Sudha Malhotra
Sudha Malhotra sang for Hindi films for barely a decade, 1950 to 1960, before marriage took her out of the profession at twenty-four. In that time she recorded Tum Mujhe Bhool Bhi Jao To Yeh Haq Hai Tumko with Mukesh, the female parts of the Barsaat Ki Raat qawwalis, and Kashti Ka Khamosh Safar Hai for Girl Friend — and composed one song herself.
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Life
She was born in Delhi in 1936 and grew up in Lahore and then Ferozepur; she sang at a charity concert as a child, was noticed by Master Ghulam Haider, and began singing on radio. Anil Biswas gave her her first film song in Arzoo (1950), and through the 1950s she sang for S.D. Burman, Roshan, N. Dutta and Madan Mohan — Dekh Kabira Roya, Ab Dilli Door Nahin, Didi, Dhool Ka Phool, Barsaat Ki Raat.
Her closeness to the poet Sahir Ludhianvi was talked about; she composed the music for his Tum Mujhe Bhool Bhi Jao in Didi (1959), a rare thing for a singer. In 1960 she married into the Motwane family of Chicago Radio and, by agreement, stopped singing for films. She received the Padma Shri in 2013.
The voice
Sudha Malhotra's voice is warm, slightly husky and unusually expressive for a young singer, with a maturity that suited Sahir's words; the Barsaat Ki Raat qawwali, Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai, shows how well it held its own against Rafi, Manna Dey and Asha.
Composers
- Roshan
- S.D. Burman
- N. Dutta
- Madan Mohan
- Anil Biswas
- Dattaram
Sang with
Honours
Padma Shri (2013)
More film songs 5 songs, by year
1950s
1980s
year not stated
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