name	K. Asif
birth date	April 14, 1922
birth place	Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India
death date	March 09, 1971
death place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
othername	Karimuddin Asif
spouse	Akhtar Asif (sister of Dilip Kumar), Nigar Sultana
children	Akbar Asif, Shabana Asif, Shoukat Asif, Munaza Asif
occupation	Film director, film producer, screenwriter
yearsactive	1945 - 1971 }}

K. Asif (14 June 1922 – 9 March 1971) was a film director, film producer and screenwriter who was famous for his work for the Hindi epic motion picture, ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960).

Early life

Asif was born Asif Karim (''' اصف کریم'') in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India to Parents Dr. Fazal Karim and Bibi Ghulam Fatima. He was the youngest of his siblings with Sikander Begum, wife of versatile Actor/Director/Producer Nazir Ahmed Khan being the Eldest and Masood Karim, the first Muslim President of Sindh Club second in line. Asif Karim went to Bombay to his brother-in-law Nazir Ahmed Khan and later took the name K. Asif. He became a Successful director due to his perfectionism in weaving his imagination into an art form and gave birth to ''Mughal-e-Azam'', a legendary film in the Sub-Continental Cinema which needs no introduction. He passed away at very early age.

Career

His directorial debut, ''Phool'' (1945), did very well at the box-office due to the casting of and portrayals by famous actors and actresses of the time such as Prithviraj Kapoor, Durga Khote and Suraiya.

In 1944, Asif planned to make a film called ''Mughal-e-Azam'' based on the life and times of Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great's court dancer, Anarkali, with Chandramohan in the male lead and the then upcoming actress Nargis in the female lead. However, in 1946, before the production of the film could begin, the male lead, Chandramohan, died.

At that time, Asif temporarily shelved the film until further notice. He produced his next venture, the film ''Hulchul'', and released it in 1951. At that time, Asif recast ''Mughal-e-Azam'' with Dilip Kumar in the male lead and Madhubala in the female lead and began the production of the film in the same year. In 1960, after twelve years in production, ''Mughal-e-Azam'' was released and became a huge hit at packed cinema houses across India. With this film, Asif attained legendary status despite having only worked in three productions so far.

After the release and success of ''Mughal-e-Azam'', Asif planned yet another motion picture called ''Love and God'', his first directorial venture to be made completely in color, and began production. The film was to star Guru Dutt in the male lead and Nimmi in the female lead. However, in 1964, when lead actor Guru Dutt died, shooting came to a halt. Then, Asif recast Sanjeev Kumar in the male lead and resumed production of the film. During the production of the film, K. Asif died on 9 March 1971 at the age of 48 and the film was abandoned. In 1986, Asif's widow, Akhtar Asif revived the film and it was released in an incomplete form.

Filmography

Director

''Phool'' (1945)

Mughal-e-Azam (1960)

''Love and God'' (1986) (incomplete)

Producer

''Hulchul'' (1951)

''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960)

Screenwriter

''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960) (screenplay)

Awards

1960: Filmfare Best Movie Award: ''Mughal-e-Azam''

1960: Filmfare Best Director Award: ''Mughal-e-Azam'': Nominated

References

External links

Category:1922 births Category:1971 deaths Category:Indian film directors Category:Hindi-language film directors Category:Indian film producers Category:Indian screenwriters Category:People from Uttar Pradesh Category:People from Etawah Category:Aligarh Muslim University alumni Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:People from Mumbai Category:Indian Muslims

de:Karimuddin Asif

name	Prithviraj Kapoor
birth date	November 03, 1906
death date	May 29, 1972
birth place	Lyallpur, Punjab| yearsactive 1929–1971
spouse	Ramsarni "Rama" Mehra (1923/24–1972)
notable role	Akbar in ''Mughal-E-Azam'' (1960) }}

Prithviraj Kapoor (Hindi:पृथ्वीराज कपूर, Pṛithvīrāj Kapūr), 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was a pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry, who started his career as an actor, in the silent era of Hindi cinema, associated with IPTA and who founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling theatre company based in Mumbai, in 1944.

He was also the patriarch of the Kapoor family of Hindi films, five generations of which family, beginning with him, have played active roles in Hindi film industry. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1969 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1971 for his contributions towards Indian cinema.

Early life

Prithviraj was born on November 3, 1906 at Samundri near the town of Lyallpur (currently Faisalabad, Pakistan) in Punjab, then under British colonial rule to a middle-class Hindu Punjabi Khatri family that seem to have settled some time earlier in Peshawar. Prithviraj could speak Hindi, Punjabi, and Hindko.

His father, Dewan Basheswarnath Singh Kapoor, was a sub-inspector of police. Prithviraj received his initial education at Khalsa College Lyallpur and at Lahore. His paternal grandfather, Dewan Keshavmal, was a powerful influence during his childhood. Baseshwarnath was posted at Peshawar, and so Prithviraj received his higher education at the Edwardes College, Peshawar, Pakistan and joined a one year program in Law to become a Lawyer. It was here that his talents on stage first received expression. Prithviraj's son Shammi recollects After featuring in nine silent films, Kapoor did a supporting role in India's first film talkie, ''Alam Ara'' (1931). His performance in ''Vidyapati'' (1937) was much appreciated. His best-known performance is perhaps as Alexander the Great in Sohrab Modi’s ''Sikandar'' (1941). He also joined the only English theatrical company called 'J. Grant Anderson' which remained in India for a year. Through all these years Prithviraj remained devoted to the theatre and performed on stage regularly. He developed a reputation as a fine actor on both stage and screen.

