Hemant Kumar

{{Short description|Indian singer and music director (1920–1989)}}

{{more citations needed|article|{{February 2022}}|date=February 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Hemanta Mukhopadhyay

| background = solo_singer

| image = Hemant Kumar 2016 stamp of India (cropped).jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Hemanta Mukhopadhyay

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1920|06|16}}

| birth_place = Benares, Benares State, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1989|09|26|1920|06|16}}

| death_place = Calcutta, West Bengal, India

| genre = {{hlist|Indian classical music|filmi|playback singing|Bengali classical music}}

| occupation = Singer, music director, producer

| instrument = Harmonium

| years_active = 1935–1989

| spouse = {{marriage|Bela Mukherjee|1945}}

}}

Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was an Indian music director and a playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, along with several other Indian languages, including Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Assamese, Tamil, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Konkani, Sanskrit and Urdu. He was a artist in Bengali and Hindi film music, Rabindra Sangeet, and various other genres. He was the recipient of two National Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and was popularly known as the "Voice of God".{{cite web |date=2004-12-22 |title=The Voice of God |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/the-voice-of-god/story-EtFJ3r1IdgbqhdIX42LDcO.html |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}

Early life and education

Hemanta was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, at his maternal grandfather's residence, where his grandfather served as a physician. His paternal family originated from Jaynagar Majilpur and had migrated to Kolkata in the early 1900s. Growing up in Kolkata, he received his early education at Nasiruddin School before transferring to Mitra Institution School in Bhowanipore. During his school years, he formed lasting friendships with Subhash Mukhopadhyay, who would later become a celebrated poet, and writer Santosh Kumar Ghosh.

Hemanta enrolled in the Bengal Technical Institute at Jadavpur (now Jadavpur University) to pursue an engineering diploma. However, he left academics due to health issues and to pursue a career in music, despite his father's disapproval. He briefly experimented with literature and published a short story in the Bengali magazine Desh, but by the late 1930s, he had decided to dedicate himself entirely to music.

Early career

Hemanta's debut as a playback singer came in 1940 with the Bengali film Rajkumarer Nirbbasan, where he sang under the musical direction of S.D. Burman. This was followed by Nimai Sanyas (1941), scored by Hariprasanna Das. In 1943, he composed his first original songs, "Katha Kayonako Shudhu Shono" and "Amar Biraha Akashe Priya", with lyrics by Amiya Bagchi. His entry into Hindi cinema occurred in 1942 with the film Meenakshi, followed by Irada (1944), under composer Amar Nath's direction.

Hemanta established himself as a prominent exponent of Rabindra Sangeet with his first recorded piece in the genre appearing in the Bengali film Priya Bandhabi (1944).[https://web.archive.org/web/20171205182037/http://faculty.ist.unomaha.edu/pdasgupta/hemanta/discography/tagore.html Tagore Songs by Hemanta Mukherjee]. faculty.ist.unomaha.edu The song "Pather Sesh Kothaye" marked the beginning of his journey with Tagore's compositions. That same year, he recorded his first non-film Rabindra Sangeet album under the Columbia label, featuring "Aamar Aar Habe Na Deri" and "Keno Pantha E Chanchalata". An earlier recording of "Aamaar mallikabone" for All India Radio/Akashvani has been lost to time.Debashis Dasgupta, Desh, Bengali weekly magazine from Anandabazar Patrika Ltd., Calcutta, 11 November 1989. P. 36

His directorial debut as a music director came with the Bengali film Abhiyatri in 1947. During this period, he worked alongside contemporary male vocalists including Jaganmay Mitra, Robin Majumdar, Satya Chowdhury, Dhananjay Bhattacharya, Sudhirlal Chakraborty, Bechu DuttaS. Bhattacharya, Amar gaaner swaralipi, A. Mukherjee Press, Calcutta, 1988. Pp. 82,83,84 and Talat Mahmood. While his early recordings garnered critical acclaim, major commercial success eluded him until 1947.

Emergence as a national artist

File:Hemanta Mukherjee with Rajendra Prasad and Jwaharlal Nehru, 1950.JPG

In the mid-1940s{{When|date=January 2025}}, Hemanta became actively involved with the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), where he formed a significant collaboration with fellow member and composer Salil Chowdhury. The devastating Bengal famine of 1943 and the inaction of both British authorities and wealthy Indians had been instrumental in IPTA's formation.

His 1947 recording of "Ganyer Badhu" ("The rural bride"), composed and written by Salil Chowdhury, marked a turning point in his career. This unconventional six-minute composition, recorded on both sides of a 78 rpm disc, departed from traditional Bengali song structure and romantic themes. Instead, it portrayed the tragic transformation of an idyllic rural life devastated by famine and poverty. The song's unprecedented success established Hemanta as a leading voice in eastern India, elevating him above his male contemporaries. This successful partnership with Salil Chowdhury continued through numerous popular collaborations in subsequent years.

