Mubarak Begum (5 January 1936 18 July 2016) was an Indian vocalist who sang in the

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' playback singer in

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

films during the 1950s and 1960s. She had also recorded and given public performances in a number of other

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

s, including Ghazal and Na`at.

Career

Mubarak Begum started her career with light music recitals performed for

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All ...

, India's national public radio station. Her career as a playback singer began in 1949, with the Indian Hindi-language film ''

Aiye ''Aiye '' is an Indian Bollywood social family film. It was released in 1949. Produced and directed by Yakub under Indian Productions banner, it had music by Nashad. The film had Sulochana Chatterjee, Noor Mohammed Charlie, Masood, Jankidas, S ...

''. It was the Indo-Pakistani composer

Nashad Nashad ( ur, ) (11 July 1923 – 14 January 1981) was a film composer and music director of Indian and Pakistani film industry. He composed music for Hindi films in the 1940s and 1950s, credited on-screen under the names Nashad and then later ...

(not to be confused with Indian composer

Naushad Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was an Indian music director for Hindi films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and foremost music directors of the Hindi film industry. He is particularly known for popularising the ...

) who gave Begum her first break. The first song she recorded for films was "Mohe Aane Lagi Angrayi, Aaja Aaja" (''

'' (1949). She also sang a duet with the then-upcoming

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...

in the same film. A well-recognized song in her career was "Kabhi Tanhaiyon Mein Yun", composed by Snehal Bhatkar for

Kidar Sharma Kidar Nath Sharma, also Kedar Sharma (12 April 1910 – 29 April 1999), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and Lyricist of Hindi films. While he had great success as a director of such movies as '' Neel Kamal'' (1947), ''Bawre N ...

's film ''

Hamari Yaad Aayegi ''Hamari Yaad Aayegi'' (You Will Remember Me) is a 1961 Hindi romantic drama film, written and directed by Kidar Sharma. Produced under the banner of Show People, the director of photography was D. C. Mehta. The music was composed by Snehal Bhat ...

'' (1961).

Popular songs

Mubarak Begum sang a total of 178 songs for

Hindi films Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

during her career, and the total number of films where her songs have appeared is 115. For a complete list of her songs, see List of songs recorded by Mubarak Begum. The following is a short list of her most popular songs: *"Mujh ko Apne Gale Lagalo, Aye Mere Hamrahi", with lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri, and music by

Shankar Jaikishan Shankar may refer to: People *Shankar (name), including a list of people with the name * Sankar (writer) (Mani Shankar Mukherjee), Bengali writer * L. Shankar, Indian violinist * S. Shankar, Indian film director commonly credited as Shankar *Sanka ...

(from '' Hamrahi'', 1963) *"Kabhi Tanhaayon Mein Yun, Hamari Yaad Aayegi", with lyrics by

, and music by Snehal Bhatkar (from ''

'', 1961) *"Neend Ud Jaaye Teri, Chain se Sone Wale" (from ''

Juaari ''Juaari'' is a 1994 Bollywood film starring Armaan Kohli, Dharmendra and Shilpa Shirodkar. The film was released on 7 July 1994. The film didn't do well at the box office and was declared as flop. Plot Police Inspector Dharam Singh (Dharmend ...

'', 1968) *"Woh na aayenge palat kar", with lyrics by

Sahir Ludhianvi Abdul Hayee (8 March 1921 – 25 October 1980), popularly known by his pen name (takhallus) Sahir Ludhianvi, was an Indian poet and film song lyricist who wrote primarily in Urdu in addition to Hindi. His work influenced Indian cinema, i ...

, and music by

S. D. Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one o ...

(from ''Devdas'', 1955) *"Hum haal-e-dil sunayenghe, sunyay ke na sunyay", with lyrics by Shailendra, and music by

Salil Chowdhury Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1925 – 5 September 1995) was an Indian music director, songwriter, lyricist, writer and poet who predominantly composed for Bengali, Hindi and Malayalam films. He composed music for films in 13 languages. This in ...