Prithvi Theatres

By 1944, Prithviraj had the wherewithal and standing to found his own theatre group, Prithvi Theatres, its premiere performance was, Kalidasa's "Shakuntala" in 1944. His eldest son, Raj Kapoor, had already struck out on his own; the films he produced had been successful and this was also an enabling factor. Prithviraj invested in and founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling troupe which staged memorable productions across India. In over 16 years of existence, the theater staged some 2,662 shows. Prithviraj starred as the lead actor in ''every single show''.

By the late 1950s, it was clear that the era of the travelling theatre was past; that art-form had been irreversibly supplanted by the cinema. No longer was it financially feasible for a troupe of up to 80 people (as Prithvi theatre was) to travel the country for four to six months at a time with their tons of stage props and equipment, living in hotels where possible and at campsites otherwise. The financial returns, through ticket sales and the rapidly diminishing ''largesse'' of patrons from the erstwhile princely class of India, was just not adequate to support such an effort. Many of the fine actors and technicians that Prithvi Theatres nurtured had found their way to the movies. Indeed, this was the case with all of Prithviraj's own sons. As Prithviraj progressed into his 50's, he gradually ceased theatre activities and accepted occasional offers from film-makers, including his own sons. Later, under his son, Shashi Kapoor, and his wife Jennifer Kendal, it merged with the Indian Shakespeare theatre company, "Shakespeareana", and the company got a permanent home, with the inauguration of the "Prithvi Theatre" in Mumbai 5 November 1978.

Postage stamp

In 1996, the 'Golden Jubilee year' of the founding of Prithvi Theatre, India Post, issued a special two Rupee, 'commemorative' postage stamp in New Delhi, it featured the logo of Prithvi Theatre 1945-1995, and an image its founder 'Prithviraj Kapoor', without the name, as just his face seemed enough, being the legend that he had become in his lifetime and beyond in Hindi theatre. The first day cover, (stamped 15-1-95) showed an illustration of performance of travelling theatre in progress, on a stage that seem fit for a travelling theatre, as Prithvi theatre was for sixteen, till 1960.

Later years

His filmography of this period includes ''Mughal E Azam'' (1960) where he gave his most memorable performance as the Mughal emperor Akbar, ''Harishchandra Taramati'' (1963) where he played the lead role and unforgettable performances as Porus in ''Sikandar-e-Azam'' (1965) and the stentorian grandfather in ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal'' (1971) where he appeared with his son and grandson Randhir Kapoor.

Kapoor starred in the legendary religious Punjabi film ''Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai'' (1969), a film so revered in Punjab that there were lines many kilometers long to purchase tickets.

He also starred in the Punjabi films ''Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar'' (1970) and ''Mele Mittran De'' (1972).

Awards and honours

In 1954, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, and in 1969, the Padma Bhushan by the government of India. He remained Nominated Rajya Sabha Member for eight years.

After his death in 1972, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 1971. He was the third recipient of that award, the highest accolade in Indian cinema.

Legacy

:

Prithviraj Kapoor's descendants have contributed richly to the Hindi film industry and he is thus reckoned the patriarch of the 'first family of Hindi films.' All three of his sons became noted actors and film-makers and two of his daughters-in-law worked in the same field. Nearly all his grandchildren, including Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and granddaughter Sanjana Kapoor have worked in the field of films, either as actors or film-makers or both. Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, two of the top film-stars of today, are Prithviraj's great-granddaughters, being the granddaughters of his eldest son Raj Kapoor. His great-grandson Ranbir Kapoor, son of Rishi Kapoor, the fourth generation of leading heroes, made his debut in the Hindi film Saawariya in 2007.

Personal life

As was customary in that era, Prithviraj married at a young age. At age 17, Prithviraj married the 14-year-old Ramsarni Mehra, in a match that was arranged by their families. Their eldest child, Raj Kapoor, was born in December 1924. By the time Prithviraj moved to Bombay in 1928, the couple were the parents of three children. In 1930, Ramsarni joined Prithviraj in Bombay. The following year, while she was pregnant for the fourth time, the couple suffered the tragic loss of two of their three children in the space of one week. One of their children, Devi, died of double pneumonia while the other child, Nandi, died of poisoning in a freak incident when he swallowed some rat-poison pills strewn in the garden. He is the cousin of film Producer Surinder Kapoor.

The couple went on to have four children further. All three of their surviving sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, were to become famous actors and film-makers in their own right. They also had one daughter, Urmila Sial.

After his retirement, Prithviraj settled in Bombay, in a cottage near Juhu beach. The property was later to be converted into a small, experimental theatre, the Prithvi Theatre. Both Prithviraj and Ramsarni suffered from cancer in their declining years and died within a fortnight of each other. Prithviraj died on 29 May 1972 and was followed by his wife of 63 years on 14 June the same year.

