Geeta Dutt

All Music Guide:

Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Roy) was one of the most influential vocalists in the history of Indian cinema. During the ten years that she was in her prime (1947-1957), she recorded the soundtracks for such popular Indian films as Do Bhai, Barsaat, Andaaz, and Mahal. Initially known for singing sorrowful ballads, Dutt successfully moved toward a more jazzy approach with the soundtrack of the 1951 film Baazi, the directing debut of her future husband, Guru Dutt. One of ten children born to a middle class family in the East Bengal village of Faridpur District, Dutt attracted attention with her singing shortly after moving with her family to Mumbai in 1942. Overheard by a music director, Hanuman Prasad, she was given two lines to sing in a 1946 film, Bhakt Prahlad. The movie's success resulted in Dutt being invited to sing the soundtrack of the film Do Bhai, the following year. Dutt's popularity continued to grow. Between 1947 and 1949, she was the most successful playback singer in India. With the emergence of Lala Manishkar in 1949, however, her status was lowered to number two. Nevertheless, Dutt continued to enjoy a thriving career. Married to Guru Dutt on May 26, 1953, Dutt's future seemed secure. The couple had two sons and a daughter. By 1957, however, the marriage had disintegrated. When Guru Dutt began a relationship with a new leading lady, Waheeda Rehman, divorce became unavoidable. In the aftermath of her divorce, Dutt attempted a return to films. Although plans were made for her to star in Gauri, intended to be India's first film in Cinemascope, the movie was shelved a few days before shooting was scheduled to begin amidst reports of Dutt's being unavailable for rehearsals or recording sessions. Following Guru Dutt's death on October 10, 1964, reportedly from an overdose of sleeping tablets, Dutt suffered a nervous breakdown. Although she recovered and attempted a comeback, appearing in Badhu Bharan in 1967 and Anubhav in 1971, she continued to drink and her health deteriorated. Dutt died of cirrhosis of the liver on July 20, 1972.

Wikipedia:

Geetā Dutt (Bengali: গীতা দত্ত, born Geetā Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri) (23 November 1930 – 20 July 1972 ) was a prominent singer in India, born in Faridpur before Partition. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema. She also sang many modern Bengali songs.

Early life

Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri was one of 10 children born in the rich Zamindar family of Debendranath Ghosh Roy Chowdhary and Amiya Devi, at Faridpur in Bengal, British India, now in Bangladesh. Her family shifted to Kolkata in early forties, leaving behind their land and properties. In 1942, her parents shifted again to an apartment in Dādar, Mumbai. Geeta was only twelve at that time and continued her schooling at the Bengali High School.

Early life

Geeta was about to step into her teens. One day she was crooning a song in her flat, music director K. Hanuman Prasad happened to hear her voice. He was much impressed, and therefore, persuaded her parents to have her try to sing in films.

Career

K. Hanuman Prasad took Geeta under his patronage, trained and groomed her in singing and later launched her into singing in the movies. In 1946, she got the first break when she got an opportunity to sing in mythological film Bhakta Prahlad (1946) for which Prasad was the music director. She was given only two lines to sing in the movie for a few songs. She was just sixteen at that time. But those two lines mesmerized everyone in the recording studio.

In a matter of another year, in 1947, she got her break with Do Bhai.

In 1946, Geeta sang her debut songs for his film Bhakta Prahlad:

In the same year, she also sang for Hunuman Prasad's other releases.

Personal life

During Geeta's recording of songs for the movie Baazi, she met the movie's young and upcoming director, Guru Dutt. Their romance culminated in marriage on 26 May 1953. Geeta went on to sing some of her best songs in his movies while continuing to sing in various other assignments as well.

Geeta and Guru Dutt had three children: Tarun (b. 1954), Arun (b. 1956), and Ninā (b. 1962).

In 1957, Guru Dutt launched a movie, Gauri, with Geeta as its singing star. It was to be India's first movie in Cinemascope, but the project was shelved after only a few days of shooting. By then, their marriage was on the rocks, Guru Dutt had got romantically involved with Waheedā Rehmān, and Geeta had taken to drinking. The breakup of their marriage affected Geeta's singing career.

In 1958, S.D. Burman had developed discord with Lata Mangeshkar as a playback singer, and he attempted to work with Geeta as the main singer of his compositions rather than the upcoming Asha Bhosle, who, he felt, was relatively raw. However, out of her personal problems, Geeta would not practice her art sufficiently, and failed to meet Burman's demanding standards. (He, and O.P. Nayyar too, then started to work with Asha and helped her blossom as a singer.)

In 1964, Guru Dutt died from a combination of alcohol and an overdose of sleeping pills. (His death was widely perceived as a suicide following two earlier attempts.) Geeta then suffered a serious nervous breakdown, and also ran into financial problems. She tried to resume her singing career, cutting discs at Durgā Pujā, and giving stage shows. She also performed in a leading role in a Bengali movie, Bhadu Bharan (1967), and sang admirably for a movie, Anubhav (1971), which turned out to her final performance to the music of Kanu Roy as she died of liver cirrhosis in 1972, at the age of 42.

Death

Geeta died of cirrhosis of the liver on 20 July 1972.

A list of notable songs

She is supposed to have sung over 1200 songs in Hindi films. In addition she has also sung songs in many Indian regional languages including Marathi, Bengali, Maithili, Bhojpuri and Punjabi.She has also sung in Nepali evergreen movie "Maitighar"

Some of the memorable songs sung under S.D. Burman's direction :

Some of the memorable songs sung under O.P. Nayyar's direction :

Some of the memorable songs sung under Hemant Kumar's direction

Others

Some memorable Bengali songs :