During this period, Hemanta received increasing opportunities as a music composer for Bengali films, notably working with director Hemen Gupta. When Gupta relocated to Mumbai, he invited Hemanta to compose for his Hindi directorial debut Anandmath under the Filmistan banner. This led to Hemanta's migration to Mumbai in 1951, where he joined Filmistan Studios. He named his Mumbai residence in Khar after Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali. Anand Math (1952) achieved moderate success, with its standout contribution being Lata Mangeshkar's rendition of 'Vande mataram', which Hemanta set to a stirring martial tune.

Following Anandamath, Hemanta composed for several Filmistan productions, including Shart, gaining modest popularity. Simultaneously, he established himself as a prominent playback singer in Mumbai. His collaborations with S. D. Burman for actor Dev Anand produced numerous hits, including "Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan" (Jaal, 1952), "Chup Hai Dharti" and "Teri Duniya Mein Jeene Se" (House No. 44, 1955), "Hai Apna Dil To Awara" (Solva Saal, 1958), and "Na Tum Humen Jano" (Baat Ek Raat Ki, 1962). He also provided playback for other leading actors including Pradeep Kumar (Nagin, Detective), Sunil Dutt (Duniya Jhukti Hain), and later Biswajeet (Bees Saal Baad, Bin Badal Barsaat, Kohra) and Dharmendra (Anupama), while also serving as the music composer for these films.

Career rise

By the mid-1950s, Hemanta had consolidated his position as a prominent singer and composer. In Bengal, he was one of the foremost exponents of Rabindra Sangeet and perhaps the most sought-after male singer. In a ceremony organized by Hemanta Mukherjee to honor Debabrata Biswas (1911–1980), the legendary Rabindra Sangeet exponent, in Calcutta in March 1980, Debabrata Biswas unhesitatingly mentioned Hemanta as "the second hero" to popularise Rabindra Sangeet, the first being the legendary Pankaj Kumar Mullick. In Mumbai, along with playback singing, Hemanta carved a niche as a composer. He composed music for a Hindi film called Nagin (1954) which became a major success owing largely to its music. Songs of Nagin remained chart-toppers continuously for two years and culminated in Hemanta receiving the prestigious Filmfare Best Music Director Award in 1955. The very same year, he scored music for a Bengali movie Shap Mochan in which he played back four songs for the Bengali actor Uttam Kumar. This started a long partnership between Hemanta and Uttam as a playback singer-actor pair. They were the most popular singer-actor duo in Bengali cinema over the next decade.

In the latter part of the 1950s, Hemanta composed music and sang for several Bengali and Hindi films and recorded several Rabindra Sangeet and Bengali non-film songs. Almost all of these, especially his Bengali songs, became very popular. This period can be seen as the zenith of his career and lasted for almost a decade. Salil Chowdhury and Lata Mangeshkar stated Hemanta as the Voice Of God. He sang songs composed by the major music directors in Bengal such as Nachiketa Ghosh, Robin Chatterjee and Salil Chowdhury. Some of the notable films Hemanta himself composed music for during this period include Harano Sur, Marutirtha Hinglaj, Neel Akasher Neechey, Lukochuri, Swaralipi, Deep Jwele Jaai, Shesh Parjanta, Kuhak, Dui Bhai, and Saptapadi in Bengali, and Jagriti and Ek Hi Raasta in Hindi.

Production

In the late 1950s, Hemanta ventured into movie production under his own banner: Hemanta-Bela Productions. The first movie under this banner was a Bengali film directed by Mrinal Sen, titled Neel Akasher Neechey (1959). The story was based on the travails of a Chinese street hawker in

Calcutta in the backdrop of India's freedom struggle. The movie went on to win the President's Gold Medal — the highest honour for a movie from the Government of India. In the next decade, Hemanta's production company was renamed Geetanjali productions and it produced several Hindi movies such as Bees Saal Baad, Kohraa, Biwi Aur Makaan, Faraar, Rahgir and Khamoshi all of which had music by Hemanta. Only Bees Saal Baad and Khamoshi were major commercial successes.

Back in Bengal, Hemanta scored music for a movie titled Palatak in 1963 where he experimented with merging Bengal folk music and light music. This proved to be a major success and Hemanta's composition style changed noticeably for many of his future films in Bengal such as Baghini, and Balika Badhu. In Bengali films Manihar and Adwitiya, both of which were major musical as well as commercial successes, his compositions had a light classical tinge. In 1961, for commemorating Rabindranath Tagore's birth centenary, the Gramophone Company of India

featured Rabindrasangeet by Hemanta in a large portion of its commemorative output. This too proved to be a major commercial success. Hemanta went on several overseas concert tours including his trip to the West Indies. Overall, in the 1960s decade, he retained his position as the major male singer in Bengal and as a composer and singer to be reckoned with in Hindi films.

In the 1960s he was the predominant and lead male voice in many of Tagore's musical dramas like Valmiki Pratibha, Shyama, Sapmochan, Chitrangada and Chandalika. With Kanika Bandopadhyay (1924–2000) and Suchitra Mitra (1924–2010), who were the lead female voices in these, he was part of the Rabindra Sangeet triumvirate that was popular and respected. It was referred to as 'Hemanta-Kanika-Suchitra' and, with Debabrata Biswas, this quartet was and continues to be the most heard exponents of Tagore compositions. Asoktaru Bandopadhyay, Chinmoy Chattopadhyay, Sagar Sen, Sumitra Sen, and Ritu Guha were the other leading exponents of Rabindra Sangeet at that time.