Selected filmography

''Alam Ara'' (1931)

''Vidyapati'' (1937)

''Sikandar'' (1941)

'' Ishara (1943)

''Awaara'' (1951)

''Anand Math'' (1952)

''Pardesi''

''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960)

''Zindagi'' (1964)

Sikandar-e-Azam (1965)

''Daku Mangal Singh'' (1966)

'' Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai (1969)

''Heer Raanjha'' (1970)

''Kal Aaj Aur Kal'' (1971)

''Sakshatkara'' - (Kannada) (1971)

Further reading

''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by Shashi Kapoor, Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. ISBN 8174363483.

''The Kapoors: the first family of Indian cinema'', by Madhu Jain. Penguin, Viking, 2005. ISBN 0670058378.

Notes

References

Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor

Detailed biography of Prithviraj Kapoor

Peshawarites still remember the Kapoor family

Prithviraj Kapoor @ SPICE

Category:1906 births Category:Indian Hindus Category:1972 deaths Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian silent film actors Category:Indian stage actors Category:Indian theatre directors Category:Indian People's Theatre Association people Category:Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship Category:Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:Pashtun people Category:Indian theatre managers and producers Category:Hindi theatre

de:Prithviraj Kapoor hi:पृथ्वीराज कपूर it:Prithviraj Kapoor kn:ಪೃಥ್ವಿರಾಜ್‌ ಕಪೂರ್‌ (Prithviraj Kapoor) ka:პრიტჰვირაჯ კაპური ml:പൃഥ്വിരാജ് കപൂർ mr:पृथ्वीराज कपूर sv:Prithviraj Kapoor te:పృథ్వీరాజ్ కపూర్ ur:پرتھوی راج کپور zh:普利特维拉·卡浦尔

name	Dilip Kumar
occupation	Actor, Producer, Director, Politician
birth date	December 11, 1922
birth place	Peshawar, British India (now Pakistan)
other names	Dilip Sahaab
spouse	Saira Banu (1966–present)
years active	1944–1998 (retired)
birth name	Yusuf Khan
residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
religion	Islam }}

Mohammed Yusuf Khan () () (born 11 December 1922), popularly known with nickname Dilip Kumar (), is an Indian actor and a former Member of Parliament. He lives in Pali Hill, Bandra in Mumbai, India. He is commonly known as "Tragedy King", and is described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray.

Starting his career in 1944, Kumar's career has spanned five decades and over 60 films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest actors in the history of Hindi Cinema. Kumar was the first actor to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award and holds the record for the most number of Filmfare Awards won for that category along with Shahrukh Khan; 8 wins. He starred in a wide variety of roles such as the romantic ''Andaz'' (1949), the swashbuckling ''Aan'' (1952), the dramatic ''Devdas'' (1955), the comical ''Azaad'' (1955), the historical ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960) and the social ''Ganga Jamuna'' (1961). In 1976, Kumar had a five-year break from film performances. In 1981, he returned with a character role in the film ''Kranti'' and continued his career playing central character roles in films such as ''Shakti'' (1982), ''Karma'' (1986) and ''Saudagar'' (1991). His last film was ''Qila'' in 1998. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 for his contributions towards Indian cinema.

Early life

Dilip Kumar was born Muhammad Yusuf Khan at Mohallah Khudadad, in Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar, British India (now Pakistan). He was born to a Hindko-speaking Peshawari family with twelve children. His father, Lala Ghulam Sarwar, was a fruit merchant who owned large orchards in Peshawar and Deolali in Maharashtra near Nashik. The family relocated to Bombay (now Mumbai) in the 1930s and in the early 1940s Yusuf Khan moved to Pune and started a canteen business and supplying dried fruits.

In 1943, actress Devika Rani, who was also the wife of the founder of the Bombay Talkies film studio, Himanshu Rai, helped Khan's entry into the Bollywood film industry. Hindi Author Bhagwati Charan Varma gave him the screen name Dilip Kumar and gave him the leading role in his film ''Jwar Bhata'' (1944). Devika Rani and her husband Svetoslav Roerich spotted Khan in one of Pune's Aundh military canteens.

Career

His first film with Nisar Bhai and Hamed Bhai ''Jwar Bhata'' was released in 1944 which went unnoticed. His first major hit was the 1947 film ''Jugnu''. He appeared in many hits thereafter including the romantic melodramas ''Mela'' (1948), ''Andaz'' (1949), ''Deedar'' (1951), ''Daag'' (1954), ''Devdas'' (1955), ''Yahudi'' (1958) and ''Madhumati'' (1958). These films established his screen image as the "Tragedy King".

He also played lighthearted roles in films such as ''Aan'' (1952), ''Azaad'' (1955) and ''Kohinoor'' (1960). In 1960 he portrayed Prince Salim in the historical film ''Mughal-e-Azam'' which as of 2008 was the second highest grossing film in Hindi film history.

In 1961 he produced and starred in ''Ganga Jamuna'' in which he and his real-life brother Nasir Khan played the title roles. This was the only film he produced. In 1962 British director David Lean offered him the role of Sherif Ali in his 1962 film ''Lawrence of Arabia'', but Kumar declined the part. The role eventually went to Omar Sharif, the Egyptian actor. His next film ''Leader'' (1964) was below average at the box office. In 1967 Dilip Kumar played a dual role of twins separated at birth in the hit film ''Ram Aur Shyam''. His career slumped in the 1970s with films like ''Dastaan'' (1970) and ''Bairaag'' (1976) where he played triple roles failing at the box office. He took a five year hiatus from films from 1976 to 1981.

