the hero. She sang a song Pa Keh Vichhore Mael Nah keetay. Rafi had sung a Punjabi Bhajan for the movie. Lata sang a Punjabi song Kacha Ghara Mitti Da in a Hindi movie, Zara Si Zindagi (1983), starring Kamal Haasan and Anita Raj.

With the passage of time, Punjabi films production had taken nosedive at least after the 1960s and she had also realized it. However, as the article shows, she kept singing for Punjabi films until quality films kept being produced in India.

Iqbal Qaiser says that Lata had sung Shabad Kirtan and Guru Granth Sahib as well as a portion of Heer Waris Shah and she performed it live at Royal Albert Hall in London in 1974. The album, titled Shabad, on LP record was released in 1979.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2022