Later career

In the 1970s, Hemanta's contribution to Hindi films was nominal. He scored music for a handful of his home productions, but none of these movies nor their music were successful. In Bengal, however, he remained the foremost exponent of Rabindra Sangeet, film and non-film songs. His output continued to be popular for most of the decade. Some of them are Jodi Jante Chao Tumi (1972), Ek Gochha Rajanigandha, Aamay Prasno Kore Nil Dhrubatara, Sedin Tomay Dekhechilam (1974), Khirki Theke Singho Duar (Stree, 1971), Ke Jane Ko Ghonta (Sonar Khancha, 1974), Jeona Daraon Bandhu (Phuleswari, 1975) and popularised Rabindra sangeet using them beautifully in films as per situations. A very popular and classic example is the song Chorono Dhorite Diyogo Amare in Dadar Kirti (1980). In 1971, Hemanta debuted as a film director in for his self-produced Bengali movie Anindita. It didn't fare exceedingly well at the box office. However, his rendition Diner Seshe Ghumer Deshe was one of his best and most popular Rabindra Sangeet renditions. In the same year, Hemanta went to Hollywood by responding to film director Conrad Rooks and score the music of Conrad's Siddhartha and played back O Nadire (composed and sung by him earlier in Neel Akasher Neechey (1959) in that film. He was the first Indian singer to playback in Hollywood. The US government honored Hemanta by conferring him with the citizenship of Baltimore, Maryland; the first-ever singer of India to get US citizenship. In the early to mid-1970s, two major music composers in Bengal, Nachiketa Ghosh and Robin Chatterjee, who had worked closely with Hemanta, since the early 1950s, died. Simultaneously, music composed by Hemanta for Bengali films like Phuleswari, Raag Anurag, Ganadebata and Dadar Kirti established him as the major film music composer in the Bengal movie scene. In 1979, Hemanta re-recorded some of his earlier works with composer Salil Chowdhury from the 1940s and 1950s. This album, titled Legend of Glory, vol. 2, was a major commercial success.

In 1980, Hemanta had a heart attack that severely affected his vocal capabilities, especially his breath control. He continued to record songs in the early eighties, but his voice was a shade of its rich baritone past. In 1984, Hemanta was felicitated by different organizations, most notably by the Gramophone Company of India, for completing 50 years in music. That very year Hemanta released his last album with Gramophone Company of India — a 45 rpm extended play disc with four non-film songs. Over the next few years, Hemanta released a few non-film songs for small-time companies that had cropped up in the nascent cassette-based music industry. Only a few of these were commercially successful. He composed music for a handful of Bengali movies and one Bengali and one Hindi tele-series. However, by this time he had become an institution, a beloved and revered personality who was a courteous and friendly gentleman. His philanthropic activities included running a homeopathic hospital in memory of his late father in their native village in Baharu, in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. He continued to feature regularly on All India Radio, Doordarshan (TV), and live programs/concerts during this period.

In a television interview, recorded in the early 1990s, to noted elocutionist Gauri Ghosh, his wife Bela Mukherjee recalled that she never knew during his lifetime the number of families and persons he helped to put up financially or otherwise; it was only after his departure that this truth gradually unveiled.

In 1987, he was nominated for Padma Bhushan which he refused, having already turned down a previous offer to receive Padma Shri in the 1970s. In this year, he was publicly felicitated in Netaji Indoor Stadium in Calcutta for completing 50 years in the musical journey, where, Lata Mangeshkar presented him with the memento on behalf of his fans and admirers. Despite his aging voice, he became the Best Male Singer in 1988 for his rendition in the film "Lalan Fakir".

In September 1989 he traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh to receive the Michael Madhusudan Award, as well as to perform a concert. Immediately after returning from this trip he suffered another heart attack on 26 September 1989 and died at 11:15 pm in a nursing home in South Calcutta.

Personal life

Hemanta had three brothers and a sister Nilima. His younger brother Tarajyoti was a Bengali short story writer. His youngest brother Amal composed music as well as sang for some Bengali movies, most notably for Abak Prithibi and Hospital. Amal recorded a few songs in the 1960s as well with Hemant as music director, most notably the song "Jiboner Anekta Path Eklai". In 1945, Hemanta married Bela Mukherjee, a singer from Bengal. Although she had sung some popular songs in the movie Kashinath, she did not actively pursue her musical career after marriage. They had two children, a son Jayant, and a daughter Ranu. Ranu also pursued a music career in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with somewhat limited success. Jayant is married to Moushumi Chatterjee, a Bengali film actress.

