Remembering Geeta ji on Her Death Anniversary

Today 20th July 2023 is the 42nd Death Anniversary of our beloved Geeta ji.

On this occasion, here is a rare picture of Geeta ji shared by avid Geeta fan Priya Pakanati Gaaru.

A Rare Picture of Geeta ji shared by Priya Pakanati Gaaru

Today Radio Ceylon paid tribute to her by playing her songs for nearly one and a half hours. This programme was compered by Jyoti Parmar ji, veteran announcer of SLBC.

From 6:30 to 7 am, they played her solo songs. In this segment, they played eight lovely solos of hers. Each of them was for a different composer and lyricist!

Here are the details of this segment called Aaj Ke Kalakaar:-

  1. 12 O’Clock (1958) – Geeta Dutt – kaisa jaadoo balam tu ne Daara, kho gaya nanha sa dil hamaara – OP Nayyar (Majrooh Sultanpuri)   कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा, खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
  2. Saahib Biwi Aur Ghulam (1962) – Geet Dutt – piya aiso jiyo me.n samaa gayo re – Hemant Kumar (Shakeel Badauyani)   पिया ऐसो जिया में समाय गयो रे, कि मैं तन मन की सुध बुध गवाँ बैठी
  3. Pyaasa (1957) – Geeta Dutt – jaanay kya tunay kahi jaanay kya maine suni – SD Burman (Sahir Ludhianvi)   जाने क्या तूने कही जाने क्या मैने सुनी
  4. Son of India (1962) – Geeta Dutt & chorus – mujhay hazoor tum se pyaar hai, tumhi pe zindagi nisaar hai – Naushad (Shakeel Badauyani)   मुझे हुज़ूर तुम से प्यार है, तुम्ही पे ज़िन्दगी निसार है
  5. Neelofar (1957) – Geeta Dutt – jal gaya bahaar me.n meray dil ka aashiyaa.n – Avinash Vyas (Pandit Madhur)   जल गया बहार में मेरे दिल का आशिआं
  6. Anubhav (1971) – Geeta Dutt – merii jaa.n mujhay jaa.n naa kaho meri jaa.n meri jaa.n meri jaa.n – Kanu Roy (Gulzar) मेरी जाँ, मुझे जाँ ना कहो, मेरी जाँ, मेरी जाँ, मेरी जाँ
  7. Malika (1956) – Geeta Dutt – idhar dil hai udhar duniya, kidhar jaaye.n, kahaa.n jaaye.n – Hans Raj Behal (Tanvir Naqvi)  इधर दिल है उधर दुनिया, किधर जायें, कहाँ जायें
  8. Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) – Geeta Dutt – waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam, tum rahay na tum – SD Burman (Kaifi Aazmi)   वक़्त ने किया क्या हसीं सितम, तुम रहे ना तुम हम रहे ना हम

This segment can be heard below thanks to D S Rathi ji:-

Aaj Ke Kalakaar : Tribute to Geeta ji with Her Solos

In the Next Segment of Film Sangeet, Duets of Geeta ji were played with various singers. Here are the details of this segment:-

  1. Johny Walker (1957) – Asha & Geeta Dutt – la la la … Thandi Thandi hawa poochhey un ka pataa – OP Nayyar (Hasrat Jaipuri)   ला ला ला … ठण्डी ठण्डी हवा पूछे उनका पता, लाज आए सखी कैसे दूँ मैं बता
  2. Mr & Mrs 55 (1955) – Rafi & Geeta Dutt – udhar tum hasee.n ho idhar dil jawaa.n hai – OP Nayyar (Majrooh Sultanpuri)   उधर तुम हसीं हो इधर दिल जवाँ है, ये रंगीन रातों की इक दास्ताँ है
  3. Chhoo Mantar (1956) – Rafi & Geeta Dutt – garib jaan ke (2), hum ko tum na miTaa denaa – OP Nayyar (Jan Nisar Akhtar)   ग़रीब जान के (2), हम को तुम ना मिटा देना, तुम्हीं ने दर्द दिया है तुम्हीं दवा देना
  4. Apna Ghar (1960) – Mukesh & Geeta Dutt – tum se hi meri zindagi meri bahaar tum – Ravi (Prem Dhawan)   तुम से ही मेरी ज़िन्दगी मेरी बहार तुम
  5. Duniya Jhukti Hai (1960) – Geeta Dutt & Hemant Kumar – gum sum sa ye jahaa.n – Hemant Kumar (Rajendar Krishan)   गुम सुम सा ये जहाँ, ये रात ये हवा, एक साथ आज दो दिल धड़केंगे दिलरुबा
  6. Ziddi (1964) – Manna Dey & Geeta Dutt – mai.n teray pyaar me.n kya kya na banaa (2), dilbar, jaanay ye mausam – SD Burman (Hasrat Jaipuri)   मैं तेरे प्यार में क्या क्या ना बना (2), दिलबर, जाने ये मौसम
  7. Bahu (1955) – Geeta Dutt & Talat – Thandi hawaayo.n me.n taaro.n ki chhaayo.n me.n – Hemant Kumar (SH Bihari)   ठण्डी हवाओं में तारों की छाँव में, आज बलम मेरा डोले जिया
  8. Shararat (1959) – Kishore & Geeta Dutt – dekh aasmaa.n me.n chaa.nd muskuraye – Shankar Jaikishan (Hasrat Jaipuri)   देख आस्मां में चाँद मुस्कुराऐ, देख वो सितारे गगन में झिल मिलाए