In 1981 he returned with the multi-starrer ''Kranti'' which was the biggest hit of the year. He went onto play character roles in hit films including ''Shakti'' (1982), ''Vidhaata'' (1982), ''Mashaal'' (1984) and ''Karma'' (1986). In 1991 he starred alongside veteran actor Raaj Kumar in ''Saudagar'' which was his last successful film. In 1993 he won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1996 he was attached to make his directorial debut with a film titled ''Kalinga'' but the film was shelved. In 1998 he made his last film appearance in the unsuccessful film '' Qila'' where once again he played dual roles as an evil landowner and his twin brother investigating his death. His films ''Mughal-E-Azam'' and ''Naya Daur'' were fully colorized and re-released in 2004 and 2008 respectively.

Public life

Kumar has been active in efforts to bring the people of India and Pakistan closer together. He has been a member of the upper house of Parliament since 2000.

He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994. In 1998 he was awarded the ''Nishan-e-Pakistan'', the highest civilian award conferred by the government of Pakistan. He is the second Indian to receive the award. At the time of the Kargil War, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray demanded Kumar return his ''Nishan-e-Pakistan'', arguing that "He must return ''Nishan-e-Imtiaz'' following that country's blatant aggression on Indian soil." Kumar refused, saying:

'''

"This award was given to me for the humane activities to which I have dedicated myself. I have worked for the poor, I have worked for many years to bridge the cultural and communal gaps between India and Pakistan. Politics and religion have created these boundaries. I have striven to bring the two people together in whatever way I could. Tell me, what does any of this have to do with the Kargil conflict?"

'''

Personal life

Kumar married actress and beauty queen Saira Banu in year 1966 when he was aged 44 and she was 22. His brothers are Nasir Khan, Ehsan Khan and Aslam Khan. Kumar's younger brother Nasir Khan was also an actor and appeared opposite him in ''Ganga Jamuna'' (1961) and ''Bairaag'' (1976).

Legacy and awards

Dilip Kumar is widely considered to be one of the greatest actors in the history of Hindi Cinema. Kumar holds the ''Guinness World Record'' for having won the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor. He has received many awards throughout his career, including 8 Filmfare Award for Best Actor awards and 19 nominations. He was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. The Government of India honoured him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 - the highest award for cinematic excellence in India. In 1980, he was appointed Sheriff of Mumbai, an honorary position. In 1991, he was awarded Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. In 1997, Kumar was awarded, ''Nishan-e-Imtiaz'', Pakistan's highest civilian award.

He received in 1997 the NTR National Award. He was also awarded CNN-IBN Indian of the Year - Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

Filmography

!Year	!Film	!Role	!Awards
1944		Jagdish
1945	''Pratima''
		Ramesh
	Sooraj
		Ram
''Nadiya Ke Paar''
	Mohan
''Ghar Ki Izzat''	Chanda
''Anokha Pyar''	Ashok
		Manoj
	Dilip
		Vijay
	Ashok
	Badal
		Motilal
	Kishore
	Shamu
	''Sangdil''	Shankar
	Shankar	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
''Aan''	Jai Tilak
	''Shikast''	Dr. Ram Singh
	Noshu
1954		Amarnath
	''Udan Khatola''
	Devdas	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
		Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	''Naya Daur''	Shankar	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	''Yahudi''	Prince Marcus
''Madhumati''	Anand/Deven	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1959	''Paigham''	Ratan Lal	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
			Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
''Mughal-E-Azam''	Prince Salim
1961	''Gunga Jumna''	Gunga	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1964		Vijay Khanna	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1966	''Dil Diya Dard Liya''	Shankar/Rajasaheb	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1967	''Ram Aur Shyam''	Ram/ Shyam	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	''Sunghursh''		Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
''Sadhu aur Shatan''
	Rajesh/ Raja Saheb	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	''Sagina Mahato''
	Gopi	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
		Anil/ Sunil
''Anokha Milan''
			Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
''Phir Kab Milogi''
1976	''Bairaag''		Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1981	''Kranti''	Sanga/Kranti
	''Vidhaata''	Shamsher Singh
	Ashvini Kumar	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1983	''Mazdoor''	Dinanath Saxena
	''Duniya''	Mohan Kumar
''Mashaal''	Vinod Kumar	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	''Dharam Adhikari''
	Vishwanath Pratap Singh, alias Rana
1989	''Kanoon Apna Apna''	Collector Jagat Pratap Singh
	''Izzatdaar''	Brahma Dutt
''Aag Ka Dariya''
1991		Thakur Veer Singh	Nomination, Filmfare Best Actor Award
1998		Jaganath/Amarnath Singh

References

External links

Excerpts from Dilip Kumar’s biography

Category:1922 births Category:Living people Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian film directors Category:Indian film producers Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz Category:Indian Muslims Category:Hindkowan people Category:Pashtun people Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Hindi-language film directors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Sheriffs of Mumbai Category:Members of the Rajya Sabha Category:Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients Category:Indian actor-politicians Category:People from Mumbai

ar:دليب كومار de:Dilip Kumar fa:دیلیپ کومار fr:Dilip Kumar hi:दिलीप कुमार it:Dilip Kumar ml:ദിലീപ് കുമാർ mr:दिलीप कुमार pnb:دلیپ کمار sa:दिलीप कुमार fi:Dilip Kumar sv:Dilip Kumar ta:திலிப் குமார் te:దిలీప్ కుమార్ ur:دلیپ کمار

name	Lata Mangeshkar
background	solo_singer
born	September 28, 1929Indore, Central India Agency, British India
instrument	Vocals
genre	Film music (playback singing)
occupation	Singer
years active	1942–present }}

Lata Mangeshkar (; born September 28, 1929) is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Hindi. She is the elder sister of singer Asha Bhosle, and Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar. She is the second vocalist to have ever been awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.