Awards

  • 1956 : Filmfare Best Music Director Award: Nagin
  • 1971 : National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer: Nimantran
  • 1962 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Swaralipi": Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196225.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107012222/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196225.htm |archive-date=7 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1963 : BFJA Best Music Director Award (Hindi): "Bees Saal Baad":Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196326.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108013155/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196326.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1964 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Palatak": Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196427.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108082149/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196427.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1967 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Monihar": Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196730.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106143248/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196730.htm |archive-date=6 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1968 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Balika Badhu":Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196831.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108050315/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196831.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1970 : Padma Shri (Refused)
  • 1972 : BFJA Best Male Playback Singer Award: Dhannyee Meye: Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197235.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108054631/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197235.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1975 : BFJA Best Male Playback Singer Award: Phuleswari: Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197538.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114151114/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197538.htm |archive-date=14 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1975 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Phuleawari": Won
  • 1976 : BFJA Best Male Playback Singer Award: Priya Bandhobi: Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197639.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108051039/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197639.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1986 : National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer: Lalan Fakir
  • 1986 : Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Creative and experimental music.
  • 1986 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Bhalobasa Bhalobasa": Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/198649.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108050106/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/198649.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1987 : Padma Bhushan (Refused)
  • 1987 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Pathbhola": Won{{cite web |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/198750.htm |title=69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2007 |website=www.bfjaawards.com |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108094117/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/198750.htm |archive-date=8 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}
  • 1988 : BFJA Best Music Director Award: "Aagoman": Won
  • 1985 : Honorary D.Litt. by Visva-Bharati University
  • 1986 : Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
  • 1988 : Honorary D.Litt. by The University of Calcutta
  • 1989 : Michael Madhusudan Award
  • 2012 : Bangladesh Liberation War Honour,
  • 2012 : Friends of Liberation War Honour (Posthumously)
  • 1971 : The US government honored Hemanta by conferring him with the citizenship of Baltimore, Maryland; the first-ever singer of India to get US citizenship.

Death and legacy

File:Hemant Kumar 2003 stamp of India.jpg

On 26 September 1989, Hemant fell ill after returning from a concert in Dhaka. He died shortly after, due to a massive cardiac arrest. According to his daughter-in-law Moushumi Chatterjee, his last words were "Ki koshto, ki koshto ('such pain, such pain')."

Hemant's legacy still lives on through the songs that he has recorded during his lifetime, as well as the music he has composed. Due to the commercial viability of his songs, the Gramophone Company of India (or Saregama) still releases at least one album of his every year, repackaging his older songs. The Kolkata Metro's Hemanta Mukhopadhyay metro station is named after him.{{cite news |title=এগোচ্ছে কাজ, নিউ গড়িয়ায় মিলবে তিনটি মেট্রোপথ |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/kolkata/new-garia-airport-metro-routes-work-is-in-progress/cid/1281201 |access-date=13 February 2023 |agency=Anandabazar |publisher=www.anandabazar.com |date=15 May 2021 |location=Kolkata |language=bn}}{{Cite web |title=Metro Railway Kolkata / Indian Railways Portal |url=https://mtp.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,268&dcd=3924&did=1709732766752EFE40D35130703F5AE83D8DB4F9F2BA7 |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=mtp.indianrailways.gov.in}}{{Cite news |date=2024-03-01 |title=India's deepest Metro station at Howrah also to be the largest |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/indias-deepest-metro-station-at-howrah-to-be-the-largest/articleshow/108121908.cms |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |title=Metro Railway Kolkata / Indian Railways Portal |url=https://mtp.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,268&dcd=3926&did=1709813590202A5B847FBF4024927F49938AE354845FA |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=mtp.indianrailways.gov.in}} A Mumbai square is also named after him as Hemant Kumar Square.{{cite web | url=https://www.timesnownews.com/mumbai/a-square-in-the-mumbai-dedicated-to-music-legend-hemant-kumar-on-his-102nd-birthday-article-92257795 | title=A square in the Mumbai dedicated to music legend Hemant Kumar on his 102nd birthday | date=16 June 2022 }}

