Khurshid Bano - A nightingale of yesteryears

It is already five years when Khurshid Bano, (original name Irshad Begum) the singing actress and nightingale of Indian cinema of yesteryears died in Karachi on April 19, 2001. The Lahore-born octogenarian actress ruled the roost in the Indian film industry during the decade of the 1940s, when she rose to unprecedented heights in popularity as a sequel to mesmerising voice and superb histrionic talent.
When she made her debut in the film 'Sitara' (Music by Rafiq Ghazanvi) in the year 1939, no one could predict about the future of the new actress and the great heights she would climb during a short period of time. 'Holi' was her next film, which A.R. Kardar directed for Ranjeet Movitone, whose songs were composed by Khemchand Parkash. She played the leading role against actor Motilal in that movie. However, it was the film 'Taansen', which brought her hitherto under exposed crooning and histrionic talent to the fore, when she playacted as shepherd woman Taani against K.L. Saigal, who enacted the role of legendary Mian Taansen.
During the period spanning the years 1935 to 1945 some of the most popular musical films were produced in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Lahore and Bombay (now Mumbai), which created many landmarks in the annals of filmmaking in this part of the world. Amongst the most outstanding films of the period were New Theatres' 'Devdas', 'President, 'Meri Behan' and 'Jawab' (from Kolkata), Pancholi Art Pictures' 'Yamla Jat', 'Khazanchi' and 'Zamindar' (from Lahore) and Ranjeet Movietone's Bhagat Surdas and 'Taansen' (from Mumbai), which propelled the (then) up-and-coming Khurshid Bano to the pinnacle of fame and glory as one of the greatest singing actress of that period.
During most of the years of her film career she remained associated with Ranjeet Movietone, one of the pioneering film production houses in the Sub-continent. There were other showbiz celebrities like composers Ustad Jhandhey Khan, Khemchand Parkash and Biloo C. Rani, who composed scores of popular songs for the movies produced by Ranjeet during the decade of the 1940s.
Among the Punjabi group of artistes, who have contributed much to the refinement of film industry in Mumbai was a majority, which was born, bred and raised inside Bhatti Gate of Lahore. Known as Kardar group, it also included an actor by the name of Lala Yaqoob, who later married Khurshid Bano. They remained united as husband and wife till 1947 when the couple migrated into Pakistan. Their marriage floundered at the rock of differences and they divorced soon after their arrival in Karachi in 1947.
In Karachi, Khurshid Bano was signed for a couple of films named 'Mandi' and 'Fankar', which failed at the box office. Thereafter, she retired and married another man from Karachi to perform the role of a housewife, which she did admirably until her death on April 19, 2001.
A number of Khurshid Bano's songs still sweat on the ears. Recorded more than half a century ago, they have retained their sonic enchantment. These included 'Pehle jo mohabbat say inkar keya' hota (Pardesi, 1940), 'Panchhi Bawara, chaand say preet lagaye' composed in the strand of raga Kaidara (Bhagat Sur Das, 1942); 'gataa gun gore gore', 'Roye nainaan dukhia jiara', 'Moray bachpan kay saath' and 'Chandani raat or taarey khilley hoan' (Taansen, 1943)
Another song 'Badaria baras gaye oos par' recorded in trio with Hameeda Bano (now spending the evening of her life in Lahore) and Mukesh (Murti, 1945) continues to create soothing effects on disturbed emotions of the listeners.
Khurshid Bano was perhaps the first female singing actress from Punjab who catapulted to All-India fame. Others, who achieved this distinction subsequently, were the Kasur-born Noor Jehan and the Gujranwala-born Surriya (Jamal Shikh). Few film songs rendered by other singing actresses possessed the same kind of charm and aroma, which Khurshid Bano's had. Her songs glowed with a unique loveliness that was exclusively her's. Rendered in her somewhat bass voice her songs have retained their distinct charming qualities.