Mumbai, Jun 1 (PTI) In the golden era of Indian playback music, standing alongside titans like Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle required more than just a great voice. It needed versatility and discipline, and veteran singer Suman Kalyanpur epitomised all these qualities, say industry experts.
As tributes pour in after Kalyanpur’s demise, singers, composers and music experts fondly remembered her not just as a talented artist, but as a humble and soft-spoken person.
The veteran singer passed away at her residence on Sunday night. She was 89.
Noted music critic Rajiv Vijayakar said Kalyanpur carved a niche for herself despite being compared to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar due to similarities in vocal texture.
“Her talent was immaculate; she had
range and didn’t restrict herself to film songs only. She was also into classical, bhajans, devotional music, and thumris,” Vijaykar told PTI.
“Any good singer will sustain in the industry, as we’ve seen with Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt (who were around during Lata Mangeshkar’s era). Any singer who has talent, range and ability will be able to sustain, and she (Kalyanpur) did,” he said.
The Dhaka-born singer debuted with a lesser-known composer, Mohammed Shafi, for the film “Mangu” (1954). She later voiced classics like “Behna Ne Bhai Ki Kalai Mein”, “Rahen Na Rahen Hum”, “Na Na Karke Pyaar”, “Tumhi Mere Meet Ho Tumhi Mere Preet Ho”, “Na Tum Hamen Jano”, “Baat Ek Raat Ki”, “Dil Ek Mandir Hai”, “Yun Hi Dil Ne Chaha” and “Chura Le Na Tumko Yeh Mausam Suhana”, among many others.
At a time when suggestive dance tracks were common, Kalyanpur refused to sing such songs, the music critic said.
“The only thing was that her natural voice was similar to Lata ji but her singing abilities were very high. She never sang mujra, cabaret, or folk songs with double meaning because such songs existed in Marathi Lavani. Unless the words were proper or correct, she never sang that kind of musical number. She was quite disciplined,” Vijaykar said.
Kalyanpur’s journey in Hindi cinema, spanning from the 1950s to the 1980s, saw her collaborate with leading composers such as Shankar-Jaikishan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Madan Mohan, as well as noted male singers like Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar.
The veteran singer’s duets, especially with Rafi, attained great popularity. In her over three-decade-long career, some of her most evergreen hits with Rafi included “Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche”, “Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya”, “Ajhun Na Aye Balamwa”, “Tumne Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aaye”, and many others.
Shahid Rafi, son of legendary singer Mohammed Rafi, said Kalyanpur was an inseparable part of his father’s musical journey.
“Suman ji had a great bond with abba and they both sang some really beautiful songs. She was a down-to-earth and humble person,” Shahid Rafi told PTI.
He also recalled a phase when Lata Mangeshkar and his father refused to sing together. When filmmakers needed a vocalist to fill the void opposite Rafi, Kalyanpur stepped into the spotlight. “Suman ji was with my father when he had an issue with Lata ji. During this time, his duets were mostly with Suman ji and Asha ji. She is a legend, an excellent singer. Her tone and everything seemed similar to Lata ji, but she was a beautiful singer,” Shahid Rafi said.
Musician duo Kalyan ji and Anand ji collaborated with Kalyanpur on iconic songs like “Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se”, “Tumhi Mere Meet Ho Tumhi Mere Preet Ho”, “Aap Se Humko Bichhade Huye”.
They talked about Kalyanpur’s impeccable work ethic.
“We worked with her on quite a few songs. She was very easygoing; she would do rehearsals and pick up the song quickly. We shared a great professional relationship,” Anand Virji Shah told PTI.
Kalyanpur’s gentle nature left a lasting mark on young composers like Anu Malik, who shared childhood memories of visiting the singer’s house with his father Sardar Malik, a music director.
“She was one of the greatest singers we’ve ever had. She was the most adorable human being I’ve ever seen. I remember going to her house with my father when I was a child, and she would give me chocolates. I had fond memories of her. She and my father worked together,” Malik told PTI.
Years later, Malik got to compose the song “Phool Rahon Men Bikhar Jate Hain” from the film “Aapas Ki Baat”. The track featured actor Poonam Dhillon.
“I worked with her on the song “Phool Rahon Men Bikhar Jate Hain” from the film. I played the song to her at her place, and she agreed to come to record it. She complimented me and the melody I created. I valued her feedback,” he said.
“This was the only song on which I worked with her. I wish I had worked with her more. She was a recluse in those days; she was quiet and soft-spoken,” Malik added.
Vijaykar also highlighted how Kalyanpur became a beloved singer in the Marathi music industry, sometimes even surpassing Mangeshkar’s regional work productivity.
“Her price was affordable and flexible, and she was more prolific in Marathi (industry) than Lata Mangeshkar. Usually, Marathi films in those days had threadbare budgets. In non-film music, there’s a genre called ‘bhavgeet’, in which she was heavily involved. Many of her massive hits were ‘bhavgeet’,” he said.
Kalyanpur remained grounded about her achievements, according to Vijayakar.
“I remember speaking to her in 2010. She was quite cheerful about it and told me, ‘I got whatever was in my destiny’. She was not dissatisfied,” he said. PTI KKP RUK RUK
