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Shamshad Begum

Shamshad Begum (April 14, 1919]) is an Indian singer who was one of the first playback singers in the film industry.

Begum was born in Amritsar, Punjab. She celebrated her 89th birthday at her elder sister's house located at Powai, Mumbai. There was a rumour that she had passed away but the person who had died in 1998 was Saira Banu's (Dilip Kumar's wife) grandmother with the same name. She was a big fan of K.L. Saigal and watched Devdas 14 times. She earned 15 rupees per song and was awarded 5000 on the completion of the contract on Jenaphone.

Career

Begum started her radio career on Peshawar Radio and did work in Lahore, Delhi etc. She made her debut on radio in Lahore on December 16, 1937 captivating the hearts of listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice. Shamshad was very much conscious of her not so beautiful face and she never posed for any picture and not many people saw her pictures anywhere. Until the end of the70s, nobody knew her face but everybody could recognise her melodious voice as it was used by the great maestros like Naushad Ali and O. P. Nayyar. Even today her songs from 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s are popular and remixed by upcoming music directors

Begum sang for the All India Radio (AIR) through her musical group The Crown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts, set up in Delhi. The then AIR Lahore helped her in entering the world of movies as they frequently broadcast her songs, which induced music directors to use her voice for their films. Shamshad also recorded "naats" and devotional music for a couple of gramophone recording companies. Her crystal clear voice caught the attention of sarangi maestro Ustad Hussain Bakshwale Saheb, who took her as his disciple. Lahore-based composer Ghulam Haider used her voice skillfully in some of his earlier films like: Khazanchi (1941) and Khandaan (1942). When he shifted to Bombay in 1944, Shamshad went with him as a member of his team. She is credited with singing one of the first Westernised songs, Meri jaan...Sunday ke Sunday by C. Ramchandra. O.P.Nayyar describes her voice as that of a "temple bell" for its clarity of tone.

Begum became a national rage between the 1940s and the late 1950s rendering songs with her nasal voice, which helped her carve her independent image--a voice different from her peers--Lata, Asha, Geeta, etc.