Kamal Dasgupta: The Legend Lives On by Shafin Ahmed
Prithviraj Dasgupta
The article below is written by Kamal Dasgupta's
son. Sharing the article with RMIM-ers...
-Prithviraj
---------------------------------------------------
URL of newsitem (has a picture of Kamal Dasgupta):
http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/07/20/d30720140176.htm
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sun. July 20, 2003
Kamal Das Gupta
The legend lives on
Shafin Ahmed
During 1930s to '50s it was like a proverb in the music arena that "No
matter where and how much you try, in the end you will have to go to
Kamal Das Gupta to find success." Among many artistes who found
recognition through Kamal Das Gupta's compositions were Juthika Roy,
Jogonmoy Mitra, Shanta Apté, Hemant Mukherjee, Talat Mahmood,
Shubhalakshmi, K. Mallik, Indubala, Angurbala, Mrinal Kanti, Satya
Chowdhury and of course Feroza Begum, the finest Nazrul Sangeet
artiste. The total number of songs composed by him is an astonishing
number of over 8000 of which about 400 are Nazrul songs.
The 29th death anniversary of the sub-continent's greatest music
composer/director Kamal Das Gupta will be observed today.
Early DaysAt the age of only eighteen, my father joined His Master's
Voice (HMV) as a music director. His full name was Kamalprasanna
Dasgupta. My grandparents were in village Kalia of Jessore district,
although it was in Kuchbihar, when the family had moved there, where
my father was born on 28th of July in the year 1912. His schooling
started in Kuchbihar, and he graduated as an engineer from the Bengal
Engineering College in Shibpur.
My grandparents Taraprasanna Dasgupta and Kaminiranjan Dasgupta were
both well trained in classical music and hence a musical environment
existed at home. My father would say that because of the disciplined
training in music at home five/six out of the ten brothers and sisters
could record songs at HMV at very early ages, and three brothers
excelled as music directors, including his eldest brother Bimal Das
Gupta and his younger brother Shubal Das Gupta, who composed many
memorable songs. The two brothers Kamal and Shubal would sing kawali
in the radio as Chand-Suraj Kawals.
Kamal Das Gupta had his first formal training in music from his elder
brother. Then he devoted three/four years for learning and practicing
mainly Sargam in the company of the famous singer Sri Krishna Chandra
Dey, who was blind. But, it was the renowned Ustad Zamiruddin Khan who
was Kamal Das Gupta's true Guru. Kamal Das Gupta was already getting
busy as a promising music director at HMV. It did not take time for
the Ustadji to notice the extraordinary talents of this young man who
had already mastered the basics. Kamal Das Gupta learned all he could
from the Thumri king Ustad Zamiruddin Khan, and like an expert
craftsman brought out the deepest secrets of Sur to compose his
immortal tunes.
His composition was first released as a record in 1932 in the voice of
Satyaboti.
Music StylesKamal Das Gupta has worked with various styles of music.
He composed Geet and Bhajan in Hindi, he did Urdu Naat, Thumri, and
Ghazals. His Raaga based songs were truly wonderful. Bhairabi was
probably one of his favourites, because he composed several hundred
songs in Bhairabi, a few famous ones are Jaani Jaani Akdin
Bhalobeshechilé More; More Na Mitité Aasha Bhangilo Khela; Ami Bhorer
Juthika; Jetha Gaan Theme Jaé; Ghari Ek Na Suhabé Piya.
His unique application of rhythm can be found in many instances. About
four to five hundred of his songs are indeed special in this respect
and could be analysed deeply. Let me mention just a handful of such
songs, which have delighted those who have followed Kamal Das Gupta's
songs Jodi Bhalo Na Lagé to Diona Mon (film: Jogajoge); Ami Chanchol
Jhorna Dhara; Ami Bonophul Go (Kawali rhythm); Shopné Dekhi Ekti Notun
Ghar (Dadra played in half time); More Mon Cholé Jaé Shei Deshe Go
(Dadra mixed with Jhumur).
Geets like O Preet Nivané wali; Kitné Dukh Bhulaya Tumné in the voice
of Hemanta Mukherjee are worth mentioning here.
After the second World War, around the mid-1940s, one would find
expressions of rebellion and protest in some of his songs. An unique
blend of romance and revolution are found in these ever popular songs
Prithibi Amaré Chaé; Jegé Aachhi Eka Jegé Aachi Karagaré; Ami Duronto
Baishakhi Jhor; Jaader Jiban Bhora Shudhu aakhijol; Shotek Borosho
Poré. All of these songs have resonated for years throughout Bengal.
Kazi Nazrul and Kamal Das GuptaIt is a long chapter in the life of
Kamal Das Gupta. He is recognised as the foremost composer of Nazrul
songs besides Kazi Nazrul Islam himself. My father had worked closely
with Kobi Nazrul for long eleven years from 1934 to 1945. It is indeed
an important chapter in the history of Bengali culture.
