Niche singers

Sudha Malhotra: The last of the niche singers of the Golden Era

Sudha Malhotra November 30, 2013

Wishing her a very happy 77th birth anniversary A female playback singer in the 1950s and 60s, if she did not bear the name Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle, was in a very unenviable position. She knew she had to remain consigned to the outer orbit. The world of male playback singers was a complete […]

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An evening with Mubarak Begum

Thumbnail image for An evening with Mubarak Begum January 5, 2013

Kabhi tanhaiyon mein hamari yaad ayegi: Happy Birthday to you (January 5) From various accounts on the internet I had taken Mubarak Begum to be lost for the civilization. Supposedly she was living in anonymity, in penury in some Bombay chawl with her son, who was said to be an autorickshaw driver. Therefore, I was […]

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Some timeless songs of Jagjit Kaur

Thumbnail image for Some timeless songs of Jagjit Kaur April 24, 2011

I would have written on Jagjit Kaur at some uncertain time in future. That I am doing it now owes it to my friend Subodh Agrawal, a regular visitor to my blog. His glowing reference to Jagjit Kaur in my last blog on Subir Sen touched a chord in me – I am also a […]

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Best Hindi film songs of Subir Sen

Thumbnail image for Best Hindi film songs of Subir Sen April 12, 2011

When I did a post on Kamal Barot it was natural that I should do one on Subir Sen as well. One connection between the two was that among the most famous Kamal Barot songs is a duet with Subir Sen Dil le ke jate ho kahan. Another similarity would be that he was also […]

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Kamal Barot – A tangy flavour to music

Kamal Barot March 21, 2011

When I started this blog I had not thought I would be ever writing about Kamal Barot. She was not one of the biggies like Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle. She was not one of the smallies who gave at least a couple of immortal songs which you instantly recall – in this category I […]

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