Why one likes or remembers a song is a question which can have multiple answers. One can remember or like a song for its melody, for its composition or for the voice or for the lyrics and the thought it may project and convey to the listener. All these are valid and important reasons to remember ,like and appreciate a song but the most important reason and requisite of a song for which one likes and remember a song is the emotional content of the song. In my personal view, if a singer’s voice is able to communicate, express and emote the inbuilt thought in the lyrics in a manner that the listener can connect and visualise the thought of the song at emotional level without any visual prop , the song becomes immortal.
Geeta Dutt’s is such a voice which gives the complete emotional graph of the song in the most vivid manner that the listener does not need any visual prop to live the song with the singer. If I may use the expression ‘ Bhaav Gayaki’ as the yardstick then Geeta Dutt’s voice is without a parallel in Indian film songs.
Her’s is certainly not a voice that has gone broad or heavy on account of continuous and rigorous practice of classical music. It carries a slight or minute trembling effect in such an accurate proportion that it makes her singing sweet, lilting, full of emotion and it also helps in creating that complete emotional graph of the song covering the widest spectrum of emotions.
Geeta Dutt’s voice certainly covers the widest emotional spectrum in her singing. Be it the shade of resigned in ‘thehero zara si der…’ in Savera 1958, plaintive and accepting in ‘Waqt ne kiya kya haseeen sitam…’ in Kagaz ke phool, soft and tender in ‘ hawa dheere aanna…’ in Sujata, Buoyant and enthusiastic in ‘ do camakti aankhon mein…’ in Detective, light-hearted and coquettish in ‘ kaisa jaadu balam tune ….’ in 12 o’clock , childlike with a sense of wonder and love in ‘ phulwa ban mehake…’ . I can go on and on to illustrate the various emotional shades which Geeta Dutt’s voice has covered as the variety of emotions her voice gave shape to is countless.
But let me specially mention two emotional shade of Geeta Dutt’s voice which are specially close to my heart and which I personally feel she excelled beyond words in bringing these shaded live through her voice. The first one is ‘Shringaar’ the way Geeta Dutt created a complete and one of the best and most melodious graph of this emotion in ‘Piya aiso jeeya mein samay gayo re …’ in Sahib Bibi Ghulam is just matchless. I am yet to come across a musical rendering which can surpass this song as far as depicting and expressing ‘Shringaar’ through the voice and melody is concerned.
The second emotional shade which Geeta Dutt’s voice gave shape to is the feeling or emotion is Divine, sublime or the emotion to express the wish to merge once soule with the ultimate sublime through Shrinagaar and Bhakti at the same time. Now this is a very difficult feat to achieve. Because this is rather one unusual emotive state and singing tone which is required to sing Indian non- ritualistic or devotional music. Compositions of this class described loosely as Bhajans are melodically simple but complex at the expression level as content wise these compositions are not directed at anybody in particular and hence become relevant to all. Such songs are inevitably addressed to a power or a force which is outside and beyond confines of human world. The consequence is that such compositions require an involved singing that is not ’emotional’ in the usual sense of the world. Through her renderings, Geeta Dutt is very often, and successfully able to evoke this mercurial psychological state. And ‘Aaj sajan mohe ang lagale…’ from Pyasa is the finest example of this expression.
I salute to this voice who always lived the song she rendered in its totality , Geeta Dutt Ji we really miss you !
Acknowledgements:
1) We are extremely grateful to our dear friend Arun Mudgal ji for writing this article on our special request.
2) Certain inputs for this article were from Shri Ashok Da Ranade ji’s book and the rest is Arun ji’s listening analysis.
Arun Mudgalji….my heartfelt thanx to you for ur lovely article, I clearly remember ur comments abt geeta dutt and geeta bali for the anand math song aa re bhawre aa….and was so impresed by the lucidity of ur thoughts and ur awesome analysis…..thanx once again for penning this fantastic article
Great article Arun Ji, you have captured in essence of the spirit of Geeta Dutt the singer very well. Looking forward to reading more of you!
Arunji brilliant article loved it the way you have described the different shades of this excellent voice, agree totally with you.