Mangeshkar was featured in the ''Guinness Book of World Records'' from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world. The claim was that she had recorded approximately 25,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs in 20 Indian languages between 1948 to 1974 (30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987, according to the 1987 edition). Over the years, while several sources have supported this claim, others have raised concerns over its veracity, claiming that this number was highly exaggerated and that Mangeshkar's younger sister, Asha Bhosle, had more song recordings than she had.

Early life

Lata Mangeshkar was born in Sikh Mohalla, Indore, in the Central India Agency (now part of Madhya Pradesh). Her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar who belonged to a Gomantak Maratha Samaj family from Goa, was a classical singer and theater actor. Her mother Shevanti (Shudhamati) who was from Thalner, Maharashtra, was Deenanath's second wife. The family's last name used to be Hardikar; Deenanath changed it to Mangeshkar in order to identify his family with his native town, Mangeshi in Goa. Lata was named "Hema" at her birth. Her parents later renamed her Lata after a female character, Latika, in one of her father's plays, ''BhaawBandhan''. Lata is the eldest child of her parents. Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridayanath are her siblings in sequence.

Mangeshkar took her first music lessons from her father. At the age of five, she started to work as an actress in her father's musical plays (''Sangeet Natak'' in Marathi). On the first day in the school, she started teaching songs to other children. When the teacher stopped her, she was so angry that she stopped going to the school. Other sources cite that she left school because they would not allow her to bring Asha with her, as she would often bring her younger sister with her.

Singing career

Early career in the 1940s

In 1942, when Mangeshkar was 13, her father died of heart disease. Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), the owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company and a close friend of the Mangeshkar family, took care of them.

Mangeshkar sang the song "Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari" which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi-language movie ''Kiti Hasaal'' (1942), but the song was dropped from the final cut. Vinayak gave her a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie ''Pahili Mangalaa-gaur'' (1942), in which she sang "Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai" which was composed by Dada Chandekar. Her first Hindi song was "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" for the Marathi film, ''Gajaabhaau'' (1943). Mangeshkar moved to Mumbai in 1945 when Master Vinayak's company moved its headquarters there. She started taking lessons in Hindustani classical music from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale. She sang “Paa Lagoon Kar Jori” for Vasant Joglekar's Hindi-language movie ''Aap Ki Seva Mein'' (1946), which was composed by Datta Davjekar. Mangeshkar and her sister Asha played minor roles Vinayak's first Hindi-language movie, ''Badi Maa'' (1945). In that movie, Lata also sang a bhajan, “Maata Tere Charnon Mein.” She was introduced to music director Vasant Desai during the recording of Vinayak's second Hindi-language movie, ''Subhadra'' (1946).

Following the partition of India in 1947, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale migrated to newly formed Pakistan, so Mangeshkar started to learn classical music under Amanat Khan Devaswale. Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, also trained her.

After Vinayak's death in 1948, music director Ghulam Haider mentored her as a singer. Haider introduced Mangeshkar to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, who was working then on the movie ''Shaheed'' (1948), but Mukherjee dismissed Mangeshkar's voice as "too thin." An annoyed Haider responded that in the coming years the producers and the directors would "fall at Lata's feet" and "beg her" to sing in their movies. Haider gave Lata her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda,” from the movie ''Majboor'' (1948).

Initially, Mangeshkar is said to have imitated Noor Jehan, but later she developed her own style of singing. Lyrics of songs in Hindi movies are primarily composed by Urdu poets and contain a higher proportion of Urdu words, including the dialogue. Actor Dilip Kumar once made a mildly disapproving remark about Mangeshkar's Maharashtrian accent while singing Hindi/Urdu songs; so for a period of time, Lata took lessons in Urdu from an Urdu teacher named Shafi.

“Aayega Aanewaala,” a song in the movie ''Mahal'' (1949) was composed by music director Khemchand Prakash and lip-synced on screen by actress Madhubala.

1950s

In the 1950s, Mangeshkar sang songs composed by various music directors of the period, including Anil Biswas (in films such as Tarana and Heer), Shankar-Jaikishan, Naushad, S. D. Burman, C. Ramchandra, Hemant Kumar, Salil Chowdhury, Khayyam, Ravi, Sajjad Hussain, Roshan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Vasant Desai, Sudhir Phadke, Hansraj Behl, Madan Mohan, and Usha Khanna.

Mangeshkar sang many raga-based songs for Naushad in movies such as ''Baiju Bawra'' (1952), ''Mughal-E-Azam'' (1960), and ''Kohinoor'' (1960). ''Ae Chorre Ki Jaat Badi Bewafa'', a duet with G. M. Durrani, was her first song for composer, Naushad. The duo, Shankar-Jaikishan, chose Mangeshkar for ''Aag'', ''Aah'' (1953), ''Shree 420'' (1955), and ''Chori Chori'' (1956). Before 1957, composer Sachin Dev (S. D.) Burman chose Mangeshkar as the leading female singer for his musical scores in ''Sazaa'' (1951), ''House No. 44'' (1955), and ''Devdas'' (1955). However a rift developed between Lata and Burman in 1957, and Lata did not sing Burman's compositions again until 1962.