(from ''

Madhumati ''Madhumati'' is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language paranormal romance film directed and produced by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The film stars Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar in lead roles, with Pran and John ...

'', 1958) *"Wada humse kiya, dil kisi ko diya" (from ''Saraswatichandra'', 1968) *"Be-murawwat bewafa begana-e dil aap hain", with lyrics by

Jan Nisar Akhtar Jan Nisar Akhtar (18 February 1914 – 19 August 1976) was an Indian poet of Urdu ghazals and nazms, and a part of the Progressive Writers' Movement, who was also a lyricist for Bollywood. He was son of Muztar Khairabadi and great grandson ...

, and music by C. Arjun (from '' Susheela'', 1966) *"Ae dil bataa hum kahan aa gaye" (from ''Khooni Khazana'', 1965) *"Kuchh Ajnabi se aap hain" (from ''

Shagun ''Shagun'' was an Indian Hindi language television series that aired every Monday to Thursdays 2:30pm and later at 2pm on Star Plus from 15 January 2001 to 29 April 2004. It is the story of fortune's twists and pitfalls that tear asunder the l ...

'', 1964) *"Ayji ayji yaad rakhna sanam" (from '' Daku Mansoor'', 1961) *"Shama Gul Karke Na Jao Yun" (from ''Arab Ka Sitara'', 1961) *"Sanwariya teri yaad mein ro ro marenge hum" (from ''Ramu Toh Deewana Hai'', 1980) *"Humein Dum Daike, Sautan Ghar Jana" a duet with

Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in th ...

, with lyrics by

Qamar Jalalabadi Om Prakash Bhandari (9 March 1917 – 9 January 2003), better known as Qamar Jalalabadi, was an Indian poet and lyricist of songs for Hindi movies. He composed the title track of the popular television serial Vikram Aur Betaal. Early life He ...

, and music by Iqbal Qureshi (from '' Yeh Dil Kisko Doon'', 1963) *"Yeh moonh aur masoor ki daal", with Sharda (from ''Around the World'' (1967)

Personal life

Mubarak Begum was born into a Muslim family at hunjhunua district town in

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...

. She was married to Mr. Shaikh, a man from her own community, and she was the mother of two children, a son and a daughter. Her husband and daughter are both no longer living; in her later years, she lived with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Although she was a well-known singer, Begum was not able to capitalize on her talents. She did not have the savvy "networking" skills that are so important in careers connected to the entertainment industry, and her career remained stilted as a result. While a competent singer, she was not as skilled in business matters. She was more interested in the music than the money, and her day-to-day expenses and generosity did not allow her to save much money. In a 2016 interview, given before she died, when asked, she said that the Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali was her favorite singer.A Tribute to legendary singer Mubarak Begum, Interview with Mubarak Begum on YouTube
Published 20 April 2016, Retrieved 14 June 2022 Begum's daughter, who had been suffering from

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

, died in October 2015, after which Begum's own health took a serious downturn. In May 2016, the press reported that Begum was in hospital and that her family were unable to pay her medical bills. She lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Behram Bagh, in the

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

suburb of

Jogeshwari Jogeshwari (Pronunciation: ͡ʒoɡeːʃʋəɾiː is a suburb located in the western part of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is notable for its caves - 'Jogeshwari Caves', particularly one containing a shrine of the Hindu Hindus (; ...

