11 Unusual Playback Singer Debuts

MUMBAI — Recently, Hema Malini, on “Indian Idol 12,” revealed that Kavita Krishnamurthi Subramaniam was a childhood and family friend. She had introduced her to composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal as a “cousin” and they gave her the first break in Hindi films—as a dubbing artiste in “Chacha Bhatija.”

Krishnamurthi had made her singing debut as a kid for a Bengali film in a song with Lata Mangeshkar (“Mor Bhabhona Kahare Bole” from the 1971 “Shriman Prithviraj”) and ultimately got her first song from L-P in “Kaahi Ko Byahi Bides” for “Maang Bharo Sajana.” But her first solo was a cover version used in the film “Kadambari” of the cult classic, “Aayega Aanewala” composed by Khemchand Prakash in “Mahal” (1949).

However, many singers also had unusual debuts in playback singing. Here are 10 more examples:

Anuradha Paudwal

Anuradha Paudwal recorded a few traditional “shloks” under her husband, compose Arun Paudwal, who also assisted S.D. Burman, for the latter’s film “Abhimaan.” These were not included in the soundtrack album. Her first full song was in Kalyanji-Anandji’s “Kalicharan” (1976) in her duet with Kanchan—“Ek Batta Do.”

Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik’s entry was by reciting a few lines in “Payal Ki Jhankar” (1980) under Rajkamal as composer in the song “Thirkat Ang Lachki Jhuki.” The first proper song was “Hum Tum Rahenge Akele” (with Amit Kumar) in Rajesh Roshan’s “Hamari Bahu Alka” (in which she had one more song with Penaz Masani) in 1982. However, her first RELEASED song was “Mere Angne Mein” from “Laawaris” (1981) under Kalyanji-Anandji, a year before her first recorded songs!

Sadhana Sargam

Sadhana Sargam’s first recording was as a child chorus singer in “Trishna” (1978)’s Kishore Kumar number, “Jeevan Ki Sargam.” It was in the early 1980s that this disciple of Kalyanji-Anandji recorded her first adult solo, “Mere Mitwa Tum Kahaan Ho” for the film “Pighalta Aasmaan” (1985) along with two more duets with Alka Yagnik. However, her first release was “Saat Saheliyaan” the film in which Kishore Kumar sang with seven female singers for Padmini Kolhapure in seven different guises. The film was “Vidhaata” (1982). Of course, all the songs were composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.

Sushma Shrestha

Giving the lie, for once, to the belief that child singers do not succeed as adult playback singers, Sushma Shrestha, introduced by Shankar-Jaikishan in “Hai Na Bolo Bolo” in “Andaz” (1971), enjoyed a popular innings as a child singer all through the 1970s and even early 1980s. In 1991, she reemerged as Poornima, a playback singer who was often a raunchy number specialist, with Anu Malik’s “Barsaat Ke Mausam Mein” (“Maa”), a hit.

Kishore Kumar

Kishore Kumar started out as a chorus singer in S.D. Burman’s debut film “Shikari” in 1946. His official singing debut was in Khemchand Prakash’s 1948 film “Ziddi” starring Dev Anand—his first recording was “Marne Ki Duaen Kyoon Maangoon.” He also sang the duet “Yeh Kaun Aaya Re” with Lata in that film. For about 20 years after this, Kishore decided to sing ONLY for Dev Anand and himself, with negligible exceptions.

Manhar Udhas

Manhar Udhas, due to a vocal similarity, dubbed the song “Aap Se Humko Bichhade Hue” in “Vishwas” under Kalyanji-Anandji for Mukesh. However, when Mukesh heard the song, he refused to over-sing it, and insisted that Manhar had sung it very well. Thus came Manhar’s singing debut!

Nitin Mukesh

Nitin Mukesh rendered a few lines, “Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye” in “Mera Naam Joker” for Rishi Kapoor under Shankar-Jaikishan in “Mera Naam Joker.” However, his first whole song was Salil Chowdhury’s “Dil Dil Se Milega” with Romanian co-singer Naarghita, who had also acted in the film “Sabse Bada Sukh” (1972).

Danny Denzongpa

The character artiste made his debut as a singer by giving playback for legendary comedian Johnny Walker in “Mera Naam Aao” from “Yeh Gulistan Hamara” (1972) under S.D. Burman. However, all his later songs were for himself, under other composers. So that was his ONLY song as a playback singer!

Sukhwinder Singh

Sukhwinder Singh rendered the introductory portions in “Karma” for the Manhar-Anuradha Paudwal duet “Maine Rab Se Tujhe Maang Liya” under Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Then came a passage in their “Naam.” His first proper song was in “Aaja Sanam” under the duo in “Khilaaf” (1991). But before that, he released a two-version Sufi qawwali, “Teri Nigaah Pe Hum Sar Jhukaane Aaye Hai” for “Yateem” and some songs in “Saudagar,” all under the same composers.

Sulakshana Pandit

Sulakshana Pandit made her singing debut at the age of 13 with “Saat Samundar Paar Se,” the hit from “Taqdeer” (1967) under Laxmikant-Pyarelal. She made her adult debut as an actress in the 1970s, also singing many songs for herself. But her first song as an adult singer was not for her own film. She sang the hit duet with and under Kishore Kumar’s music direction, “Bekaraar Dil To Gaaye Jaa” for Tanuja in “Door Ka Rahi” (1971).