Suman Kalyanpur: The Canorous Voice

 

Suman Kalyanpur, a shy girl, has fragile and thin voice as sweet as the honey. She carved herself a secure niche as a singer with her sonorous voice and accurate use of vocal octaves. Her soft warbling voice suited to the romantic ditties. Her singing of melodies like ‘Dil Gham Se Jal Raha’ (Shama), ‘Mere Mehboob Na Ja’ (Noormahal) and ‘Haal-e-Dil Unko Sunana Tha’ (Fariyad) reminds us of an era when songs were sublime and filled with purity. She has a mild tremolo in her voice which made her singing huskier and more enchanting. Her skills and tastes were both towards soft, melody-based numbers.

She never sang Cabarets, Mujras or any songs with lyrics or situations wherein the visuals would have offended one’s sensibilities. She has a special knack for folk based songs. Even with a relatively limited repertoire, she has given some evergreen nuggets: The zingy ‘Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche’ (Brahmachari), the dreamy ‘Theheriye Hosh Mein Aa Loon’ (Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain), The party-rocker ‘Tumse O Haseena (Farz) and the evocative ‘Na Tum Hamein Jaano’ (Baat Ek Raat Ki). It is sad that a singer with such enormous talent did not have her due probably her uncanny similarity to Lata’s voice became her curse.

Suman Kalyanpur was born as Suman Hemadi on 28 January, 1937 in Dacca. Her father Shankar Rao Hemadi was an elite Saraswat Brahmin from Udupi district of Karnataka. He held a high position in the Central Bank of India and spent a long time in Dhaka. Suman was the eldest of five sisters and a brother. Her family came to Mumbai during World War II. Suman sang for the first time at a neighbouring Ganpati Mahotsav. After completing his schooling from Mumbai's famous St. Columbia High School, she joined Sir JJ School of Arts for further studies.

Suman got training of light music from Yashwant Deo and Keshavrao Bhole of Prabhat. Later, she learnt nuances of classical music from Tawde Bua, Professor Navrang and Khan Sahib Abdul Rehman. Once Talat Mahmood listened to her in a musical concert, highly impressed, he recommended her name to HMV. But HMV found her voice ‘amateurish’. In 1952, she got the opportunity to sing on 'All India Radio'. After watching her performance at a cultural programme, D.B. Jog offered her to give playback in a Marathi film “Shauchi Chandni”. But the film never took off. 

Music director Mohammed Shafi, recorded three songs for the movie “Mangu” (1954) in her voice. However, this film was also not destined to kickstart her career yet, as Shafi was midway replaced by O. P. Nayyar. He retained her one lullaby ‘Koi Pukare Dhire Se Tujhe’. What an irony! Shortly thereafter, Suman rendered 5 songs including a duet with Talat Mehmood ‘Ek Dil Do Hain Talabgaar’ under Nashad's music direction for the film 'Darwaza' (1954). This film was released earlier so it is generally considered to be Suman's first film.

Then Suman got the opportunity to collaborate with Rafi and Geeta in the hit song 'Mohabbat Kar Lo Ji Bhar Lo' (Aar Paar-1954), the only song rendered by her under music direction of O.P. Nayyar. Suman Hemadi waited until her big break came later same year, with Miss Bombay (1957). She had the first of her memorable duets with Mohammad Rafi ‘Din Ho Ya Raat...’, that made the listeners finally tune in. She gave an effective female dimension to ‘Na Tum Hamein Jano..’ (Baat Ek Raat Ki). This wistful number became super hit and the rest is history.

Now Suman Kalyanpur had the opportunity to work with all the top composers like Roshan, Naushad, S.D. Burman, Madan Mohan, Chitragupta, Shankar-Jaikishan, Ghulam Mohammad, Pt. Shivram, Hemant Kumar, S. N. Tripathi, Dattaram, Khayyam, Kalyanji-Anandji, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal etc. If one music director’s songs were like basundi, another’s were like shrikhand. Shanker Jaikishan were her perennial favourite while Laxmikant Pyarelal experimented well with her voice. She sang mostly for Usha Khanna over 100 songs.

