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Hemanta Mukherjee

Probably the most famous and the most loved singer of Bengal. Salil said once that if God could sing he would have a voice like Hemanta. Bengalees all over the world lovingly call him Hemanta or Hemantada. In the rest of India he is known as Hemant Kumar. Bengalees really fell in love with him when he started singing Rabindrasangeet. His wonderful deep voice, his delivery and his perfect pronunciation gave Rabindrasangeet a totally new dimension. Besides recording for most of the Bengali composers, he himself was an accomplished composer. His first song for Salil was 'Gaanyer Bodhu'. Rumour has it that when 'Gaanyer Bodhu' was released Salil wasn't even around. He was hiding from the police somewhere in the Sundarbans due to his associations with the communist party. Anyway, 'Gaanyer Bodhu' immediately established Hemanta as an important singer in the Bengali music scene and Salil as the new composer and lyricist. It was going to be one of the most important and long lasting musical partnerships in Bengal. I don't think there will ever be another composer like Salil who would create songs like 'Moner janaala dhorey' or 'Amaay prosno karey neel dhrubotaara', and any other singer who would be able to sing these songs like the way Hemanta did.

ID	Song Title	Year	Cross-Ref / Variations
HM1	Gaa.nyer Bodhu	1949	Mal: DV4 Bng: PB6
HM2	Abaak PrithibiLyrics: Sukanto Bhattyacharya	1950	-
HM3	Bidroho aaj bidroho charidikeyLyrics: Sukanto Bhattyacharya	1950	-
HM4	RunnerLyrics: Sukanto Bhattyacharya	1951	Bng: LM35
HM5	Nowka Baoaar gaan (O maajhi baaiyo)	1952	Tam: TI1 Bng: OS68
HM6	Dhaan kataar gaan	1952	-
HM7	Paalkir gaanLyrics: Satyendra Nath Datta	1952	-
HM8	Dhitang dhitang boley	1954	Hnd: AW7 Mal: NP1
HM9	Pathey ebaar namo sathi	1954	Mal: OB35
HM10	Duronto Ghurnir	1958	Hnd: CH6 Tam: PV5
HM11	Path haaraabo bolei ebaar	1958	Mal: PG3
HM12	Aami jharer kachhey	1961	-
HM13	Moner jaanaalaa dhorey	1961	-
HM14	Aamaay prosno karey	1969	Hnd: ND3
HM15	Shono kono akdin	1969	-
HM16	ThikaanaaLyrics: Sukanto Bhattyacharya	1970	-
HM17	Oi doore chenaa soore	1981	Mal: EG1
HM18	Aar dur nei diganter beshi dur nei	1981	Bng: AS20
HM19	Akhono amaar moneLyrics: Sukanto Bhattyacharya	1981	-
HM20	Haatey moder ke debey	1981	Bng: MS18
HM21	E jibon besh cholchhe	1981	Hnd: MA1
HM22	Besh tabey oi kathaa thaak	1981	-
HM23	Aktaa kathaa money jeno poriskaar	1982	-
HM24	Jeytey jeytey path bhooleychhi	1982	Hnd: MA4
HM25	Chup kore roile kano	1982	-
HM26	Aar kichhu naa	1982	-

Observations & Historical Context

Hemanta-Salil combination revolutionised bengali modern music completely. Bengalees were stunned after the release of "Gaanyer Bondhu". Never before such a song was composed in bengali. With Hemanta's rich and melodius voice with perfect pronuciation and Salil's unique and unparalleled lyrical and compositional superiority changed the course of bengali modern music for ever.

Salil achieved another milestone by composing some of the famous poems of his dear friend the revolutionary poet Sukanta Bhattyacharya. These songs have since become a part of the Bengali culture and the poems are not read as poems anymore. They have metamorphosed into songs. Such was the power of Salil's composition. There is an amazing version of "Abaak Prithibi" recorded by Debabrata Biswas - so completely different to Hemanta's rather laidback version of the same song.

Sadly this golden combination did not continue for long. There was a long gap before Salil would compose some new songs for Hemanta. But that was too late. By then Hemanta had already lost his golden voice and often he found it difficult to hold notes. Singing Salil's songs became more of a punishment than a challenge. Their last joint effort was in 1981 and 1982. Several superb compositions were recorded by Hemanta but the result was poor. Shibaji Chattopadhyay recorded one of them "aar dur nei" later which sounds much better. Sadly one of Salil's best compositions in the '80s "aar kichhu naa" recorded by Hemanta was too complex for him and its really painful to hear him sing that.