Mubarak Begum

• Birth Date: 30 Nov -0001
• Birth Place: Sujangarh, Churu, Rajasthan

Artist Information

Mubarak Begum Hails from , Sabrangpur Darwaza, (Ahmedabad) , Rajasthan before settling in Mumbai. The aspiring singer would imitate her idol Suraiya by singing her songs till she had perfected them. Riyazuddin Khan, nephew of the great Indian Classical vocalist Abdul Karim Khan was her Ustad (teacher). She however learnt only enough classical music to enable her to do riyaaz (practice) so as to not let it hamper her light classical music aspirations.

She started her musical career doing shows for the All India Radio. She got her first break when Rafiq Ghaznavi, who gave the immortal motto for Mehboob Khan Films, ‘Muddayi Lakh Bura Chahe Kya Hota Hai, Wohi Hota Hai Jo Manzure Khuda Hota Hai’, heard her voice and asked her to sing for his film. On the day of the rehearsal at Film Center, Tardeo, stage fright struck the yet raw and uninitiated singer and she faltered on her big day. This could have unhinged a newcomer, but Mubarak Begum was too young to understand the implications of her early failure.

‘Mohe Aane Lagi Angrayi, Aja Aja Balam’ was the first song that Mubarak Begum finally recorded for the film Aiyiye ,the composer being Shaukat Dehlvi. She also sang a duet with Lata Mangeshkar for the same film ‘Aao Chalein, Chalein Sakhi Wahan’. The usual running around continued for her with umpteen rejections. Her next film was Phoolon Ke Haar with music by Hansraj Behl and lyrics by a team comprising of D. N. Madhok, Varma Malik and Indeevar. She continued doing the smaller films that came to her, which were not paying more than one hundred and fifty rupees per film.

Mubarak Begum’s next big break was the Kamal Amrohi film Dairya, starring Meena Kumari and Nasir Khan, in which she sang seven songs composed by Harishchandra Rao who had personally selected her. ‘Devta Tum Ho Mera Sahara, Thaamaa Hai Daaman Tumahara’, was the title track with Mohammad Rafi. The film unfortunately was not a success, which diluted whatever recompense she could have hoped for her long – delayed career.

Big composers approached her,but she was not satisfied with the offers that did not demand full fledged songs (she was asked to sing only a few lines). The wheel finally came full circle when S. D. Burmanda called her to render ‘Woh Na Aayenge Palatkar, Unhein Lakh Hum Bulaayein' for the Dev Anand film Devdas. This too had a few lines that had to be repeated. Lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi heard her sing and added an anta d93 ra and a asthayi to give a complete song to her, which pleased Burmanda to no end.

As was published on March 31 1987 in a news paper 'Singer Mubarak Begum, in her fifties, is still confident of her ability to sing well. Day after day she waits for her small dreams to come true. It is an endless wait in a small room where she lives with her family. Ruefully she watches the time passing by and when her own melody 'Kabhi tanhaiyon men hamari yaad ayegi' rings in. her ears she feels sad and neglected.'Success was yet to come for Mubarak.

Bimal Roy was one film – maker who gave her a chance in all his films. Even ‘Hale Dil Sunayenge’ from the hit Madhumati had just one stanza initially before Shailendra decided to write a full song for her. Only three musicians Pandit Ram Narayan on the Sarangi, a tabalchi and a harmonium player were involved in this song which was quite a success.

Her most popular number was ‘Kabhi Tanhaiyon Mein Yoon, Hamari Yaad Aayegi’ for a Kidar Sharma’s Hamari Yaad Aayegi during whose recording he listened with his eyes closed and later gave her some money. Her hesitation prompted Snehal Bhatkar, the composer for the film to tell her the myth of luck favouring those who received money from Kidar Sharma. She still considers this number to be one of her most well – known.

She sang for her personal favourites Shankar – Jaikishan in Hamrahi, Rafi, 'Mujhko Apne Gale Lagalo Ai Mere Hamrahi'; Around The World (a duet with Sharda, 'Yeh Muh Aur Masoor Ki Dal') and a qawwali in Arzoo, 'Jab Ishk Kahin Ho Jaata Hai’. She also worked with Kalyanji-Anandji in Juari, giving the hit 'Neend Ud Jaye Teri Chainse Sone Wale’ and in Yeh Dil Kisko Doon.Another of her hit number was the song 'Hume Dum Daike Souten Ghar Jaana', which was a duet with Asha Bhosle. Madan Mohan used her in Neend Humari Khwab Tumhare for 'Sakiya Ek Bhi To De'. In Saraswati Chandra for which Kalyanji – Anandji won the National Award for music, she sang ‘Vada Humse Kiya Dil Kisiko Diya' and in Kajal - 'Agar Tum Na Miloge To Main Yeh Samjhoongi’. This was the most productive period of her career with work being no constraint and offers coming at regular intervals from people who mattered.