Her singing has ethereal beauty in ‘Haal-e-Dil Unko Sunana’ (Fariyad-1964) and she had clearly overshadowed Lata. This song was no flash in the pan. ‘Sharabi Sharabi Ye Saawan’ (Noorjehan) was very unique and distinctly different number. Suman has sung some beautiful solos: ‘Yun Hi Dil Ne Chaha’ (Dil Hi To Hai), ‘Jahan Pyar Mile’ (Jahan Pyar Mile) and ‘Juhi Ki Kali Meri Ladli’ (Dil Ek Mandir). An extremely high-octave and superbly orchestrated song ‘Chand Kanwal Mere Chand Kanwal’ (Sanjh Aur Savera) depicted her singing prowess.

Suman Kalyanpur has sung with all her contemporary male and female singers. She excitingly balanced her singing with stalwart singers like the angelic singer Mohammed Rafi, the velvet voiced Talat Mehmood, the classic Manna De, the golden voiced Hemant Kumar and the nasally rich Mukesh. While many of her duets with Mohammed Rafi are breezy in Shankar Jaikishan or Laxmikant Pyarelal style, there are several others which are extremely soulful and melodious. The song ‘Ajahu Na Aaye Balma’ (Saanjh Aur Sawera), showed the compatibility of Rafi with Suman in classical songs. ‘Dil-e-Betaab Ko Seene Se Lagana Hoga’ (Palki), had the ghazal andaz embedded therein. Madan Mohan’s composition ‘Baad Muddat Se Ye Ghari’ (Jahanara) sung by Rafi and Suman stunned many ghazal listeners. Her duets with Mukesh are of rare beauty. She sang duets with many female singers, from Lata Mangeshkar to Krishna Kalle and many of these songs bacame iconic.

Suman Kalyanur remained in the shadow of Lata Mangeshkar because of her uncanny similarity to Lata’s voice. Yet there are several songs which bear her special imprint. The upbeat structure of the popular song ‘Na Na Karte Pyar’ (Jab Jab Phool Khile), which incorporated a unique theka on the dholak, was markedly different from the intricate, raga-based songs. Suman’s well-known duet ‘Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche (Bramhachari), met the same fate. Many of Lata acolytes couldn’t make out the difference in the voices.

During the peak of her singing career, Suman Kalyanpur became the favourite of Punjabi movie makers. She has rendered 65 songs in 33 Punjabi films under the batons of music directors like S. Mohinder, Hans Raj Behl, Sardul Kwatra and S. Madan etc. She entered the Punjabi film music arena with the movie ‘Heer Syal’ (1960), rendering two hit songs ‘Chicho Cheech Ganeriyan’ and ‘Been Kahnu Sajna Vajauna Aein’ under the music direction of Sardul Kwatra. Next year, she came out with the popular song ‘Raatan Ne Hanerian Chann Maithon Door’ (Billo-1961) and there was no looking back. In the same year, she gave playback in three more Punjabi films: Guddi (Kise Di Tute Rabba), Jatti (Baithi La Ke Udeekan) and Jeeja Ji (Main Kundal Waliyan Zulfan). All these songs were musical chart busters and Suman became a household name on both sides of the border. 

In 1962, she gave playback in five Punjabi movies: “Dhol Jani” (Ja Ve Chana Luk Ja, Thaggi Mitran Naal); “Khedan De Din Chaar” (Yaadan Chhad Chale, Lammiyan Te Kaaliyan); “Banto” (Dasso Mere Chann Ji); “Chaudhary Karnail Singh” (Aaja Ve Aaja, Meri Tut Gayi Jadau Gani) and “Pardesi Dhola” (Vekhiya Pishore Vai, Keeta Si Vachan). Next year her songs like ‘Raahe Raahe Jaandeya Raahiya’ (Lado Rani) and ‘Mainu Tere Pichhe Sajna’ (Pind Di Kuri) fortified her position in the Punjabi film music. She also rendered ‘Hass Ke Mahi Ne..’ in Chhadian Di Doli (1963). During 1964, Suman created a niche for herself when she gave a series of super hit songs in films like “Kiklee” (Main Aar Chann Ve); “Mamaji” (Tera Vichhoda Zalima, Dhuppan Vi Udaas Ne); “Sat Saliyan” (Taaran Ni Taaran, Roop Tere) and “Main Jatti Punjab Di” (Mainu Chhad Ke Na Jaavin).

