IMAGE: Suman Kalyanpur and Mohammed Rafi. Photograph: Kind courtesy Film History Pics/Twitter
Suman Kalyanpur, who was awarded a Padma Bhushan within the Republic Day Honours List three days earlier than her 86th birthday on January 28, had the nice fortune of sounding much like Lata Mangeshkar, however the blessing turned out to be a bane, as she was generally branded a poor man’s Lata Mangeshkar.
An identical profession sample could be seen for actress Nanda, who all the time remained within the shadow of Meena Kumari.
Kalyanpur’s most profitable section began when Lataji stopped singing with Mohammed Rafi for 4 years within the Sixties.
The duets meant for Lataji went to Suman Kalyanpur.
She sang the chartbusters Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche in Brahmachari, Tumse Oh Haseena Kabhi Mohabbat Na Maine Karni Thi in Farz and Ajhu Na Aaye Balma in Saanjh Aur Savera.
Madan Mohan, who swore by Lataji‘s vocals, had to usher in Kalyanpur for the evocative duet Baad Muddat Ke Yeh Ghadi Ayee with Rafi in Jahan Ara.
One of her earliest successes in Hindi cinema was Na Tum Humein Jaano within the Dev Anand homicide thriller, Baat Ek Raat Ki. The quantity composed in 1962 by Sachin Dev Burman went to Kalyanpur because the composer was sulking along with his favorite ‘Lota’ on the time.
It just isn’t clear how Suman Kalyanpur felt in regards to the fixed comparability to Lataji, however she did solid a profession of her personal and sing tunes the place she held her personal.
Mere Mehboob Na Jaa in Noor Mahal is solely Kalyanpur’s tune. Nobody errors the voice to be anybody’s however hers. Another enchanting quantity was Sharaabi Sharaabi in Noor Jehan. The movie featured Lataji‘s beautiful Raat Ki Mehfil Sooni Sooni and but, Kalyanpur held her personal.
In the plaintive Dil Gham Se Jal Rahe Hai in Shama, Kalyanpur is her personal individual.
Composer Ghulam Mohammed, who immortalised himself with Pakeezah, allowed Kalyanpur to share vocal honours with the legendary Suraiya, who sang all her songs herself whereas Kalyanpur sang for Nimmi.
It was a serious break for the singer, as was 1964’s Shagoon, the place Kalyanpur sang two solos Bujha Diye Hain Khud Apne Haathon Se and Zindagi Zulm Sahi for Composer Khayyam.