The two spent many busy mornings, tired afternoons, vibrant evenings
and late nights in the company of each other. Readers might find it
interesting to know how a typical day in the lives of these two great
men was, as narrated by my father himself: "A lot of hard work was put
in by the two of us each day. At 8 in the morning Kazi Da would start
writing lyrics and melody in the HMV rehearsal room for the first
artistes to come. Some lyrics he would pass on to me to tune, while I
would be busy making other songs. By 9 AM the first group of singers
would arrive for their training. One hour was allotted for them. The
second group of singers would then come for their training and so on
until 3 PM. We had no break up to that time. After 3, we would start
preparing songs for the next day, which would end at 6 PM. This
afternoon session was between just the two of us. Sometimes I would be
in his room, sometimes he would be in mine. Kazi Da would leave at 6
PM. Kazi Da and I have spent years and years without having a day-time
meal. Often, food were arranged to be brought from home, but it would
remain untouched. There was no time."
Films and Kamal Das GuptaA vast expanse of Kamal Das Gupta's glorious
career covered films. He made music for more than forty films during
the period 1936 to 1967. Those were in Bangla, Hindi, Tamil, and
English documentaries. Kamal Das Gupta's first film was Pandit Moshai
(1936) and the last one was Bodhubaran (1967). I believe he will
always be remembered for his songs in such movies as Gormil, Shesh
Uttar, Jogajog, Gobindodas, Bhagaban Sri Krishna Choitanyo, Meghdoot
(Hindi).
Kamal Das Gupta and Feroza BegumThe finest ever Nazrul Sangeet singer
met Kamal Das Gupta as early as in the 1930s. Feroza Begum's
incredible talent took her beyond the boundaries of Faridpur district
to Kolkata at an early age. It was her strong desire to learn music
that brought her in contact with Kamal Das Gupta. They tied the knot
of marriage in 1956. Kamal Das Gupta took special care in training
Feroza Begum realising her potential to become a great artiste. For
correct manifestation and for exposing Nazrul's songs to the wider
world, the Kamal-Feroza pair's contribution is simply unassailable.
Last Days in DhakaMy gloriously successful father left us all forever,
on the 20th of July 1974 at the P.G. Hospital in Dhaka. We had moved
to Dhaka from Kolkata in 1967. But the small horizon of Dhaka's music
and the government of the time made the giant feel caged. After the
independence of Bangladesh, my father was given the citizenship of
Bangladesh and was later offered the position of Chief Music Director
of the Transcription Service of Bangladesh Betar. He had lamented that
six years of inactivity had done him a lot of harm and they should
take from him whatever they could. He had planned to develop an
orchestra, a concert hall and teach training methods, short hand
notation and several other projects for the Transcription Service.
My father had a strong personality, but he was polite. He was
generous, he felt for the poor. During the famine of 1950 in Kolkata,
My father fed a hundred people everyday for months. As a growing up
child I used to be thrilled to hear that my famous father owned an
American built gorgeous Buick car in those days in Kolkata.
My father was a big follower of Cricket, perhaps the reason why we
three brothers have always been keen on Cricket. Tahsin and Hamin
actually played top level Cricket, and Hamin had made it to the
Bangladesh National Team. Memories of winter mornings on roof top,
listening to Cricket commentary together on the radio, coming from far
away Australia or England are all so vivid.
I also remember the first time my mother bought us a guitar, which
Hamin and I were trying to play. My father hearing from the next room,
told us how to first tune the six strings of the guitar on EADGBE, and
how if we knew where Sâ was, we could tune the rest of the strings.
The last Nazrul song my father had tuned was appropriately written:
Khela Shesh Holo
Shesh Hoy Nai Bela....
naniwadekar
> son. Sharing the article with RMIM-ers...
>
>
> URL of newsitem (has a picture of Kamal Dasgupta):
> http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/07/20/d30720140176.htm
>
> Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
> Sun. July 20, 2003
>
> Kamal Das Gupta
> The legend lives on
> Shafin Ahmed
>
Thanks for the link, Prithviraj.
I have a few questions, comments and corrections to make.
> During 1930s to '50s it was like a proverb in the music arena that "No
> matter where and how much you try, in the end you will have to go to
> Kamal Das Gupta to find success." Among many artistes who found
> recognition through Kamal Das Gupta's compositions were Juthika Roy,
> Jogonmoy Mitra, Shanta Apté, Hemant Mukherjee, Talat Mahmood,
> Shubhalakshmi, K. Mallik, Indubala, Angurbala, Mrinal Kanti, Satya
> Chowdhury and of course Feroza Begum, the finest Nazrul Sangeet
> artiste. The total number of songs composed by him is an astonishing
> number of over 8000 of which about 400 are Nazrul songs.
>
1) It is preposterous to suggest that Shanta Apte found recognition
through Kamal-da's compositions. But since the composer's son may
well be a frog in the well, let us move on.
2) Is the figure of 8,000 songs realistic?
3) Is Feroza Begum commonly accepted as 'the Finest Nazrul Singer' ?
>
> Gupta and his younger brother Shubal Das Gupta, who composed many
> memorable songs.
>
A question for our Bengali friends : which is the correct (or
better) iTrans spelling of the name : subal or shubal ?
