Usha Khanna’s best songs for Mukesh and other male singers

Continuing the tribute for Usha Khanna, her best songs for Mukesh and other male singers

The last post was on Usha Khanna’s best songs for Rafi on her 83^rd birth anniversary (b. 7 October 1941). This was also a tribute to Rafi as a part of his centenary celebrations. How does she do with other playback singers? This is where she presents a big surprise. After her debut with Dil Deke Dekho (1959), her main male playback singer in Hum Hindustani (1960) was Mukesh! She gave many memorable songs for Mukesh subsequently, such as Teri nigahon pe mar mar gaye hum, Gori tere chalne se mera dil kurban, Chaand ko kya maloom chahta hai use koi chakor, Aaj tumse door hokar. Each a quintessential Mukesh-gem. It seems quite a misnomer to include Mukesh among ‘other’ singers. It is as if Usha Khanna was born to compose great songs for Mukesh. Similarly I remember an all-time great song by Manna Dey and one by Mahendra Kapoor composed by Usha Khanna. Her spread of singers for their memorable songs is not very wide, but enough to include her among important music directors of the Golden Era. In this post I present a sample of her versatile talent; I would also include duets of these male singers.

Mukesh

Mukesh has to figure at the top for Usha Khanna’s special felicity for his songs.

1. Neeli neeli ghata, bheegi bheegi hawa, hai nasha hi nasha by Mukesh and Asha Bhosle from Hum Hindustani (1960), lyrics K Manohar, music Usha Khanna

2. Chhodo kal ke baatein, kal ki baat purani, naye daur mein likhenge hum milkar nayi kahani by Muksesh from Hum Hindustani (1960), lyrics Prem Dhawan, music Usha Khanna

3. Meri jaan na zulfein kholo kahin raat thahar na jaye by Mukesh from Awara Badal (1964), lyrics Jan Nisar Akhtar, music Usha Khanna

What gorgeous songs Ajit got to sing on the screen! Among his great songs was a fair share was sung by Mukesh.

4. Teri nigahon pe mar mar gaye hum, teri adaon pe mar mar gaye hum by Mukesh from Shabnam (1964), lyric Javed Anwar, music Usha Khanna

Talking of luck in lip-synching great songs Mehmood was not far behind. He also had a fair share of hero roles.

5. Gori tere chalne se mera dil qurban by Mukesh from Faisla (1965), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna

Usha Khanna scored great music regardless of the banner and unknown characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhM6Rpexyq0&list=RDEhM6Rpexyq0&start_radio=1

6. Bolo ji bolo, kuchh bolo ji bolo, parwana teri mehfil mein ayah ai by Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur from Nishan (1965), lyrics Javed Anwar, music Usha Khanna

In the last post we heard an outstanding Rafi song, Haye tabassum tera, from this film. Usha Khanna shows her versatility with a superb duet with Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur from this film.

7. Tera mera pyar koi, aajkal ki to baat nahin by Mukesh and Usha Khanna from Dada (1966), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna

In this Dara Singh-led film Usha Khanna now joins Mukesh to sing this superb duet. Though she was also a superb singer, he did not make any effort to promote her own voice.

8. Ye tu ne kya kaha, kaha hoga by Mukesh and Asha Bhosle from Insaaf (1966), lyrics Akhtar Romani, music Usha Khanna

Mukesh and Asha Bhosle have sung many excellent duets. This is one of the best, from another Dara Singh film.

9. Chaand ko kya maloom chahta hai use koi chakor by Mukesh from Lal Bangla (1966), lyrics Indivar, music Usha Khanna

This was an eternal radio era favourite. Among quintessential Mukesh songs.

10. Aaj tumse door hokar aise roya mera pyar by Mukesh from Ek Raat (1967), lyrics Anjan, music Usha Khanna

Thee were endless superb songs by Mukesh, composed by Usha Khanna.

11. Barkha rani zara jam ke barso by Mukesh from Sabak (1973), lyrics Sawan Kumar Tak, music Usha Khanna

This must be a unique song. The husband-wife pair of the lyricist and music director wrote and composed this song for he husband-wife team of lead actors on the screen – Shatrughna Sinha and Poonam Sinha.

Mahendra Kapoor

12. Aapne phir ki shararat dekhiye dekhiye by Mahendra Kapoor from Aag (1967), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna

The film’s hero Firoz Khan is in a naughty mood and Usha Khanna composes an absolutely befitting song sung by Mahendra Kapoor.

13. Meri pyari pyari surat ko kisi ki chhuri na lage by Mahendra Kapoor from Johar in Bombay (1967), music Usha Khanna

IS Johar had a great sense of the comic. Mahendra Kapoor now sings a nice parody song of Teri pyari pyari surat ko kisi ki nazar na lage.

Manna Dey

14. Apne liye jiye to kya jiye, tu ji ae dil zamaane ke liye by Manna Dey from Baadal (1966), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna

Sanjeev Kumar, before he got acclaim as a great actor, acted in some fantasy films in swashbuckling roles. But Usha Khanna composed some great songs for him. Now a philosophical song, appropriately in the voice of Manna Dey.

Kishore Kumar

16. Ho..Bas qayamat ho gayi by Kishore Kumar from Haye Mera Dil (1968), lyrics SH Bihari, music Usha Khanna

This is a top class song, sung by Kishore Kumar for himself.

17. Zindagi pyar ka geet hai by Kishore Kumar/ Lata Mangeshkar from Sautan (1981), lyrics Sawan Kumar Tak, music Usha Khanna

Finally, Usha Khanna did have a superhit film made by her to score. But for many music lovers this was immaterial. She has been composing great songs throughout her career. Nevertheless she got to make a great conventional sad duet in the voices of the top singers of the time – Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.

Hemant Kumar

18. Ae nari isliye duniya mein ayi tu by Hemant Kumar from Aag (1967), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna

I would not include this song among Hemant Kumar’s great songs. But it gives an interesting picture of Usha Khanna’s variety.

Yasudas

19. Dil ke tukde tukde kar ke muskurake chal diye by Yasudas from Dada (1979), lyrics Kulwant Jani, music Usha Khanna

There was a period when Yasudas emerged as a great singer because of his unique baritone voice. Talk of mismatch between a song and its picturisation, and this song should figure prominently. Yasudas’s grave voice does not match the frivolous act by Vinod Mehra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Xw2Uo5qLI

20. Madhuban khushboo deta hai by Yasudas/ Yasudas and Anuradha Paudwal from Saajan Bin Sasural (1978), lyrics Indeevar, music Usha Khanna

I end this post with another superhit song by Yasudas. This song also has Yasudas-Anuradha Paudwal version, but you can savour Yasudas’s voice with this solo.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The songs links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog has no commercial interests, nor does it claim or suggest any copyright over these songs which vests with the rights owners.