Here is the Film Sangeet programme once again courtesy D S Rathi ji:-

Film Sangeet programme: Tribute to Geeta ji with her solos

In their popular Purani Filmon Ka Sangeet programme from 7:30 am to 8 am, all the songs except the last mandatory K L Sehgal song, all were wonderful songs of Geeta ji being played. Interestingly, a majority of these were from her Geeta Roy phase and ended aptly with Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya. Here are the details of the programme:-

  1. Baazi (1951) – Geeta Roy & chorus – o la la la … suno gajar kya gaaye, samay guzarta jaaye – SD Burman (Sahir Ludhianvi)   ओ ल ल ला … सुनो गजर क्या गाए समय गुज़रता जाए
  2. Jaan Pehchaan (1950) – Talat & Geeta Roy – armaan bharay dil ki lagan teray liye hai – Khemchand Parkash (Shakeel Badauyani)   अरमान भरे दिल की लगन तेरे लिए (2), नज़रें मेरे जीवन की सजन तेरे लिए है
  3. Aasmaan (1952) – Geeta Roy – dil hai, dil hai diwaana jawaa.n hai zamaanaa – OP Nayyar (Prem Dhawan)   दिल है, दिल है दीवाना जवां है ज़माना, बना दूँगी तुझ को नज़र का निशाना
  4. C.I.D. (1956) – Geeta Dutt – jaata kahaa.n hai n diwaanay, sub kuchh yahaa.n hai sanam – OP Nayyar (Majrooh Sultanpuri)   जाता कहाँ है दीवाने, सब कुछ यहाँ है सनम, बाकी के सारे फ़साने झूठे हैं तेरी क़सम
  5. Baawre Nain (1950) – Mukesh & Geeta Roy – khayalo.n me.n kisi ke iss tarah aaya nahi kartay – Roshan (Kidar Sharma)   ख़यालों में किसी के, इस तरह आया नहीं करते, किसी को बेवफ़ा आ आ के तड़पाया नहीं करते
  6. Baaz (1953) – Geeta Roy – ai dil ai deewaanay (3) aag lagaa lee kyo.n daaman me.n – OP Nayyar (Majrooh Sultanpuri)   ऐ दिल ऐ दीवाने (3) आग लगा ली क्यों दामन में, ओ ज़ालिम चाहत के बहाने
  7. Do Bhaai (1947) – Geeta Roy – mera sundar sapna beet gaya, mai.n prem me.n sub kuchh haar gayi – SD Burman (Raja Mehdi Ali Khan)   मेरा सुन्दर सपना बीत गया, मैं प्रेम में सब कुछ हार गई

Here is the programme audio (courtesy D S Rathi ji) for your listening pleasure:-

Purani Filmon Ka Sangeet : Tribute to Geeta ji with songs from her pre-marriage Years (except one from CID)

This programme was a great example of the kind of gems Geeta ji has left behind as her legacy.

There are many more aspects of her career which are yet to be elaborated on our website and blog. I would like to invite all her fans to write articles on her career and share other material with us for the website (write to us at anmolfankaar [AT] GMAIL [DOT] [COM].

It was a real pity that She passed away in July 1971, few months before Anubhav released in November. Had her health been good, we would have perhaps got so many more gems in the 1970s and later from her. Let us appreciate her legacy and spread her gems to the coming generations too. Such special singers and their memory need to be preserved for them to appreciate. Thank you.

One Response to “Remembering Geeta ji on Her Death Anniversary”

  1. Lakshmi Priya says:

    A voice that never aged nor lost its quality….a tragic loss for us ..

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