>
>
> Last Days in Dhaka - My gloriously successful father left us all forever,
> on the 20th of July 1974 at the P.G. Hospital in Dhaka. We had moved
> to Dhaka from Kolkata in 1967. But the small horizon of Dhaka's music
> and the government of the time made the giant feel caged.
>
I don't know how active Kamal-da was as composer of non-film songs
after his Bengali Film Madhu Malati(1956) but his film output after
1956 is limited to just one film. Most composers have done very
little quality work after 45, and since Kamal-da turned 45 in 1957,
it is not unreasonable to expect that his days were over.
He had invested/saved most of his savings in a Bank in Calcutta
and he lost all of it when the Bank went bankrupt. His brain
was affected by the shock. I don't know when this happened;
it might have happened around 1965, to make a guess. Talat
had told Madhav Moholkar that he and some other singers had
tried to help Kamal-da but he never recovered fully from the
shock. I have also heard whispers (don't remember from which
sources) that Feroza Begum did not treat him particularly well
in his final years.
His finest years were 1941-1955 and they mark him as one of
our very greatest composers.
- dn
Prithviraj Dasgupta
> Thanks for the link, Prithviraj.
> I have a few questions, comments and corrections to make.
>
>
>
> > During 1930s to '50s it was like a proverb in the music arena that "No
> > matter where and how much you try, in the end you will have to go to
> > Kamal Das Gupta to find success." Among many artistes who found
> > recognition through Kamal Das Gupta's compositions were Juthika Roy,
> > Jogonmoy Mitra, Shanta Apté, Hemant Mukherjee, Talat Mahmood,
> > Shubhalakshmi, K. Mallik, Indubala, Angurbala, Mrinal Kanti, Satya
> > Chowdhury and of course Feroza Begum, the finest Nazrul Sangeet
> > artiste. The total number of songs composed by him is an astonishing
> > number of over 8000 of which about 400 are Nazrul songs.
> >
>
> 1) It is preposterous to suggest that Shanta Apte found recognition
> through Kamal-da's compositions. But since the composer's son may
> well be a frog in the well, let us move on.
>
> 2) Is the figure of 8,000 songs realistic?
>
> 3) Is Feroza Begum commonly accepted as 'the Finest Nazrul Singer' ?
>
You must remember that this article was written by
KamalDG and Feroza Begum's son. So, moderate exaggerations
like the ones noted by you in the 3 points above,
although undesirable in a serious evaluation,
are not very surprising in a personal evaluation
from a family member. To answer your queries above:
Ans 2: 8000 does not sound realistic to me either. I roughly
calculated the number of Bengali songs composed by
Hemant and it came to less than 3000. And remember,
in comparison to KamalDG, Hemant was composing over
a longer period.
Ans 3: There are several Nazrulgeeti exponents and FerozaB
is one of them. As regards "finest Nazrul singer",
there can be no consensus as it depends on personal
opinions. FB became popular in the 80-s when other
stalwarts of Nazrulgeeti like Suprova Sircar, Dhiren Mitra,
Dr. Anjali Mukherjee, Jnanendra Prasad, etc. had
either passed away or stopped singing. Personally,
I never became a big fan of her style.
>
> >
> > Gupta and his younger brother Shubal Das Gupta, who composed many
> > memorable songs.
> >
>
> A question for our Bengali friends : which is the correct (or
> better) iTrans spelling of the name : subal or shubal ?
>
subal. Also, that's how it's spelled on some records/cassettes
that bear his name.
> >
> >
> > Last Days in Dhaka - My gloriously successful father left us all forever,
> > on the 20th of July 1974 at the P.G. Hospital in Dhaka. We had moved
> > to Dhaka from Kolkata in 1967. But the small horizon of Dhaka's music
> > and the government of the time made the giant feel caged.
> >
>
> I don't know how active Kamal-da was as composer of non-film songs
> after his Bengali Film Madhu Malati(1956) but his film output after
> 1956 is limited to just one film. Most composers have done very
> little quality work after 45, and since Kamal-da turned 45 in 1957,
> it is not unreasonable to expect that his days were over.
I haven't heard any song composed by him post-1951. Even
the 2 songs released in 1951 and sung by Jagmohan are remakes
of songs sung by KamalDG himself in early 1940s. I guess
he was not very prolific starting from the early 50-s
itself. I don't think his films after Meghdoot (as per
filmography posted by you on RMIM) were great
musical successes which might explain his dwindling
assignments in the 50-s.
-Prithviraj
Ashok
prith...@yahoo.com€ says...
>
>Ans 2: 8000 does not sound realistic to me either. I roughly
>calculated the number of Bengali songs composed by
>Hemant and it came to less than 3000. And remember,
>in comparison to KamalDG, Hemant was composing over
>a longer period.
>
When you say the figure is less than 3,000 for Hemant's
Bangla compositions, I assume that you put it close to
3,000. 500 would be less than 3,000, but would make
the estimate facetious.
That's the preamble for my real message. i find 3,000
to be excessive. e.g., Shankar-Jaisishan have been quite
prolific. Their total output is about 1,350.
Ashok
