BENGALI SINGERS IN BOLLYWOOD

Sajal: - There was one time, when Kumar Shanu, Abhijeet and Babul Supriyo used to come and perform in our area during Durga Puja festival. They have become good singers of Bollywood now. Also, nowadays, people don’t have the mentality to organize all these live concerts during Durga Puja or Kali Puja festivals. The club members have become all drunkards. They will just drink whisky with chicken tandoori and will then go to sleep inside the club house only. But, in those days, boss, in all the 5 days of Durga Puja, our cultural show used to rock in entire Kolkata.

Laltu: - Give some consideration to the global market recession, boss. Where is the money? Gone are those days, when a singer used to charge less money for performing on the stage during Durga Puja. Nowadays, even a bad singer will charge more money by saying that he went to give the audition in the ‘Indian Idol’ program in front of Anu Malik.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…see the fun. But, I think that Bengali singers always rocked in Bollywood. Look at the past. Hemanta Mukhopadhay, then Kishore Kumar and after that it was Manna Dey.

Kunal: - Manna Dey is Manna Dey. Still, he just rocks. Er oporey kono katha hobey na boss. In our college days, we used to drink 4 pegs of whisky before entering the Concert, where Manna Dey used to perform live. Aaahaa…what a voice, what a romantic beauty of those songs! That song is still the best. The song is ‘Coffee house er sei adda taah aar aaj nei’. Surely, the Coffee House of College Street has lost its past glory.

Laltu: - Dhaath…our real Gurudev is Kishore daa. I am not saying that Hemanta and Manna is bad, but, Kishore Kumar is a legend in itself. He was a versatile person. All the songs of Kishore Kumar still rocks. But, yes, I cannot forget one song of Manna Dey, which is ‘Zindagi kaisi hain pehli haaye…kabhi yeh haasaye, kabhi yeh rulaye’. After those legends, I think that Bengali singers have lost their brand.

Arindam: - le halua…lost their brand? Ya, to some extent, I agree that no other singer can match with Hemanta, Manna and Kishore, but you cannot totally ignore the voices of Bengali singers of Tripura also. The voice of Sachin Dev Burman in the title track of ‘Aaradhana’ film still touches your heart. The song of ‘Mehbooba’ in the film ‘Sholay’ would have been a major flop song, if R.D. Burman would have not sang that.

Sajal: - Oi, byaash oi parjyonto…After R.D. and S.D, there is no good Bengali singers at all.

Mir: - Ei jeh dada, amader Bappi daa key bhooley geley kintu ami khelbo naa boss. Jab jab humara Bappi daa detaa hain Gyaan…Mumbai ke log, ho jaatey hain Agyaan. Bappi Lahiri sang the song ‘I am a Disco Dancer’ and Mithun Chakraborty danced like a real disco dancer with that tune. It was Bappi only, who said, ‘Mumbai se aaya mera dost, dost ko salaam karo, raat bhar khayo peeyo, din ko aaram karo’. Who can dare to take away those credits from Bappi da?

Kunal: - Orrey, babah, after our Bappi Daa, it was our Kumar Shanu, who ruled the Bollywood at one stage. The songs of ‘Aashiqui’ and ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ were a super hit at that time. Kumar Shanu was expert in singing those slow romantic songs. Even the work of Pancham daa with Kumar Shanu in ‘1942-A Love Story’ was superb. After that, Kumar Shanu had a throat operation, which ruined his good voice to some extent. Where he ended, Abhijeet just started from there only. Abhijeet’s voice was well suited for almost every actor of Bollywood. Accha, at present, I have heard that Pritam is one of the best music directors of Bollywood and he has also given chance to Rupam Islam and James to sing some good songs.

Laltu: - Arrey, tora toh ekhonkaar great bangaali singer kei bhooley gali. He is the ‘Shaan’ of Bengal. He has a versatile classical voice. He can adjust the tone of his voice very quickly according to the situation of the song. Babul Supriyo somehow lost in the woods, after his good performance in ‘Kaho na Pyar Hain’. What to say about the Nightingale of Bengal? Sreya Ghosal is ruling the Music Industry now with her sweet voice.

Arindam: - Aaah…Lata Mangeshkar is the Nightingale of India and Sreya Ghosal is the Cuckoo of India. In spring time, just listen to the song of Shreya Ghosal. There is no doubt about the fact that the “BENGALI SINGERS IN BOLLYWOOD” still rocks.