New Delhi: Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur, whose voice defined an era of Indian cinema, died late Monday evening at the age of 89. Kalyanpur is said to have died peacefully in her Mumbai residence due to age-related reasons. Author Mangala Khadilkar, who wrote a biography of the singer’s life, said that Kalyanpur paid attention to detail in every single word, which made her songs different from others.
“We sing songs of Lataji and Ashaji, and the next generation will sing songs of Suman Tai. That is the beauty of it,” Khadilkar, author of Suman Sugandh (2015) told ANI.
Suman Kalyanpur was born in 1937 in Dhaka. In 1943, her family moved to Mumbai, where she started learning music from Pandit Keshav Rao Bhole and later from Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan and Guruji Master Navrang. She married businessman Ramanand Kalyanpur in 1958.
Kalyanpur began her career with the Marathi film Shukrachi Chandni (1953) singing ‘Bhaatukilchaa Khel Maandela’. The following year, she made her Hindi film debut in Mangu (1954), directed by Nisar Ahmed Ansari, with the song ‘Koi Pukare Dheere Se Tujhe’. It was only the beginning of a remarkable journey that would see her become one of the most respected voices in the Indian music industry.
As her popularity grew, Kalyanpur collaborated with some of the biggest music directors of the time, including Shankar–Jaikishan, Roshan, SD Burman, N Dutta, and Laxmikant–Pyarelal. Her voice was often compared to that of legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, making her one of the most discussed playback singers of her generation.
With a career spanning more than six decades, Kalyanpur recorded over 740 songs in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, and several other languages. She also sang more than 140 duets with Mohammed Rafi, forming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable playback pairings.
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A household name
One of her most celebrated songs remains ‘Aaj kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche’ from Brahmachari (1968), directed by Bhappi Sonie. Sung by Rafi and Kalyanpur, the song featured Shammi Kapoor and Mumtaz on screen. The film’s composer, Shankar-Jaikishan, won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.
Another famous duet of hers was ‘Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhi Se’ from Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), directed by Suraj Prakash. Shashi Kapoor and Nanda danced on screen as Rafi and Kalyanpur sang one of Bollywood’s most iconic songs. It remains a favourite among classic Bollywood music lovers.
‘Tumne Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aaye’ from Rajkumar (1964), directed by K Shankhar, was another iconic collaboration between the two. The song starred Shammi Kapoor and Sadhana, with music composed by Shankar–Jaikishan.
Among her solo achievements, ‘Behna Ne Bhai Ki Kalai Se’ from Resham Ki Dori (1974) earned Kalyanpur a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer at the 22nd Filmfare Awards. The film starred Dharmendra and Saira Banu.
Kalyanpur also shared the microphone with Lata Mangeshkar for ‘Kabhi Aaj, Kabhi Kal, Kabhi Parson’ from the 1959 film Chand, composed by Hemant Kumar and directed by Lekhraj Bhakri. The film featured Balraj Sahni and Meena Kumari.
Suman Kalyanpur’s duets were not limited to her collaborations with Rafi. With Mukesh, she sang songs such as ‘Mera Pyar Bhi Tu Hai’ from Saathi (1968), ‘Aaya Na Humko Pyar Jatana’ from Pehchan (1970), and ‘Chura Le Na Tumko Yeh Mausam Suhana’ from Dil Hi To Hai (1963). Her voice was evident in ‘Tum Jo Aao To Pyar Aa Jaye’ from Sakhi Robin (1962) alongside Manna Dey, and ‘Na Jaane Kaise’ from Badalte Rishtey (1978) with Kishore Kumar.
Kalyanpur did not receive as many awards as some of her contemporaries. But her contribution to Indian music remains immense and unmatched. In recognition of her extraordinary six-decade-long contribution to the arts, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)