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K.L.Saigal |
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 Kundan Lal Saigal or K.L. Saigal as he was popularly known as, is commonly referred to as the “First Man”of Hindi Film Music.His unique way of singing has come on to define Hindi Film Music of the 1930s. His popularity was such that at one point of time most request show of the All India Radio , survived on his songs. He started his career in the early 1930s, when he was picked by B.N. Sircar, the head of the Calcutta-based film studio, New Theatres to play a role in his film. Through Roy, Kundan came in contact with R.C. Boral, the popular music composer of the pioneering film company. R.C. Boral was quite impressed with this young man’s vocal skills and Saigal was employed the company on a contract basis of Rs. 200/month. In New Theatres he met his contemporaries Pankaj Mullick, K.C. Dey and Pahari Sanyal who were later to become his rivals. In a very short span of time, Saigal gained quite a reputation because of his brilliant singing and carishmatic personality. |
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| Saigal’s Films |
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| Saigal’s first film was an Urdu Mohabbat Ke Ansoo, this film was quickly followed by Subah Ka Sitara and Zinda Laash, all released in 1932. All three of these films were critical and commercial failures. It was not until 1933 that this brilliant singer got his due recognition.The our Bhajans for the film Puran Bhagat, were a sensation throughout India. The success of these songsmade on thing clear-music in India was never to be the same again.K.L.Saigal had arrived and he never looked back. Films like Yahudi Ki Ladki, Chandidas and Rooplekha cemented his postions as the superstar of Indian Cinema. A young Lata Mangeshkar, claims to be enamoured by this charishmatic singer. She allegedly said that she nurtured a dream of marrying K.L. Saigal after seeing his performance in Chandidas.
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| Devdas |
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| The year 1935 was a significant one in Saigals career as he played the role that would redifine the way young thwarted lovers are percieved in India. The drunken title character in Devdas, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name, directed by P.C. Barua was so convincingly portrayed by him that the character became a part of the Indian psyche. Songs like Balam Aaye Baso Moray Man Mein and Dukh Ke Ab Din Beetat Naahi, were the anthem of lovers in despair.Even today if we were to ask any Indian to name a Hindi film singer from the 1930s, 9 out of 10 people will take this luminaire’s name. For the strains of Sagals melodious numbers waft in the memories of an age long gone by.
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