Suman Kalyanpur Carved Her Own Niche

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Suman Kalyanpur secured a distinctive place for herself in the world of Hindi film music, achieving a rare recognition while still in her lifetime. The legendary playback singer, who recently passed away at the age of 89, was often the first choice of music directors whenever Lata Mangeshkar was unavailable or out of reach. Over time, Lata became the benchmark of vocal excellence in Indian cinema, and Suman’s frequent comparison with her itself stands as a testimony to Suman Kalyanpur’s quality, versatility and refined singing style.

One of her early memorable performances came with Dil gham se jal raha hai, jale par dhuan na ho in Shama. Though the film was largely dominated by Suraiya’s powerful songs like Dhadakte dil ki tamannaon mein mera pyaar ho tum and Aap se pyaar hua jata hai, Suman still managed to leave her own imprint. Her ability to render songs in a style close to Lata Mangeshkar brought her wide acceptance. Notable among such renditions were Uhin dil ne chaha tha rona-rulana (Dil Hi To Hai), Sharabi-sharabi yeh saawan ka mausam (Noorjehan), and Rahe na rahe hum mehka karenge (Mamta).

This distinctive quality opened doors to several remarkable compositions during the golden era of Hindi cinema. She delivered soulful numbers such as Bhuja diye hain khud apne haathon (Shagun), Haal-e-dil unko sunana tha (Fariyaad), Tehriye hosh mein aalun to chale jaaiyega (Mohobat Is Ko Kehte Hain), and the well-loved duet Tujhe dekha, tujhe chaaha, tujhe puja maine alongside Mohammad Rafi in Chhoti Si Mulaqaat.

Born in Kolkata on January 28, 1937 as Suman Hemmady, she later moved to Dhaka due to her father’s posting. It was there that she first developed her interest in music and received basic training. After performing on All India Radio and stage platforms, she entered Hindi cinema. Her breakthrough came in 1954 when Talat Mahmood introduced her in Darwaza after hearing her at a concert. He also sang duets with her such as Kahiye, suniye aao donon iqraar karen and Sun le meri jaan kah rahi zubaan.

With Talat Mahmood’s support, she gained attention from leading composers and went on to sing with Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar and Mukesh. Her soft, melodious style resembled Talat’s own approach. A major turning point arrived in 1964 when differences between Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi led composers to seek a new female voice for Rafi’s duets. Suman became the natural choice.

From Jahaan Ara and April Fool to Jab Jab Phool Khile, Suraj and Palki, she recorded several successful duets with Rafi, including Tum ne pukara aur hum chale aaye, Itna hai tum se pyaar mujhe, and Dil-e-betaab ko seene se lagana hoga. She also excelled in classical-based songs like Ajahun aaye baalma sawan beeta jaaye and Manmohan man mein ho tumhi. Her career, spanning three phases, concluded gradually after later films, but her legacy continued through international stage performances and recognition, including a BBC interview.

– Venkat Parsa, Sr. Journalist