There have been a number of Bengali composers in Hindi films. From R.C.Boral to Pankaj Mullick and K.C.Dey to Anil Biswas and from S.D.Burman and Hemant Kumar to Bappi Lahiri and Preetam , Hindi film industry have seen so many music directors of Bengali origin. Most of these composers have composed original Bangla songs , for Bangla films as well as for private albums also.
There have been many instances when some tunes composed by them were so popular that these tunes were then adapted or re-worked for songs of Hindi films. While there are scores of such songs, some of them have been iconic songs in Hindi films. Today we shall enjoy such bilingual songs.
S D Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late '20s, when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932
As a music composer, he started with the Bengali plays Sati Tirtha and Janani, and eventually gave his first score in the film Rajgee. In 1937, his second film Rajkumarer Nirbashan (1940) became a hit. He gave music in Bangla films such as Protishodh (1941), Abhoyer Biye (1942) and Chaddobeshi (1944) and only one Bengali film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20 Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all.
In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee, who asked him to give score for two Ashok Kumar starrers, Shikari (1946) and Aath Din, but his first major breakthrough came the following year with the company's Do Bhai (1947). The song Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya sung by Geeta Dutt was his breakthrough song into the film industry. In 1949, Shabnam was released which was his biggest hit till then ,which paved the way for his success in the 50s right till his death in the 70s.
Burman composed a Bangla bhajan and later on , re-worked it as a popular song in Devdas 1955
The first Bengali film in which Salil Chowdhury composed music was Paribortan, released in 1949. Mahabharati, released in 1994, was the last of the 41 Bengali films where he rendered his music.
In an interview with All India Radio, Salil Chowdhury described his coming to Bombay in 1953 as a "stroke of luck". He was writing the script for a Bengali film, about a peasant who was disowned of his land and had gone to Calcutta to earn money as a Rickshaw puller. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who heard of it from Chowdhury during a visit to Calcutta liked it immensely and suggested that he narrate it to Bimal da (Bimal Roy). Bimal Roy heard it, and asked him to meet him again the next morning. However, when Chowdhury went to meet him the next day, he learnt that Roy had rushed to Bombay on an urgent call. A week later, he received a telegram from Roy that he wanted to turn his script into a movie. This resulted in Chowdhury's debut in the Hindi Film Industry in 1953 as the Music Director for (based on Tagore's poem/narrative by the same name, but the story was different. The story was written by Salil Chowdhury himself. Directed by , this film took his career to new heights when it became the first film to win the and won the international Prize at the
The combination of Salil Chowdhury and Lata Mangeshkar changed the course of modern Bengali song for ever. Amongst the scores of bilingual songs composed by Salil da, the song 'na jeo na' became one of the most important and most beautiful Bengali songs in history. It was thrilling to have Lata singing Bengali songs with practically flawless accent. She became one of them and the wonderful songs Salil composed for Lata during the next three decades still remain possibly the most melodic and lyrical Bengali modern songs.The song was re-composed as a beautiful song in Parakh (1960)
R.D.Burman's father S. D. Burman was a noted music director in Hindi film industry. When he was nine years old, R. D. Burman composed his first song, Aye meri topi palat ke aa, which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956) The tune of the song Sar jo tera chakraaye was also composed by him as a child; his father included it in the film Pyaasa.
There have been many films in which Burman is credited as the music assistant to his father. Burman also played mouth organ for his father's hit composition "Hai Apna Dil To Aawara", which was featured in the film Solva Saal and sung by Hemant Kumar
Burman's first released film as an independent music director was Chhote Nawab (1961). When the noted Bollywood comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the music. However, S. D. Burman declined the offer, advising he was unavailable. At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla , and signed him as the music director for Chhote Nawab.
It was a trend in the 60s that during the Durga Pooja, Bengali composers used to present their tunes in Bangla songs and once they were popular, they were used for songs in Hindi films. Many Hindi film songs had first been released at the annual festival.
Pancham's friend Sachin Bhowmik was after him to compose Bangla songs for the Pooja.Pancham was dodging him for a few days. One day Pancham asked Sachin to write a song for him to compose. Sachin Bhowmick actually surprised Pancham by writing this
wonderful song 'Mone Pore Ruby Roy', which refers to a lady ( name changed slightly) , on whom Mr. Bhowmick had a crush in his early days !
Pancham composed the song and sang it too and it was a big hit. The song was adapted to Hindi for the film Anamika ( 1973).
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