In 1965, Suman regaled the audience with her mesmerizing voice in four movies namely: “Chambe Di Kali” (Chun Chun Taariyan Nu and title song); “Dharti Veeran Di” (Vekho Ni Mahi, Badalaan Dian Thandian Chhanvan); “Sassi Punnu” (Jag Sara Taahne Marda, Rabb Rakha) and “Sapni” (Ranjha Ranjha Kehandi Ni). In 1966, her renderings were in “Dulla Bhatti” (Gall Sun Heere Ni) and “Gabroo Desh Punjab De” (Bhann Sutti Ae Bedarda, Ki Mileya Tainu). Next year she sang for “Khed Preetan Di” (Thandi Thandi Pippalan Di Chhan) and “Lava Phutiya”, “Pardessan” (1969).

However, in the seventies her engagements in Punjabi Cinema were few and far between: ‘Babul Phire Ghar Lod Da’ (Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam); ‘Haaye Main Kalam Kalli’ (Patola); and ‘Oorha Aara Eedi’ (Man Jeete Jag Jeet); ‘Aaja Meriye Mast Bahaare ‘ (Change Mande Tere Bande) and ‘Mundeya Ve Mundeya’ (Main Papi Tum Bakshanhar); ‘Ja Ve Bedarda’ (Shaheed Udham Singh) and ‘O Meriya Rabba’ (Yamla Jatt).

Due to family pre-occupations, she declined singing offers in 1976-77. Thereafter, she did some occasional Hindi films like Badaltey Rishtey, Naseeb, Jay-Vijay, Dillagi, Unnees Bees, Ek Aur Sikandar, Waqt Ki Pukar, Veerana and Aapas Ki Baat. Her last hit Hindi song was ‘Zindagi Imtihan Leti Hai’ (Naseeb-1981), though she last recorded the song ‘Saathi Re O Mere Saathi’ (Veerana-1988).

Suman’s first song in Marathi ‘Bhaatuklichaa Khel Maandila’ for the film ‘Pasant Aahe Mulgi’ was a super-hit. ‘Putra Vhawa Aisaa’, ‘Ekti’, ‘Manini’ and ‘Annapoorna’ were her other memorable Marathi movies. Her hits are legion and include over 50 timeless gems of Marathi films, Bhavgeet and Bhaktigeet. She sang ‘Ashtavinayak’; an album of Sant Tukaram’s abhang and albums like ‘He Govind He Gopal’, ‘Te Sur Aikataa’ and ‘Kaise Karu Dhyan’.

Suman Kalyanpur perhaps recorded far less frequently than her talent commanded. Yet she spawned an enviably percentage of immortal songs and hits. Her repertoire of 740 film and non-film songs is not only confined to Hindi and Marathi songs but is brimming with many renderings in Regional languages like Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Kannada, Maithili, Oriya, Rajasthani, Assamese, Bhojpuri and Chhattisgarhi etc.

Suman was married to Ramanand Kalyanpur, a Mumbai-based businessman in 1958. She wasn’t good at negotiating contracts, so he handled all her financial matters. Her sister Shyama Chittar has also given playback in films like Purab Aur Paschim and Shor etc. Mangala Khadilkar has written a book “Suman Sugandh” about the story of her life. Suman is one of the first female playback singers to represent India and perform in the US and West Indies. She is no old-fashioned puritan but favours technological advances. Suman’s interests include painting, embroidery, flower arrangement and gardening.

She has been bestowed with the Padma Bhushan in the 2023 National Honours by the Government of India. Is it a coincident that singing talents like Suman Kalyanpur and Vani Jairam could get recognition only after the departure of ‘Singing Donna’?

 

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