Discography

=English discography (as composer)=

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year !! Title

1972Siddhartha

=Bengali discography (as composer)=

Total number of films: 147

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year !! Title !! Notes

rowspan="2"|1947Abhiyatri
Purbaraag
rowspan="3"|1948Bhuli Naai
Padma Pramatta Nadi
Priyatama
rowspan="4"|1949Diner Par Din
'42
Sandipan Pathshala
Swami
rowspan="2"|1951Jighansa
Paritran
1952Swapno O SamadhiJointly with Khagen Dasgupta
1955Shapmochan
1956Suryamukhi
rowspan="3"|1957Shesh Parichay
Taser Ghar
Harano Sur
rowspan="5"|1958Lukochuri
Shikar
Surjatoran
Joutuk
Neel Akasher Neechey
rowspan="5"|1959Deep Jwele Jaai
Khelaghar
Marutirtha Hinglaj
Sonar Harin
Kshaniker Atithi
rowspan="5"|1960Baishey Shravan
Gariber Meye
Kuhak
Khoka Babur Prayabartan
Shesh Paryanta
rowspan="7"|1961Dui Bhai
Agni Sanskar
Madhya Rater Tara
Punashcha
Saptapadi
Sathi Hara
Swaralipi
rowspan="5"|1962Atal Jaler Ahwan
Agun
Dada Thakur
Hansuli Banker Upakatha
Nabadiganta
rowspan="8"|1963Badshah
Barnachora
Ek Tukro Agun
High Heel
Palatak
Saat Pake Bandha
Shesh Prahar
Tridhara
rowspan="7"|1964Arohi
Bibhas
Natun Tirtha
Pratinidhi
Prabhater Rang
Swarga Hotey Biday
Sindure Megh
rowspan="4"|1965Alor Pipasa
Ek Tuku Basa
Ek Tuku Chhonya Lage
Suryatapa
rowspan="2"|1966Kanch Kata Hirey
Manihar
rowspan="4"|1967Balika Badhu
Dushtu Prajapati
Nayika Sangbad
Ajana Shapath
rowspan="6"|1968Adwitiya
Baghini
Hansamithun
Jiban Sangeet
Panchasar
Parisodh
rowspan="4"|1969Chena Achena
Man Niye
Parineeta
Shuk Sari
rowspan="2"|1970Deshbandhu Chittaranjan
Duti Mon
rowspan="6"|1971Kuheli
Malayadan
Nabarag
Nimantran
Sansar
Mahabiplabi Arabindo
1972Anindita
rowspan="4" |1974Bikele Bhorer Phool
Shriman Prithviraj

|

Thagini
Phuleshwari
rowspan="5"|1975Agniswar
Mohan Baganer Meye
Nishi Mrigaya
Raag Anuraag
Sansar Simantey
rowspan="4"|1976Banhi Sikha
Datta
Sankhabish
Pratisruti
rowspan="9"|1977Din Amader
Hatey Roilo Tin
Mantramugdha
Pratima
Proxy
Rajani
Sanai
Shesh Raksha
Swati
rowspan="3"|1978Ganadevata
Nadi Theke Sagare
Pranay Pasha
rowspan="2"|1979Shahar Theke Dooray
Nauka Dubi
rowspan="5"|1980Bandhan
Dadar Kirti
Paka Dekha
Pankhiraj
Shesh Bichar
rowspan="4"|1981Kapal Kundala
Khelar Putul
Meghmukti
Subarna Golak
rowspan="4"|1982Chhoto Maa
Chhut
Uttar Meleni
Pratiksha
rowspan="2"|1983Amar Geeti
Rajeshwari
rowspan="6"|1984Agni Shuddhi
Ajantay
Bishabriksha
Didi
Madhuban
Suryatrishna
rowspan="2"|1985Bhalobasa Bhalobasa
Tagari
rowspan="2"|1986Pathbhola
Ashirwad
rowspan="3"|1987Pratibha
Tuni bou
Boba Sanai
rowspan="3"|1988Surer Sathi
Parashmani
Agaman
1989Bhalobasar Rat

= Hindi discography (as composer) =

class="wikitable sortable"
style="width:60%;background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year !! Title

| 1952Anand Math
rowspan="6"| 1954Daku Ki Ladki
Ferry
Nagin
Jagriti
Samrat
Shart
rowspan="4"| 1955Bahu
Bandish
Bhagwat Mahima
Lagan
rowspan="9"| 1956Anjaan
Arab Ka Saudagar
Bandhan
Durgesh Nandini
Ek Hi Raasta
Hamara Watan
Inspector
Laalten
Taj
rowspan="9"| 1957Bandi
Champakali
Ek Jhalak
Hill Station
Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan
Miss Mary
Payal
Yahudi Ki Ladki
Fashion
rowspan="3"| 1958Do Mastane
Police
Sahara
rowspan="2"| 1959Chand
Hum Bhi Insaan Hai
rowspan="3"| 1960Girl Friend
Duniya Jhukti Hai
Masoom
rowspan="3"| 1962Bees Saal Baad
Maa Beta
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
1963Bin Badal Barsaat
1964Kohraa
rowspan="2"| 1965Do Dil
Faraar
rowspan="3"| 1966Biwi Aur Makaan
Sannata
Anupama
1967Majhli Didi
1968Do Dooni Char
rowspan="3"| 1969Khamoshi
Rahgeer
Devi Choudhurani
1970Us Raat Ke Baad
1972Bees Saal Pehle
1977Do Ladke Dono Kadke
1979Love in Canada

=Discography in other languages (as a composer)=

class="wikitable sortable"
style="width:60%;background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year !! Title

1961Ayel Basant Bahar
1964Balma Bada Nadaan
1955Kanavane Kan Kanda Deivam (Tamil)

Discography (as playback singer)

= Bengali film songs =

class="sortable wikitable "
Year

!Film

! Song

!Composer(s)

!Lyricist

!Co-singer

1943

! Priyo Bandhabi

| "Pather Shesh Kothay"

| Pranab Dey

| Rabindranath Tagore

|

1947

!Mondir

| "Gohon Rater Ekla Pothik"

| Subal Dasgupta

|

|

rowspan="4" | 1955

! rowspan="4" | Shap Mochan

| "Surer Akashe Tumi"

| rowspan="4" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="4" | Bimal Ghosh

| rowspan="4" |

"Bose Achhi Path Cheye"
"Jhar Uthechhe Baul Batash"
"Shono Bandhu Shono"
rowspan="2" | 1956

