Lata Mangeshkar sang quite a number of songs with Shamshad Begum. But the most memorable was Door koi gaaye dhun yeh sunaye from Baiju Bawra. The song had a history. On Shamshad Begum's death anniversary, we take a look at her association with the Mangeshkar sisters.
Lataji had revealed in a past interaction that the one song which really stood out was for composer
Naushad in Baiju Bawra. It was Dur koi gaye dhun yeh sunaye with Shamshad Begum. As narrated by Lata ji, the set to shoot this dance number had been put up, but Lata ji had not been able to record the song since she was out of town. Naushad saab rang her up and asked her to just turn up for the recording. He assured her that they will record and shoot the song at one go. Lata Mangeshkar didn’t understand what Naushad saab meant. What he was explaining was, that the crew was waiting to get the song on the set. Lataji had to fly back, record the song and then the crew would be able to shoot it. Lata ji had further elaborated, "This was very unusual. There was no time to rehearse, Shamshadji had already sung her portions. Everything was done. Only I had to sing. There was no time to lose. It had to be a one-take recording."
Lata Mangeshkar asked Naushad saab if he thought she could pull it off. ‘Tum kar paogi’ he had told her confidently. "By God’s grace, we did it," Lataji had remarked.
Asha Bhosle, who according to some film historians had dented Shamshad Begum’s career seriously had also spoken about her in the past. It was Shamshadji’s vibrant voice that continued to ring in Asha Bhosle's ears long after her passing. When Asha ji began singing, Shamshad ji was an established name. People used to tell Asha ji that her voice had the same tonal quality. They both sang many Punjabi styled songs together, including the iconic Kajra mohabbat wala (composed by OP Nayyar in Kismat). It was very difficult for
Asha Bhosle to stand with Shamshad Begum in front of the microphone and sing in conjunction. Shamshad ji was Asha ji senior and the younger Mangeshkar sister was intimidated by that fact. "Woh mujhe pyar bhi karti thi aur daanti bhi thi," Ashaji had recalled.
"I used to take both her love and her scolding as aashirwaad. We were very close at one time. I used to visit her a lot", Asha Bhosle had confessed and added that Shamshad Begum took her under the wing and gave her a lot of affection. Asha ji used to visit Shamshad Begum's home to sit and chat with her. They had many meals together. But many years later they lost touch. Asha ji had heard from industry people that Shamshad ji was in financial distress.
Asha Bhosle had repeatedly requested acquaintances from the film industry to take her to meet Shamshad Begum during her final years. She tried hard to find out her whereabouts. But no one managed to help Asha ji in time and she could not meet Shamshad ji before she passed away.