K L Saigal

7836 Plays on Hummaa, 4 different languages
118 Tracks on Hummaa
Hindi 81
Bengali 18
Urdu 17
K L Saigal’s biography
Kundan Lal Saigal was really the first male superstar of Indian Cinema who set the tone for musical melodrama acting in the 1930s and 40s. Though not conventionally good-looking and balding (in fact he always wore a wig to cover his baldness), people responded to his everyman demeanor and to that voice…even when articulating dialogue. Saigal was born in Jammu and as a child occasionally played Sita in the Ramlila of Jammu. His only formal training apparently came from a little known Sufi peer, Salman Yussuf. The singing tradition he assimilated had little classical rigour but emphasized the poetic blending of syllables into musical forms like the thumri and ghazal. His renditions of Mirza Ghalib's poetry and his identification with its tragic iconography formed the famous Saigal persona. A school dropout, he worked first as a railway time-keeper and then as a typewriter salesman before B.N. Sircar recruited him at New Theatres. Saigal's style was substantially shaped at New Theatres by R.C. Boral, Pankaj Mullick and Timir Baran. Saigal's first film was Mohabbat ke Aansoo (1932) but it was with the success of Chandidas (1934) that he became a star. The following year saw him in his career-defining role - the title role in Devdas (1935) directed by P.C. Barua. The film was a triumph for Saigal and took him to dizzying heights. Saigal brought alive the character of Devdas creating the archetype of the relentlessly luckless, tragic hero. His brooding looks, the vagrant lock of hair, the resonant voice filled with love and despair drove the nation into a frenzy. His songs in the film Balam Aaye Baso Mere Man Mein and Dukh ke Din Ab Beete Nahin became smash hits. In the latter song Saigal obliterates the artificial barriers that separate prose, recitation and song as he breaks the melodic progression of the song by laughing bitterly at his own squalour. In fact, Saigal remains the definitive Devdas even though the role has subsequently been played by such thespians like Dilip Kumar and A. Nageshwara Rao. Saigal was fortunate in that he worked for an institution like New Theatres. Known for their quality filmmaking, Saigal featured in many of the studio's masterpieces - Didi (Bengali)/ President (Hindi) (1937), Saathi (Bengali)/ Street Singer (Hindi) (1938), Zindagi (1940). In Street Singer Saigal's rendition of Babul Mora was done live in front of the camera. Though playback had come into vogue, he convinced director Phani Majumdar he would do a better job live in front of the camera. Thus Saigal 'walked the streets' in the studio singing Babul Mora, with the entire orchestra following him out of the camera's reach. The result was magic! Seeing the popularity Saigal had, Sagar Movietone launched Surendra as an answer to Saigal and though he had a distinguished career of his own, Saigal was still Saigal. In the early 40s Saigal moved to Bombay working with Ranjit Movietone. Bhakt Surdas (1942) and Tansen (1943) were big hits and consolidated his popularity. The songs of Tansen are resplendent in their royal glory. The film successfully shapes the classical and semi-classical thumris and dadras to the need of cinema. Above all, the film is still remembered for Saigal's astonishing rendering of Diya Jalao in raga Deepak. Saigal returned to New Theatres to do Meri Bahen (1944). The film is technically one of Saigal's best films at New Theatres and was known of course for its music with songs like Do Naina Matware and Ae Qatib-e-Taqdeer Mujhe Itna Bata De. However alcohol was by now fast overtaking Saigal's life. It was said he could only sing only when fortified with liquor. His health began failing. A last ditch effort at abstinence proved useless as he was too far-gone and in early 1947 Saigal passed away in Jullunder. But not before giving us such melodic gems like Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Ae Dil-e-Bekaraar Jhoom, Jab Dil hi Toot Gaya - from Shah Jehan (1946). Such was the power and mystique of Saigal's singing that singers like Mukesh and Kishore Kumar started their careers singing in the 'Saigal style' before etchingout their own identities. It is over half a century since Saigal passed away but his haunting resonant, voice continues to enthrall listeners.


Content Courtesy: downmelodylane
Top tracks of K L Saigal
 Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya from Album Kundan Dard Vol 1 (cx) (Hindi)679
 Duniya Rang Rangili Bada from Album The Melody Of Saigal (Hindi)537
 Babul Mora from Album Memories Of Greatness Vol 3 (Hindi)536
 Gham Diya Mustaquil from Album Kundan Dard Vol 1 (cx) (Hindi)483
 Ek Bangla Bane Nyara from Album Kundan Jazbaat Vol 2 (cx) (Hindi)453
 So Ja Rajkumari from Album Kundan Jazbaat Vol 2 (cx) (Hindi)432
 Karun Kya Aas Nirash Bhai from Album Hits Of K.l.saigal (Hindi)420
 Aye Qatib E-taqadeer Mujhe from Album Kundan Dard Vol 1 (cx) (Hindi)414
 Ab Kya Bataun Mein from Album The Greatest Love Songs Of K.l.saigal (Hindi)278
 Chah Barbaad Karegi Hemen from Album Kundan Dard Vol 1 (cx) (Hindi)249
  • Leave a comment for K L Saigal
Bharat Kapoor on K L Saigal:
06 Aug,2009 at 09:45 AM
immortal voice
Patanjali Sastry on K L Saigal:
06 Jun,2009 at 08:51 AM
we have only one saigal and one rahman . words fail. may be abstract paintings could describe their music
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