The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : That Bengali lilt which drove fans crazy

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Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
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That Bengali lilt which drove fans crazy

Staff Reporter

In her short career, Geeta Dutt redefined film songs

Geeta, with husband Guru Dutt

Bangalore: The first thing that strikes one when one hears Geeta Dutt sing is that she did not just sing: she simply glided through the notes. Geeta Dutt was thandi hawa and kaali ghata rolled into one, as music critic Raju Bharathan described her. The moment she came, you got the refreshing feeling of “aa hi gayi jhoom ke”. There was a rare swing in her voice which made her the one singer Lata Mangeshkar really feared.

Birth

The lady with the incredible voice was born in 1930 into a rich zamindar’s family as Geeta Roy Chowdhuri in Faridpur. At the age of 12, the family shifted to Bombay. Composer/music director Hanuman Prasad, who heard her sing, hired her for a chorus song for Bhakta Prahlad in 1946.

Her major breakthrough came with Do Bhai which made the public bring her enough attention. Initially, Geeta Dutt was known for singing bhajans and sad songs, but rendering a jazzy number in Baazi demonstrated a new facet of her singing.

Celebrated composer S.D. Burman recognised the magic in her voice and used the Bengali lilt in movies like Devdas and Pyaasa. Geeta Dutt flowered as a singer under O.P. Nayyar’s direction, developing a phenomenal repertoire, singing any kind of song — be it soft, snappy, sultry, teasing or sad. She was one of the most influential vocalists in the history of Indian cinema. During the 10 years she was in her prime, she recorded soundtracks like “Mera sundar sapna” (Do Bhai, 1947), “Tadbir se bigdi hui” (Baazi, 1951), “Waqt ne kiya” (Kaagaz ke phool, 1959), “Babuji dheere chalna” (Aar Paar, 1954), “Mera naam Chin Chin Choo” (Howrah Bridge, 1958), “Kaisa jadoo balam” (12 O’Clock, 1958) and such unforgettable numbers.

A voice full of vivacity and spontaneity made her an evergreen singer for all time and generations.

She died young and on the occasion of her birth anniversary that falls on November 23, singer and music director Indoo Vishwanath and her troupe is holding a musical tribute at the J.S.S. auditorium, 1st main, 8th block, Jayanagar (near Netradhama eye hospital) Bangalore. Call 94480-30993 for details.

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