By Gajendra Khanna
During her career, Geeta ji had the opportunity to sing for quite a few Ustaads and Pandits, Master instrumentalists and vocalists of the classical arena when they composed for light songs or films.
Humsafar (1953) made under the Navketan banner, had Ustad Ali Akbar Khan as the music director. here’s a gem tuned by him and rendered by Geeta Dutt. Enjoy listening to it.
Pandit Ravi Shankar who is a world renowned sitarist was also a composer. He is the one who composed for Satyajit Ray’s famous Apu Trilogy. In hindi films also he composed on a few occasions. One of those movies, Godaan (1963) had Geeta ji recording a duet, O Bedardi Kyun Tadpaaye, with Mahendra Kapoor. Its lyrics were by Anjaan. Here’s the song for your listening pleasure:-
Famous Tabla maestro, Allah Rakha also gave music to Hindi and Punjabi films by his full name A R Qureshi. One of his most famous movies was the Raj Kapoor starrer Bewafa (1952) where Geeta ji also sang for him. Enjoy this sweet song written by Sarshar Sailani :-
Another famous Tabla Maestro, Pandit Nikhil Ghosh also composed two non-film songs for Geeta ji. They are a real treat for fans of Geeta ji. They had been written by Pandit Bharat Vyas.
The first one is Jamuna Ke Teer Kanha Aao, which has a similar famous bhajan by Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. Geeta ji has sung it very sweetly and one would get to hear it on Radio Ceylon during its Devotional song programme.
Enjoy listening to it :-
The second song is also quite delightful which takes you to a feeling of calm and serenity. Enjoy this rendition of Haule Haule Hawa Dole by Geeta ji :-
It is interesting to note that She was also introduced by ‘Pandit’ Hanuman Prasad. Here is one of her renditions for him in her debut Bhakt Prahlad with Kalyani:-
Of course, we music lovers know that there are Pandits of the literary variety too, who wrote lyrics for many of Geeta ji’s songs. We have already come across one, Pandit Bharat Vyas above.
There was a lyricist in the 40s and 50s by the name Pandit Madhur (whose real name was Buddhichandra Agarwal). Here is a song, Kaali Kamali Odh Ke Aaye which Geeta ji sang for him under the composition of Avinash Vyas, the Gujarati maestro for whom Geeta ji sang nearly a 100 songs during her career. It is from the movie Bhakt Dhruv (1957).
Last but not the least, Geeta ji has worked in movies with ‘Ustad’ in them and songs with ‘Pandit’ or ‘Ustad’ in them too probably.
She sang two songs for the movie Ustaad (1957). Both were composed by O P Nayyar and written by Jaan Nisaar Akhtar. Here’s the first one which is a duet with Mohd Rafi Sahab, Kya Kya Dil Mein which is quite sweet:-
And this second one is quite a popular one for Radio lovers, Chor Lutere Daaku which is a delightful listen:-
Here’s a duet of hers with Mohd Rafi sahab, Pandit Ho Ya Lala for the movie Rickshawala (1960). It is composed by N Dutta and lyrics are by Jaan Nisaar Akhtar.
For us Geeta ji was a ‘Pandit’ of her art and ‘Ustaad’ in conveying the mood of the songs. May her songs reach the coming generations and keep delighting them all.