Remembering Shamshad Begum!

Remembering Shamshad Begum!

Legendary singer Shamshad Begum was born 100 years ago today.

Lata Mangeshkar is the nightingale of India while Asha Bhosle is apt to be called the queen of versatility. But Shamshad Begum stood out for her distinctive voice, which remains unparalleled. One of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry, the Lahore-born Shamshad sang more than 600 songs in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and other Indian languages.

Shamshad’s voice had a unique, indescribable charm. She worked with the cream of music composers from the golden era of Hindi film music. Romantic melodies, qawwalis, clubhouse tracks, Shamshad Begum was comfortable with all genres.