Mangeshkar won a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for Salil Chowdhury's composition “Aaja Re Pardesi,” from ''Madhumati'' (1958). In the early fifties, Lata Mangeshkar's association with C. Ramchandra produced songs in movies such as Anarkali, Albela, Asha, Pehli Jhhalak, Shin Shinkai Bublaa Boo, Azad and Amardeep. For Madan Mohan, she performed for films like Adalat, Railway Platform, Dekh Kabira Roya and Chacha Zindabad.

1960s

Mangeshkar's song "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" from ''Mughal-E-Azam'' (1960), composed by Naushad and picturized on Madhubala, still remains famous . The Hawaiian-themed number "Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh" from ''Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai'' (1960) was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and picturized on Meena Kumari.

In 1961, Mangeshkar recorded two popular bhajans, "Allah Tero Naam" and "Prabhu Tero Naam", for Burman's assistant, Jaidev. In 1962, she was awarded her second Filmfare Award for the song "Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil" from ''Bees Saal Baad'', composed by Hemant Kumar.

On June 27, 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War, Mangeshkar sang the patriotic song "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" (literally, "Oh, the People of My Country") in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. The song, composed by C. Ramchandra and written by Pradeep, is said to have brought the Prime Minister to tears.

In 1963, Mangeshkar returned to collaboration with S. D. Burman. She also sang for R. D. Burman's very first film ''Chhote Nawaab'' and later for his films such as ''Bhoot Bangla'' (1965), ''Pati Patni'' (1966), ''Baharon ke Sapne'' (1967) and ''Abhilasha'' (1969). She also recorded several popular songs for S. D. Burman, including "Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai", "Gata Rahe Mera Dil" (duet with Kishore Kumar) and "Piya Tose" from ''Guide'' (1965), and "Hothon Pe Aisi Baat" from ''Jewel Thief'' (1967).

During the 1960s, Lata Mangeshkar continued her association with Madan Mohan which included the songs "Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha" from ''Anpadh'' (1962), "Lag Ja Gale" and "Naina Barse Rim Jhim" from ''Woh Kaun Thi?'' (1964), "Woh Chup Rahen To" from ''Jahan Ara'' (1964), and "Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega" from ''Mera Saaya'' (1966).

The 1960s also witnessed the beginning of Mangeshkar's association with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, the music directors for whom she sang the most popular songs in her career.

She also sang several playback songs for Marathi films, composed by Marathi music directors including Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Vasant Prabhu, Srinivas Khale, Sudhir Phadke and herself (under the name ''Anandghan''). During the 1960s and 1970s, she also sang several Bengali songs, composed by music directors like Salil Chowdhury and Hemant Kumar.

In this period Lata Mangeshkar has recorded duets with Mukesh, Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, and Kishore Kumar.

1970s

In 1972, Meena Kumari's last film, ''Pakeezah'' released. It featured popular songs including "Chalte Chalte" and "Inhi Logon Ne" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, and composed by Ghulam Mohammed. She recorded many popular songs for S. D. Burman's last films, including "Rangeela Re" from ''Prem Pujari'' (1970), "Khilte Hain Gul Yahaan" from ''Sharmeelee'' (1971), and "Piya Bina" from ''Abhimaan'' (1973).

Lata Mangeshkar's most notable songs in 1970s were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Laxmi-Pyare) and Rahul Dev Burman. She recorded several songs composed by Laxmi-Pyare in 1960s and 1970s, many of them written by the lyricst Anand Bakshi. She also recorded many hit songs with Rahul Dev Burman in the films ''Amar Prem'' (1972), ''Caravan'' (1971), ''Kati Patang''(1971), and ''Aandhi'' (1975). The two are noted for their songs with the lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi and Gulzar.

In 1973, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Beeti Na Bitai" from the film ''Parichay'', composed by R. D. Burman, and written by Gulzar. In 1974, she sang her only Malayalam song "Kadali Chenkadali" for the film ''Nellu'', composed by Salil Chowdhury, and written by Vayalar Ramavarma. In 1975, she again won the national award, this time for the song "Roothe Roothe Piya" from the film ''Kora Kagaz'', composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.

From 1970s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar has also staged many concerts in India and abroad, including several charity concerts. Her first concert overseas was at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1974. She also released an album of Mirabai's bhajans, ''Chala Vaahi Des'', composed by her brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar. Some of the bhajans in the album include "Saanware Rang Raachi" and "Ud Jaa Re Kaaga". In the early 70s, she released other non-film albums, such as her collection of Ghalib ghazals, an album of Marathi folk songs (koli-geete), an album of Ganesh aartis (all composed by her brother Hridaynath) and an album of ''abhangs'' of Sant Tukaram composed by Shrinivas Khale.

In late 1970s and early 1980s, she worked with the children of composers she had earlier worked with. Some of these composers included Rahul Dev Burman (son of Sachin Dev Burman), Rajesh Roshan (son of Roshan), Anu Malik (son of Sardar Malik), and Anand-Milind (sons of Chitragupt).

