Shamshad Begum was one of Hindi cinema’s first playback singers, and so versatile were her vocals that a number of her songs are being remixed today. On the legendary singer’s birth anniversary, Bollywood’s vocalists Yashita Sharma and Anusha Mani give a lyrical tribute to the voice that dominated the world of Hindi film music from the early 1940s to the retro 70s.
Yashita Sharma (remember her voice from the awesome track Chandaniya... from 2 States?) sings a beautiful rendition of Shamshadji’s Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from the Guru Dutt and Shyama starrer Aar Paar (1954).
If that teaser got you wanting more, here’s the original Begum melody-
We love the remixes too!
(This story was first published on 14 April 2015 and has been reposted from The Quint’s archives to mark the birth anniversary of Shamshad Begum.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)