Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury rocked Zee Bangla Saregamapa Program.

Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury rocked Zee Bangla Saregamapa Program.

Sabita Choudhury, the wife of Salil Choudhury and Antara Choudhury rocked Zee Bangla Saregamapa Program on 16th November, 2013. The program was dedicated to the maestro Salil Choudhury. Incidentally 19th November is the birth anniversary of Salil Choudhury. Everyone in the program paid respect to the great composer who had left us many years ago. One of the judges Akriti Kakkar sang the song “aja re pardesi”. Sabita Choudhury told everyone that Bimal Roy, the director of the film after the recording of the song was not insisting in keeping the song in the film Madhumati. Then Salil Choudhury and Lata convinced him in respect of its relevance in the film. The rest was history. One of the child contestants sang the song “jhilmil jhauer bone jhikimiki” composed by Salil Choudhury. Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury sang the song themselves. Sabita Choudhury told the contestants that her husband Salil Choudhury composed the song based on Punjabi folk and the hindi version “naam mera nimmo, makam ludhiyana”. Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury shared few photos of Salil Choudhury with giants of Bollywood industry like Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle and others. Thereafter Antara Choudhury showed a photo of her learning the song “kali re kali re” from her father Salil Choudhury. Sabita Choudhury also shared the information that Salil Choudhury was a great cook and he liked different dishes including the mutton dishes. One of the child contestants sang the song “maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne chune” which was sung by Mukesh in the film Anand. One program was too small to show tribute to a legend of legends of the calibre of Salil Choudhury. Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury were very happy about the fact that the child contestants tried their best at the early age and showed their respect to Salil Choudhury. Jishu Sengupta, the anchor of the show, and the other judges Kumar Shanu, Akriti Kakkar and Joy Sarkar were very happy that Sabita Choudhury and Antara Choudhury shared their memories of Salil Choudhury with the new generation.

Salil Choudhury's Bengali and hindi version of songs.

Salil Choudhury’s Bengali and hindi version of songs.

Salil Choudhury was one of rare class of intellectual who embraced Bengali and films with his eternal treasure of music. His words and tunes matched one another in both the versions.In the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s he experimented with many songs made both for Bengali modern version and gave the same song with a different version in bollywood films.

His song “jhir jhir jhir jhir jhir borosa” sung by Dhananjoy Bhattacharya composed by Salil Choudhury in the film Pasher Bari who remade in hindi with the title “jhir jhir jhirjhir” sung by Lata Mangeshkar with equal brilliance. Dhananjoy Bhattacharya’s classical touch was balanced by Lata Mangeshkar with her own unique style.

Shyamal Mitra’s brilliant modern song “Jodi kichu amare sudhao” was remade with the title “dil tarpe tarpaye” sung by Rafi in the film Poonam Ki Raat. In Shyamal Mitra’s version Salil Choudhury used music for half part of the song, the rest was blank version. In Rafi’s version chorus was used at the back of Rafi’s solo. If Shyamal Mitra’s pitch was unparallel, Rafi’s romantic rendition with slight classical alaap was outstanding. It was Salil Choudhury’s sheer brilliance that he used the immortal singers in style.

Salil Choudhury’s song “ganga gangar tarange prano paddo bhasailam” sung by Sabita Choudhury in the film Ganga was remade in hindi by Manna Dey. The film Ganga was directed by Rajen Tarafdar and won many awards for its excellence. The rhythm of fishermen sailing in boats was synchronized by Salil Choudhury’s own orchestration. Salil Choudhury’s outstanding music was one of the reasons for the success of the film Ganga. The hindi version sung with the title “ganga” sung by Manna Dey. Manna Dey brought the folk flavor in style. The other song in film Ganga sung by Manna Dey titled “uthali pathali amar book” was remade in the hindi by Hemant Kumar with the title “ganga aye kahan se”. Manna Dey’s version had folk title “bhatiyali” embedded in it.

Salil Choudhury’s song “aye brishti jhepe” sung by Sandhya Mukherjee was remade in hindi titled “bhaiya re bhaiya” sung by Shusma Shresth and others. Salil Choudhury’s song “ei duniyay bhai” sung by Manna Dey and picturised on Bengali actor Chabi Biswas in the film Ekdin Ratre was remade in hindi with the title “humko samajh baithe” sung by Mukesh.

Salil Choudhury’s song “guru guru meghero mondrobahare” sung by Sabita Choudhury was remade as “o sanyasi” sung by Asha Bhosle and Yesudas. Shyamal Mitra’s song “ja jare ja ja pakhi” was remade in hindi by Mukesh with the title “door bahut abadi”. Sabita Choudhury’s song “jhilmil jhiler jole jhikimiki” sung by Sabita Choudhury was remade in hindi with the title “naam mera nimmo” sung by Lata, Manna Dey and Dwijen Mukherjee. The list can go on.

The greatness of Salil Choudhury lies in utilizing all the singing talents in Bengal and India as a whole. Singing talents in Bengal like Manobendra Mukherjee, Manna Dey, Dhananjoy Bhattacharya, Hemant Kumar, Shyamal Mitra, Sandhya Mukherjee, Sabita Choudhury were used as against the giants in Bollywood industry like Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Talat Mehmood, Yesu Das and others.