The World of Salil Chowdhury

  • Lata Mangeshkar
  • Sabita Chowdhury
  • Hemanta Mukherjee
  • Dwijen Mukherjee
  • Antara Chowdhury
  • Shyamal Mitra
  • Madhuri Chattopadhyay
  • Subir Sen
  • Saikat Mitra
  • Haimanti Shukla
  • Arundhati Holme-Chowdhury
  • Shibaji Chattopadhyay
  • Sandhya Mukherjee
  • Other Singers

Sandhya Mukherjee
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Sandhya Mukherjee

It was the beginning of '50s when Salil wrote those unforgettable songs, such as 'Shyamal Baroni ogo kanya'. 'Prantarero Gaan amaar' and in 1953 came Sandhya's 'Ujjal Ek jhank paayra'. A very unusual composition for early '50s.
I just don't understand why Salil wrote so few songs for such a talented singer such as Sandhya Mukherjee. She had a superb and well-trained voice and at one time she became the most popular female playback singer in the Bengali films during the famous Uttam-Suchitra era ! She sang numerous popular songs for other composers but very few for Salil. One of her most memorable Salil songs 'Shrabon ajhore jharey' in the film 'Kinu Goalaar Goli' is just spell-binding. Another beautiful song of Sandhya, which was never released commercially was in fact recorded for All India Radio, Calcutta. Few people have heard this beautiful song 'Godhulir shaanto chhayaay'.

Hnd = Hindi; Mal = Malayalam; Tam = Tamil; Tel = Telegu; Kan = Kannada; Bng = Bengali; Oth = Other

Nr

Song

Year

Any other variations

Hnd Mal Tam Tel Kan Bng Oth
SM1 Ujjal Ak jhaank paayra
Lyric:Bimalchandra Ghosh		 1953 - OB34 - - - - -
SM2 Aay bristi Jhempey 1953

MB4

- TI3 - - - -
SM3 Jaare jaa phire jaa 1966 JJ5 SW5 - - - - -
SM4 Gungun mon bhromoraa 1966 - NP3 - - - RB4 -
SM5 Jibone jaa kichhu chhilo 1967 RU2 - - - - - -
SM6 Jodi naam dhore taarey daaki 1967 DY3 CC4 - - SP6 - -
SM7 Godhulir klaanto chhayaay (AIR) 1970 OB4 - - - - SC14
MW11		 -
SM8 Ke jano pather maajhe (AIR)
Lyrics: Suhas Chowdhury 		1970 - - - - - MW9 -
SM9 Guru guru guru megh garojey (AIR) 1970 AN6 - - - - LM28
SC33		 -
SM10 Sajani go kathaa shono 1969 - - - - - - -
SM11 Gaa gaa re paakhi gaa 1969 AM1 - - - - - -
SM12 Gahano raati ghanaay 1971 AN3 - - - - - -
SM13 Sajani go sajani din rajoni 1971 - NL2 AK2 - - - OB36
SM14 Kichhu aar kohibo naa 1973 SG2 TV3 - - - LM31  
SM15 O neel neel paakhi 1973 - NL3 - - - - GS2/BJ2

The songs numbered  SM#7,SM#8 and SM#9 were broadcast in the All India Radio, Calcutta as part of 'E Maasher Gaan', literally meaning 'Song of the month'. These songs were never released commercialy. Which is a pity.
Song# SM9 was later recorded by Sabita and Lata with completely different lyrics in both cases. The version of Sabita (SC32 -Tumi ki kakhano) was first recorded and then came Lata's version in 1988. I still consider Mukesh version of this song ('Nain hamaare' -AN6) in the film Annadata as the best.
The song#SM4 is really another version of that beautiful Sabita song (RB4) from the film 'Rai Bahadur'.  Sandhya's version is faster with a completely different rhythm and character to it, but the melody is the same. Both songs are wonderful.
Song#SM15 has two 'other' versions. The first one is from a Gujrati Film called 'Ghar Sansaar (GS3)' and the second one is from an Oriya Film called 'Batashi Jhara' (BJ2).