1980s onwards

From 1980s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar worked with music directors including Shiv-Hari, Ram Laxman, and A. R. Rahman. She recorded some non-film songs, including ghazals with Jagjit Singh.

In 1990, Mangeshkar launched her own production house for Hindi movies which produced the Gulzar-directed movie ''Lekin...''. She won her third National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her rendition of the song "Yaara Sili Sili" from the film, which was composed by her brother Hridayanath. During the 1990s, she recorded with music directors including Jatin-Lalit and Nadeem-Shravan. She has sung for Rajshri Productions, including ''Maine Pyar Kiya'' (1989) and ''Hum Aapke Hain Kaun'' (1994).

Mangeshkar has sung for almost all the Yash Chopra films and films from his production house Yash Raj Films at that time, including ''Chandni'' (1989), ''Lamhe'' (1991), ''Darr'' (1993), ''Yeh Dillagi'' (1994), ''Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' (1995), ''Dil To Pagal Hai'' (1997) and later on ''Mohabbatein'' (2000), ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge'' (2002) and ''Veer Zaara'' (2004).

A. R. Rahman recorded a few songs with Mangeshkar during this period, including "Jiya Jale" (''Dil Se''), "Khamoshiyan Gungunane Lagin" (''One Two Ka Four''), "Ek Tu Hi Bharosa" (''Pukar''), "Pyaara Sa Gaon" (''Zubeidaa''), "Lukka chuppi" (''Rang de Basanti'') and "O Paalanhaare" (''Lagaan''). She made an appearance in the film ''Pukar'' singing this song.

In 1999, Lata Eau de Parfum, a perfume brand named after her, was launched.

In 1999, Mangeshkar was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha. However, she did not attend the Rajya Sabha sessions regularly, inviting criticism from several members of the House, including the Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah, Pranab Mukherjee and Shabana Azmi. She stated the reason for her absence as ill-health; it was also reported that she had not taken a salary, allowance or a house in Delhi for being a Member of Parliament.

In 2001, Lata Mangeshkar was awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. In the same year, she established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation (founded by the Mangeshkar family in October 1989). In 2005, she designed a jewellery collection called Swaranjali, which was crafted by Adora, an Indian diamond export company. Five pieces from the collection raised £105,000 at a Christie's auction, and a part of the money was donated for the 2005 Pakistan earthquake relief. Also in 2001, she recorded her first Hindi song with the composer Ilaiyaraaja, for the film ''Lajja''; she had earlier recorded Tamil and Telugu songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Lata Mangeshkar's song "Wada Na Tod" is in the film ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (2004) and on the film's soundtrack.

On June 21, 2007, she released an album ''Saadgi'', featuring eight ghazal-like songs written by Javed Akhtar and composed by Mayuresh Pai.

Non-singing career

Music direction

Lata Mangeshkar composed music for the first time in 1955 for Marathi movie ''Ram Ram Pavhane''. Later in 1960s, she composed music for following Marathi movies under the pseudonym of ''Anand Ghan''.

1960 - ''Ram Ram Pavhana''

1963 - ''Maratha Tituka Melvava''

1963 - ''Mohityanchi Manjula''

1965 - ''Sadhi Manase''

1969 - ''Tambadi Mati''

She won Maharashtra State Government's Best Music Director Award for the film ''Sadhi Manase''. The song "Airanichya Deva Tula" from the same film received best song award.

Production

Lata Mangeshkar has produced four films:

1953 - ''Vaadal'' (Marathi)

1953 - ''Jhaanjhar'' (Hindi), co-produced with C. Ramchandra

1955 - ''Kanchan'' (Hindi)

1990 - ''Lekin'' (Hindi)

Awards and recognitions

Lata Mangeshkar has won several awards and honors, including Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), NTR National Award (1999), Bharat Ratna (2001), ANR National Award (2009), three National Film Awards, and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. She has also won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards. In 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, in order to promote fresh talent. She was later awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.

In 1984, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh instituted the ''Lata Mangeshkar Award'' in honuor of Lata Mangeshkar. The State Government of Maharashtra also instituted a Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1992.

In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Lata Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded "not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages" between 1948 and 1974. Her record was contested by Mohammed Rafi, who was claimed to have sung around 28,000 songs. After Rafi's death, in its 1984 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records stated Lata Mangeshkar's name for the "Most Recordings", but also stated Rafi's claim. The later editions of Guinness Book stated that Lata Mangeshkar had sung no fewer than 30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987.

Although the entry has not been printed in Guinness editions since 1991, reputable sources claim that she has recorded thousands of songs, with estimates ranging up to figures as large as 50,000. However, even the earliest Guinness claim of 25,000 songs (between 1948–1974) was claimed to be exaggerated by other sources, who stated that the number of songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Hindi films till 1991 was found to be 5250. Mangeshkar herself stated that she does not keep a record of the number of songs recorded by her, and that she did not know from where Guinness Book editors got their information.

See also

Playback singer

Asha Bhosle

List of Indian playback singers

Bollywood songs

References

Further reading

. A collection of articles written by Lata Mangeshkar since 1952. . . A collection of articles written by Lata Mangeshkar since 1952.

