{"id":2633,"date":"2016-01-31T21:19:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-31T15:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=2633"},"modified":"2019-06-15T15:06:44","modified_gmt":"2019-06-15T09:36:44","slug":"suraiya-the-last-singing-star-of-indian-cinema","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/suraiya-the-last-singing-star-of-indian-cinema\/","title":{"rendered":"Suraiya: The Last Singing Star of Indian Cinema"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>

A personally autographed picture of Suraiya
(Picture courtesy: Jyoti Prakash Guha)<\/p><\/div>\n

In the year 2007 Steve Jobs said, \u201cToday we are introducing three revolutionary products. The first one is a Wide screen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone and the third is a breakthrough internet communications device. So 3 things: iPod, phone and Internet communicator. Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices, this is one device! And we are calling it iPhone!\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost eighty five years ago, God must have said \u201cToday I am sending three great artists to this world. A natural actress, a beautiful lady and a melodious singer! Acting, beauty and singing. These are not three different persons, this is one girl! And here I present you Suraiya.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suraiya had the perfect blend of a singing star. She had great looks, natural expressions and a sweet soothing voice. Along with Kanan Devi and Noor Jehan, she was one of the most prominent female singing stars of the golden era of Hindi films. A good amount of information on her is available on the Internet, but many of the articles focus more on her personal life. The central theme of this tribute to Suraiya is to showcase her as an artist who excelled in whatever she touched, be the films she acted in or the songs she sang. This humble tribute is an attempt of \u201cGaagar mein Saagar<\/em>\u201d from a simple fan of Suraiya.<\/p>\n

\"Suraiya,

Suraiya, the singing star<\/p><\/div>\n

Suraiya was born Suraiya Jamaal Shaikh on 15th of June 1929 in Gujranwala in the Punjab province of the undivided India (now in Pakistan). Her family migrated to Lahore and then to Mumbai (then Bombay).<\/p>\n

Her first two songs as a singer (\u201cAao aao hil mil kar khushiyan manayein<\/em>\u201d and \u201cRana ji ki jai jai se<\/em>\u201d) came for a film titled Taj Mahal <\/em>(1941) composed by Madhavlal Damodar. She was soon spotted by maestro composer Naushad Ali who gave her a few songs for films like Nai Duniya, Station Master<\/em> and Sharda<\/em> (all 1942). The song \u201cPanchhi jaa peechhe raha hain bachpan mera<\/em>\u201d became an instant hit with the generation. It had a perfect combo of Punjabi theka<\/em> (rhythm) by Naushad , excellent lyrics by Dina Nath Madhok and free flowing singing by the teenager Suraiya.<\/p>\n

Sharda<\/em>, produced and directed by the famous A R Kardar had Mehtab in the lead role. This song was a playback for her. It is reported that at those times, Suraiya had to sit on a wooden high stool to reach to the mike. Even after more than seventy years since it was recorded, Panchhi jaa still strikes a chord with the listener\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n

In an interview Suraiya said: \u201cI was never trained in singing. Madan Mohan (composer), who lived close by and Raj Kapoor (Actor) once dragged me to participate in the children\u2019s program on the All India Radio. Naushad sa\u2019ab, who heard my voice on the radio, got in touch with me to sing for Kardar sa\u2019ab\u2019s film, \u2018Sharda<\/em>\u2019. And I sang \u2018Panchi ja peeche raha hain bachpan mera<\/em>\u2019, which was picturised on Mehtab. I was 11 years old then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Suraiya

Suraiya and Madan Mohan were childhood friends and often sang together on AIR children\u2019s programmes along with Raj Kapoor. However, they did not work much together as Suraiya, in subsequent years , became a star singer and did not do playback singing . Madan Mohan composed music for only one film starring Suraiya, Khubsoorat in 1952, right in the beginning of his career, and it had 4 solos by Suraiya. Her co-star in the film was Nasir Khan [brother of Dilip Kumar]
The group pic shows Suraiya with Madan Mohan and his wife Sheila, at their wedding celebrations in 1953. On the extreme right is Lata Mangeshkar (Pic courtesy: madanmohan.in)<\/p><\/div>For the film Station Master<\/em>, she sang a couple of songs with Rajkumari who was already an established singer. She also sang the song \u201cJaago jaago aayi usha, panchhi bole jaago<\/em>\u201d with Manna Dey, his first recorded song under the baton of his uncle K C Dey. For both of these films, she is also credited as actress as well. Since videos of none of these songs are available, it is difficult to know if Suraiya gave playback to some other actress but it is fair to assume that she was giving playback and also doing bit roles in these films.<\/p>\n

By now, she was getting recognized and continued to work for films like Ishara<\/em> (1943) (MD Khurshid Anwar), Hamari Baat<\/em> (1943) (MD Anil Biswas). She sang a song \u201cRang rangilaa phaagan aaya<\/em>\u201d for Ishaara<\/em> with another established singer Parul Ghosh.<\/p>\n

Suraiya continued to give playback to songs from the A R Kardar – Naushad films like Kaanoon<\/em> and Sanjog<\/em> (both 1943). She showed her versatility in expression when she sang a light hearted \u201cMori gali more raaja, ho meri kasam aaja<\/em>\u201d and then a sad song \u201cKoi chutki si mere dil mein liye jaaye, jiyaa balkhaaye, haaye re haaye<\/em>\u201d both for Sanjog<\/em> (playback for Mehtab). I adore the comic styled song \u201cEk dilwaala, ek dilwaali, dono hi mil mil jaate hain<\/em>\u201d sung with comic actor Charlie from the same film. Although she became a singing star a few years later, Suraiya started her career as a playback singer for actress Mehtaab. She sang for Mehtaab in films like Sharda<\/em> (1942), Kanoon<\/em> (1943) and Sanjog<\/em> (1943).<\/p>\n

It appears by the year 1945, she was establishing herself as singer and also as an actor (though in smaller roles as she was not grown enough to be the lead actress). For \u201cMain kya karoon<\/em>\u201d (1945) she sang two duets with Hamida Bano. I love the song \u201cSuno more raja, nazariya milaaike<\/em>\u201d for composer Neenu Majmudar from this film.<\/p>\n

In the year 1945, Suraiya acted in K Asif\u2019s multi-starrer magnum opus film Phool<\/em> (1945). It had a stellar starcast of Wasti, Veena, Prithviraj Kapoor, Yakub, Sitara, Durga Khote and Suraiya. She sang as many as four songs for legendary composer Master Ghulam Haider for this film. The same year she sang for composer C Ramchandra (Samrat Chandragupta) and Laal Mohammed (Tadbir). For the latter, she sang her first duet with greatest singing star Kundan Lal Saigal. \u201cRani khol de apne dwar, milne ka din aa gayaa<\/em>\u201d is a sweet melodious romantic number. Even though a relative newcomer pitted against heavily experienced star Saigal, Suraiya seemed to be holding herself pretty well in this song.<\/p>\n

Rani khol de apne dwar, milne ka din aa gayaa<\/strong><\/em> (Tadbir<\/em>, 1945) – Laal Mohammed \/ Swami Ramanand \/ KL Saigal and Suraiya. <\/span><\/p>\n