, with her family, consisting of a son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Her sole income was a pension which she received from her late husband's employer. This pension was reported by Indian news channel

NDTV New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company focusing on broadcast and digital news publication. The company is considered to be a legacy brand that pioneered independent news broadcasting in India, and is credited for launching t ...

to be Rs.800 ($12) per monthMubarak Begum once a famous singer needs help
NDTV website, Updated 7 March 2013, Retrieved 14 June 2022 and by Indian newspaper '' DNA'' to be Rs.3000/- ($45) per month;Bollywood takes Mubarak Begum to heart
DNA (Daily News and Analysis) newspaper, Published 21 November 2013, Retrieved 14 June 2022 both figures are extremely paltry by Indian standards, and utterly inadequate for a person's sustenance. Begum was dependent on her son, Hussain Shaikh, who earned an uncertain income by freelancing as a chauffeur, and Begum was cared for by her daughter-in-law. Begum's daughter-in-law, Zarina Hussain Shaikh, told the press that the actor

Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...

was virtually the only person from the Hindi film industry who was helping the family financially, on a sustained, long-term basis. He had been paying the full costs of all medicine required by the elderly Begum. The singer

consoled Begum after the death of her daughter and grieved with her. In June 2016, Vinod Tawde, a

BJP The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...

minister in the government of Maharashtra, stepped in to help the family. Tawde found that there were no government schemes under which he could release money to Begum's family, therefore he asked a charitable trust run by people close to him to help, and they provided Begum with some money.

Filmography

*''

'' (1949) (her debut film, music by Shaukat Ali Nashad) *''Basera'' (1950) *''Dolti Naiya'' (1950) *''Phoolon Ka Haar'' (1951) (music by

Hansraj Behl Hansraj Behl (19 November 1916 – 20 May 1984) was an Indian music composer, who composed music both for Hindi and Punjabi films. Early life and education Born in Ambala, British Punjab, Hansraj received his early education in music from ...

) *''Mamta'' (1952) *''Mordhawj'' (1952) *''Sheesha'' (1952) *''Char Chand'' (1953) *''Daera'' (1953) *''Dharma Patni'' (1953) *''Africa'' (1954) *''Aamir'' (1954) *''Aulad'' (1954) *''

Chandni Chowk The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was b ...

'' (1954) *''Dak Babu'' (1954) *''Gawaiya'' (1954) *''Gul Bahar'' (1954) *''Har Jeet'' (1954) *''Maan'' (1954) *''Rishta'' (1954) * '' Shabaab'' (1954) (music by

) *''Sangam'' (1954) *''Tatar Ke Chor'' (1954) *''Baradari'' (1955) *''

Devdas ''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidd ...

'' (1955) (music by S.D. Burman) *''Jasoos'' (1955) *''Patit Pawan'' (1955) *''Khandan'' (1955) *''

Kundan Kundan, meaning pure gold, is a traditional form of Indian gemstone jewellery involving a gem set with a gold foil between the stones and its mount, usually for elaborate necklaces and other jewellery. History Origins of Kundan jewelleries i ...

'' (1955) *''Rukhsana'' (1955) *''Sau Ka Note'' (1955) *''Sakhi Lutera'' (1955) *''Aan Baan'' (1956) *''Awara Shahzadi'' (1956) *''Badal Aur Bijli'' (1956) *''Baghdad Ka Jadoo'' (1956) *''Baghi Saudagar'' (1956) *''Dhola Maru'' (1956) *''Fighting Queen'' (1956) *''Harihar Bhakti'' (1956) *''Jungle Queen'' (1956) *''Lal-E-Yaman'' (1956) *''Rangeen Raatein'' (1956) *''Sultana Daku'' (1956) *''Fashion'' (1957) *''Gateway of India'' (1957) *''Maharani'' (1957) *''Paisa'' (1957) *''Parvin'' (1957) *''Patal Pari'' (1957) *''Chetak Rana Pratap'' (1958) *''Jungle Princess'' (1958) *''

'' (1958) (music by

) *''Sim Sim Marjina'' (1958) *''Behram Daku'' (1959) *''Chini Jadugar'' (1959) *''Maa Ke Ansoo'' (1959) *''Jalim Jadugar'' (1960) *'' Mughl-e-Azam'' (1960) *''Return of Mr. Superman'' (1960) *''Veer Durghadas'' (1960) *''Arab Ka Sitara'' (1961) *''Daku Mansoor'' (1961) *''Dekhi Teri Bombay'' (1961) *''Gypsy Girl'' (1961) *''