External links

Category:1929 births Category:Indian female singers Category:Indian film singers Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:Living people Category:Bollywood playback singers Category:Marathi people Category:Kollywood playback singers Category:People from Indore Category:Marathi playback singers Category:Telugu playback singers Category:Kannada playback singers Category:Hindi-language singers Category:Marathi-language singers Category:Bengali-language singers Category:Gujarati-language singers Category:Tamil-language singers Category:English-language singers Category:Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award Category:Malayalam playback singers

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name	Shamshad Begum
background	solo_singer
born	April 14, 1919 Amritsar, Punjab, India
genre	Playback singing
occupation	Singer
years active	1934–1975 }}

:''Not to be confused with Shamshad Begum (classical singer) (d. 1998), mother of Naseem Banu, and grandmother of actress Saira Banu.

Shamshad Begum (born April 14, 1919) is an Indian singer who was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry.

Begum was born in Amritsar, Punjab. She was a big fan of K.L. Saigal and watched ''Devdas'' 14 times. She earned 15 rupees per song and was awarded 5,000 on the completion of the contract on Xenophone, a renowned music recording company.

Sometime back, a controversy erupted in the media, when several publications gave the false news of her death, before it was clarified that the Shamshad Begum who died in 1998 was Saira Banu's (Dilip Kumar's wife) grandmother with the same name. The singer has been living with her daughter Usha Ratra and son-in-law in Mumbai, ever since her husband Ganpat Lal Batto died in 1955. Recently, she celebrated her 89th birthday at her elder sister's house and now she stays at - Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai She was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2009.

Career

Begum made her debut on radio on Peshawar Radio in Lahore on December 16, 1937, captivating the hearts of her listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice. Shamshad was very much conscious of her not so beautiful face and she never posed for any pictures and not many people saw her pictures anywhere. Until the end of the 1970s, nobody knew her face at all, though everybody could recognise her melodious voice as it was used by the great maestros like Naushad Ali and O. P. Nayyar. Even today, her songs from the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s are popular and continue to be remixed by music directors.

Begum sang for the All India Radio (AIR) through her musical group 'The Crown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts', set up in Delhi. The then ''AIR Lahore'' helped her entering the world of movies as they frequently broadcast her songs, which induced music directors to use her voice for their films. Shamshad also recorded ''naats'' and devotional music for a couple of gramophone recording companies.

Her crystal-clear voice caught the attention of ''sarangi'' maestro Ustad Hussain Bakshwale Saheb, who took her as his disciple. Lahore-based composer Ghulam Haider used her voice skillfully in some of his earlier films like ''Khazanchi'' (1941) and ''Khandaan'' (1942). When he moved to Bombay in 1944, Shamshad went with him as a member of his team, leaving behind her family and staying with her ''Chacha'' (paternal uncle). She is credited with singing one of the first Westernised songs, ''Meri jaan...Sunday ke Sunday'' by C. Ramchandra. O.P. Nayyar describes her voice as that of a "temple bell" for its clarity of tone. Begum became a national rage between the 1940s and the late 1950s, having a voice different from her peers like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Geeta Dutt and Amirbai Karnataki.

Songs

''Leke pehla pehla pyar'', (''CID'' 1956), (music: O.P. Nayyar)

''Milte hi aankhen dil hua'', (Duet with Talat Mehmood), (''Babul''), (music: Naushad)

''Chali chali kaisi yeh hawa yeh'', (Duet with Usha Mangeshkar), (''Bluffmaster'' 1965), (music: Kalyanji Anandji)

''Kabhi aar kabhi paar zara dere chalo'', (''Aar Paar''), (music: O.P. Nayyar)

''O Gadiwale'' - Mother India - Naushad

''Kahin pe nigahen kahin pe nishana'' - CID (1956) - music O.P. Nayyar

''Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re'' - (1956) - music O.P.Nayyar

''Mere piya gaye Rangoon'' - Patanga - music C.Ramchandra

''Ek Tera Sahara'' – Shama - music Master Ghulam Haider

''Holi aayee re Kanhaai'' - Mother India (1957) - Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni, Music: Naushad

''Naina Bhar aye neer'' - Humayun - music Master Ghulam Haider

''Chod Babul Ka Ghar'' - Babul - music Naushad

''Kajra Mohabbatwala Ankhiyon mein Aisa dala'' (Duet with Asha Bhosle) - Kismat (1968) - Music: O.P. Nayyar

''Meri neendon main tum, meri khwabon mein tum'' (Duet with Kishore Kumar) - Naya Andaz - Music: O.P.Nayyar

''Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat'' (Duet with Lata Mangeshkar) - Mughal-E-Azam

''Saiyan Dil mein aana re'' - Bahar

References

External links

Legends - Shamshad Begum: Her profile, Interview, complete list of her songs and her work with Music Directors and Co-Singers

Indianetzone - Shamshad Begum

PLANET POWAI - Shamshad Begum

IndianMelody.com - Shamshad Begum, The Legendary Singer This link refers to the wrong Shamshad Begum, which says she has died.

PRO BOLLYWOOD - Dharti Ko Aakash Pukare by Manohar Iyer

PRO BOLLYWOOD - Shamshad Begum's Photos at Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards

Dhool.com - Song of the Day # 691

Shamshad Begum -The Eternal Voice

;Video links

Shamshad begum Film songs

Category:1919 births Category:Living people Category:Indian film singers Category:Indian female singers Category:Bollywood playback singers Category:People from Amritsar Category:Assamese playback singers Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:Indian Muslims

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