! rowspan="1" | Asamapta

| "Kando Keno Mon Re"

| rowspan="1" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="1" |

| rowspan="1" |

Trijama

| "Seetaram Do Sharir"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

|

|

rowspan="6" | 1957

! rowspan="2" | Chandranath

| "Rajar Dulari Seeta"

| rowspan="2" | Robin Chatterjee

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |

"Akash Prithibi Shone"
Harano Sur

| "Aaj Dujonar Duti Poth"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

| Gauriprasanna Mazumder

|

rowspan="3" | Prithibi Amare Chay[https://gaana.com/album/prithibi-amare-chay Amare Chay (1957) songs]

| "Ghorer Bondhon Chhere"

| rowspan="3" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="3" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="3" |

"Nilamwala Chhana"
"Durer Manush Kachhe Eso"
rowspan=8 | 1958

! rowspan="3" | Indrani

| "Surjo Dobar Pala"

| rowspan="3" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="3" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="2" |

"Bhangre Bhangre Bhang"
"Neer Chhotto Khoti Nei"

| Geeta Dutt

Rowspan=2| Joutuk

| "Moneri Kothati Ogo"

| rowspan=2| Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan=2| Gauriprasanna Mazumdar

| rowspan=2| solo

"Ei Je Pother Ei Dekha"
rowspan="2" | Neel Akasher Neechey

| "Neel Akasher Neeche"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |

"O Nodi Re"
O Amar Desher Mati

| "Bhoot Amar Poot"

|

|

|

rowspan="4" | 1959

! rowspan="4" | Marutirtha Hinglaj

| "Pather Klanti Bhule"

| rowspan="4" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="4" |

| rowspan="4" |

"Hey Chandrachur"
"Sarbasya Buddhirupena"
"Tomar Bhubone Mago"
rowspan="9" | 1960

! rowspan="6" | Kuhak

| "Aro Kachhe Eso"

| rowspan="6" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="6" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="6" |

"Bishnupriya Go"
"Hay Hapay Je Ei Hapor"
"Nawal Kishori Go"
"Peyechhi Porosh Manik"
"Saratu Din Dhore"
rowspan="3" | Shesh Porjonto

| "Ei Balukabelay Ami Likhechhinu"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="3" |

"Ei Meghla Dine Ekla"
"Keno Dure Thako"
rowspan="13" | 1961

! Rowspan=4| Bhai Maar Bhai

| "Taare Bole Diyo"

| rowspan=4| Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan=4|

| rowspan=3| solo

"Amar Jiboenr Eto Khushi"
"Ogo Ja Peyechi"
"Gangey Dheu Khele Jay"

| Ila Bose

rowspan="3" | Rai Bahadur

| "Jay Din Emni Jodi"

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

"Ogo Ke Dake Amay"
"Raat Kuheli Chharano"
rowspan="1" | Saptapadi

| "Ei Poth Jodi Na Shesh Hoy"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

| Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| Sandhya Mukherjee

rowspan="3" | Swaralipi

| "Doyal Re Koto Leela Jano"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="3" |

"Je Bashi Bhenge Geche" (Part 1)
"Je Bashi Bhenge Geche" (Part 2)
rowspan="2" | Dada Thakur

| "O Shonre Mon Amar"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Sharat Chandra Pandit

|

"Vote Diye Jaa"

| Amal Mukherjee, chorus

1962

!Atal Jaler Ahwan

| "E Kon Choncholota Jaage"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

| Gauriprasanna Mazumder

|

rowspan="4" | 1963

! rowspan="4" |™Palatak

| "Aha Krishna Kalo"

| rowspan="4" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="4" |

| rowspan="4" |

"Dosh Diyo Na Amay Bondhu"
"Jibanpurer Pathik Re Bhai"
"Sakhi Hey Amar Jware Anga"
rowspan="3" | 1964

! rowspan="3" | Bibhas

| "Etodin Pore Tumi"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| rowspan="3" |

"Taray Taray Joluk Baati"
"Jokhon Porbena Mor"

| colspan="2" | Rabindranath Tagore

rowspan="8" | 1965

! rowspan="3" | Alor Pipasa

| "Kaschitkanta Biraha Guruna"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

"Bidyudwantang Lalita Banita"
"Shrinnante Vishwe Amitatsya Putra"
rowspan="5" | Monihar

| "Ke Jeno Go Dekechhe Amay" (male)

| rowspan="5" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="5" | Pulak Banerjee

| rowspan="4" |

"Nijhum Sandhyay Pantho Pakhira" (male)
"Sob Kotha Bola Holo"
"Ami Hote Parini Akash"
"Ke Jeno Go Dekechhe Amay" (duet)

| Lata Mangeshkar

rowspan="6" | 1966

! Rowspan=2| Kal Tumi Aleya

| "Ami Jai Chole Jai" (version 1)

| rowspan=2| Uttam Kumar

| rowspan=2|

| rowspan=2| solo

"Jai Chole Jai" (version 2)
Notun Tirtho

| "He Mor Chitto"

|

|

|

rowspan="3" | Notun Jibon

| "Emon Ami Ghor Bedhechi"