'' (1961) (her most popular film song, music by Snehal Bhatkar) *''Piya Milan Ki Aas'' (1961) *''Shahi Farman'' (1961) *''Zindagi Aur Khwab'' (1961) *''Cobra Girl'' (1963) *'' Hamrahi'' (1963) (music by Shankar-Jaikishan) *''Sunehre Nagin'' (1963) *'' Yeh Dil Kisko Doon'' (1963) *''Aandhi Aur Toofan'' (1964) *''Balma Bada Nadan'' (1964) *''Fariyad'' (1964) *''Hameer Haath'' (1964) *''Kab Ho Hain Gawana Hamaar'' (1964) *''Magic Carpet'' (1964) *''Marvel Man'' (1964) *''Naihar Chutal Jai'' (1964) *''Pahadi Nagin'' (1964) *''Punar Milan'' (1964) *''Qawwali Ki Raat'' (1964) *'' Shagoon'' (1964) *''Tarzan and Captain Kishore'' (1964) *'' Arzoo'' (1965) *''Black Arrow'' (1965) *''Khooni Khazana'' (1965) *''Main Hoon Jadugar'' (1965) *''Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain'' (1965) *''More Man Mitwa'' (1965) *''

Kaajal ''Kaajal'' () is a 1965 Bollywood film produced by Pannalal Maheshwari and directed by Ram Maheshwari. The film stars Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra, Padmini, Mumtaz, Mehmood, Durga Khote, Helen. The film's music is by Ravi. The film i ...

'' (1965) *''Tarzan and the King Kong'' (1965) *''Gagola'' (1966) *'' Neend Humari Khwab Tumhare'' (1966) (music by

Madan Mohan Madan Mohan is a form of the Hindu god, Krishna. Krishna is celebrated as ''Madan Mohan'', who mesmerizes everyone. His consort, Radha is glorified as Madan Mohan's ''Mohini'', who can even mesmerise Madan Mohan (her Kahn). Radha is known as th ...

) *''Professor Aur Jadugar'' (1966) *''Sushila'' (1966) *''

Teesri Kasam ''Teesri Kasam'' () is a 1966 Hindi language drama film directed by Basu Bhattacharya and produced by lyricist Shailendra. It is based on the short story ''Mare Gaye Gulfam'', by the Hindi novelist Phanishwarnath Renu. The film stars Raj Kapoo ...

'' (1966) *''Zimbo Finds a Son'' (1966) *''Awara Ladki'' (1967) *''Around the World'' (1967) *''Mera Bhai Mera Dushman'' (1967) *''Poonam Ki Chand'' (1967) *''

'' (1968) (music by Kalyanji-Anandji) *'' Saraswatichandra'' (1968) *''Hum Ek Hain'' (1969) *''Chetna'' (1970) *''Chandan'' (1971) *''Annadata'' (1972) *''Ek Bechara'' (1972) *''Chattan Singh'' (1974) *''Subah Zaroor Ayegi'' (1977) *''Ramu Toh Deewana Hain'' (1980) *''Sister'' (1980) *''Ganga Mang Rahi Balidan'' (1981) *''Nai Imarat'' (1981)

Death

Mubarak Begum died on 18 July 2016 in Mumbai, India at age 80.Legendary playback singer Mubarak Begum dies at 80
The Hindu (newspaper), Published 19 July 2016, Retrieved 14 June 2022

References

External links

*
'Leading singers stifled my voice: Mubarak Begum', The Tribune newspaper
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begum, Mubarak 1930s births 2016 deaths Indian women playback singers Indian women ghazal singers People from Churu district Bollywood playback singers Indian performers of Islamic music Islamic music Singers from Rajasthan 20th-century Indian women singers 20th-century Indian singers Women musicians from Rajasthan