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

"Ami Gaan Shonabo"
"Lajboti Nupurer Rinijhini"
rowspan="10" | 1967

! rowspan="2" | Ajana Shapath

| "Notun Notun Rong Dhorechhe"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| Pulak Banerjee

| rowspan="2" |

"O Akash Sona Sona"

| Miltoo Ghosh

rowspan="4" | Balika Bodhu

| "Lag Lag Ronger Bhelki"

| rowspan="4" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| chorus

"Shuk Bole Keno Sharee"

| Bela Mukherjee

"Ami Kusum Tuliya"

| Bani Dasgupta

"Bhojo Gourango"

| Traditional

|

rowspan="3" | Mon Niye

| "Ogo Kajol Noyona Horini"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Pulak Banerjee

|

"Bhalobeshe Digonto Diyechho"

| rowspan="2" | Asha Bhosle

"Ami Poth Vola Ek Pothik"

| colspan="2" | Rabindranath Tagore

Nayika Sangbad

| "Ei Purnima Raat"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

|

|

rowspan="5" | 1968

! rowspan="2" | Baghini

| "O Radhe Thomke Geli Keno"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Mukul Dutt

| rowspan="2" |

"Jokhon Daaklo Bashi"
rowspan="3" | Hangsa Mithun

| "Ami Krishnochurar Abir Niye"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" |

| Sandhya Mukherjee

"Ore Aay Aay Aayre Sobai"

| Manabendra Mukherjee

"Surjer Moto Shaswoto Hok"

|

rowspan="10" | 1969

! rowspan="2" | Duti Mon

| "Ke Daake Amay"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Pulak Banerjee

| rowspan="2" |

"Ami Jotoi Tomake Dekhi"
rowspan="4" | Kamallata

| "Bhaja Hoon Re Mon Amar"

| rowspan="4" | Robin Chatterjee

| Gobindadas

| rowspan="2" |

"Ei Na Madhobi Tole"

| Traditional

"Dekho Sokhi Sajilo Nondokumar"

| rowspan="3" | Pranab Roy

"Hiya Bole Tumi Amar"
rowspan="3" | Pita Putra

| "Bhorer Aloy Porlo Tomay Mone"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" |

"Tomay Amay Mile"
"Raag Je Tomar Mishti"

| Sandhya Mukherjee

Teerbhumi

| "Teerbhumi Khoje"

|

|

|

rowspan="5" | 1971

! rowspan="2" | Dhanyi Meye

| "E Byatha Ki Je Byatha"

| rowspan="2" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="2" | Pulak Banerjee

| rowspan="2" |

"Radhe Monta Rekhe Eli"
rowspan="3" | Nimantran

| "Piriti Boliya Ekti Komol"

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" |

"Singo Prishthe Bhor Koriye"
"Tara Maa Maago"
rowspan="5" | 1972

!Anindita

| "Diner Sheshe Ghumer Deshe"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

| Mukul Dutt

|

rowspan="4" | Stree

| "Khirki Theke Singhoduar"

| rowspan="4" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="4" |

| rowspan="2" |

"Sakkhi Thakuk Jhorapata"
"Hajar Tarar Jhaarbatita"

| rowspan="2" | Manna Dey

"Sokhi Kalo Amar Bhalo"
rowspan="4" | 1973

!Dhire Bohe Meghna

| "Koto Je Dhire Bohe Meghna"

| Samar Das, Satya Saha

| Mohammad Moniruzzaman

| Sandhya Mukherjee

rowspan="3" | Sonar Khancha

| "Jaare Ja Ure Rajar Kumar" (version 2)

| rowspan="3" | Bireswar Sarkar

| rowspan="3" | Bireswar Sarkar

| rowspan="3" |

"Shudhu Bhalobasha Diye"
"Ke Jaane Ko Ghonta"
rowspan="6" | 1974

! rowspan="6" | Fuleswari

| "Jeona Daarao Bondhu"

| rowspan="6" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="6" |

| rowspan="6" |

"Ami Tomay Koto Khujilam"
"Ami Tomay Boro Bhalobashi"
"Phuleshwari Phuleshwari"
"Ami Dekhte Bhalobashi"
"Tumi Shotodol Hoye"
rowspan="8" | 1975

! rowspan="7" | Raag Anurag

| "Ami Gaan Gai"

| rowspan="7" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="7" | Pulak Banerjee

| rowspan="5" |

"Khela Amar Bhangbe Jokhon"
"Sei Duti Chokh"
"Sonar Oi Angti Theke"
"Tomader Kachhe Esechhilam"
"Ki Gaan Shonabo Bolo"

| Haimanti Shukla

"Ogo Sundori Tumi Ke"

| various

Sanyasi Raja

| "Ka Tobo Kanta"

| Shyamal Mitra

| Shankaracharya

|

rowspan="8" | 1976

! rowspan="4" | Asadharon

| "Surjer Rokto Asto Akashtake"

| rowspan="4" | Nachiketa Ghosh

| rowspan="4" |

| rowspan="3" |

"Amar baba Bhalo Chilo"
"Kanu Chhara Jemon Bashi Nei"
"Ki Hote Ki Hoye Gelo"

| Haimanti Shukla

rowspan="2" | Datta

| "Jamunate Dekhlam Soi"

| rowspan="2" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="2" | Pranab Roy

| rowspan="2" |

"Mon Dilamna Sokhi"
Priyo Bandhobi

| "Ami Saheb O Noi"

| Nachiketa Ghosh

|

|

Sudur Niharika

| "Torir Naam Jibon Tori"

| Manabendra Mukhopadhyay

| Shyamal Gupta

|

rowspan="5" | 1977

!Padma Nadir Majhi

| "Padma Nadir Majhi"

| Dinendra Chowdhury

| Manik Bandyopadhyay

| Aarti Mukherjee, Dhananjay Bhattacharya, Anup Ghoshal and others

Praner Thakur Ramkrishna

| "Kolpotoru Tumi Praner Thakur

|

|

|

rowspan="3" | Proxy

| "Jodi Keu Deke Bole"

| rowspan="3" | Hemanta Mukherjee

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

"Kichhu Pelam Ami"
"Jodi Tomar Chokher Akash"

| Aarti Mukherjee

rowspan="4" | 1978

! rowspan="3" | Korunamoyi

| "Anondomoyi"

| rowspan="3" | Sudhin Dasgupta

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

"Kalo Meghe Kali Chhaya"
"Ja Debi Sorbobhuteshu"

| Aarti Mukherjee

Dhanraj Tamang

| "Dhanaraj Tamang Ekti Sudhu Naam

|

|

|

1979

!Nondon

| "Mukhbhora Hashi"

|

|

|

rowspan="4" | 1980

!Noukadubi

| "Oshrunodir Sudur Paare"

|

|

|

Pompa

| "Je Prodip"

| Nirmal Chakraborty

| Samarendra Ghoshal

|

Putul Ghor

| "Thikana Hariye Phela"

|

|

|

Upalabdhi

| "Etodine Bujhechi Tomay"

|

|

|

rowspan="5" | 1981

!Chameli Memsaheb

| "O Bideshi Takao"

| Bhupen Hazarika

| Shibdas Banerjee

|

rowspan="2" | Khelar Putul

| "Ami Bondhur Premagune Pora"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

| Traditional

| Arundhati Holme Chowdhury

"Krondosi Pothocharinee"

| colspan="2" | Atul Prasad Sen

|

Pratishodh

| "Shudhu Byathar Aghate"

| Ajoy Das

| Pulak Banerjee

|

Subarna Golak

| "Din Nei Raat Nei"

| Hemanta Mukherjee

|

| chorus

rowspan="3" | 1982

! rowspan="2" | Sonar Bangla

| "Ei Je Bangla"

| rowspan="2" | Neeta Sen

| rowspan="2" | Gauriprasanna Mazumder

| Sandhya Mukherjee

"Tuturidhun"

| Aarti Mukherjee, Haimanti Shukla

Rajbodhu

| "Boro Asha Kore"

| Abhijeet Banerjee, Rabindranath Tagore

| Rabindranath Tagore

| Arundhati Holme Chowdhury

rowspan="6" | 1983

!Bonoshree

| "Ashwine Hok Aghrane Hok"

| Sudhin Dasgupta

|

|

rowspan="4" | Chena Achena

| "Amay Rakhte Jodi"

| rowspan="4" | Abhijeet Banerjee

| rowspan="4" |

| rowspan="4" |

"Shono Shono"
"O Amar Sona Bondhure"
"Ekoi Poth Jeno"
Tagari

| "Piriti Rosher Khela"

|

|

| Aarti Mukherjee

rowspan="3" | 1984

! rowspan="3" | Shilalipi

| "Surjo Gelo Astachole"

| Suparnakanti Ghosh

| Palash Bandyopadhyay

| rowspan="3" |

"Aajo Mone Pore Barebare"

| rowspan="2" | Sudhin Dasgupta

| rowspan="2" | Subir Hazra

"Kar Kotha Bhebe Bhebe"

= Bengali non-film songs =

class="sortable wikitable
Year

!Film

! Song

!Composer(s)

!Lyricist

!Co-singer

rowspan=2| 1993

! Rowspan=2| Ramkrishnayan

| "Ramkrishnayan" (part 1)

| rowspan=2| Robin Chatterjee

| rowspan=2| Achinta Kumar Sengupta

| rowspan=2| Manna Dey, Banasree Sengupta

"Ramkrishnayan" (part 2)

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay, "Ananda dhara", Deb Sahitya Kutir Press, Calcutta, 1970.
  • A. Rajadhakshya and P. Wilhelm, "An Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema", 2nd ed., British Film Institute, 1999.
  • S. Bhattacharya, "Amar gaaner swaralipi", A. Mukherjee Press, Calcutta, 1988.
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20100108062601/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/198952.htm