Sunbai (1962)

Sunbai is historically important as Salil Chowdhury’s only Marathi film. Since the film was produced by Hridaynath Mangeshkar, it also gave Lata Mangeshkar the chance to revisit some of her favourite Salil compositions in Marathi.

“Preet Khule Maanjhi Soneri” (SB1) is the Marathi incarnation of the legendary Bengali song “Saat Bhai Champa Jago Re”, later also heard in Hindi as “Pyaas Liye Manwa” from Mere Bhaiyaa. The Marathi version retains all the beauty of the original while sounding completely idiomatic to Marathi listeners.

“Tujha Sahwaas Priyaa” (SB2) is based on the unforgettable Bengali song by Madhuri Chattopadhyay, and Lata’s rendering stands shoulder to shoulder with the original.

“Preetibinaa Sukuni” (SB5) is derived from Sabita Chowdhury’s classic “Monobeena”, one of Salil’s finest Bengali compositions, once again transformed seamlessly into Marathi.

The most surprising track is “Halava Paalaana Manjul Gaa Gaane Ge” (SB3), which is actually a complete metamorphosis of a rarely-heard Bengali folk song composed by Salil in the 1950s and sung by Bishnupada Das. In its Marathi form, it sounds entirely like a native Marathi song, with hardly any hint of its Bengali folk origins.

Sadly, only four of the five songs are currently available. The singer and recording of SB4 – “Dhaau Nako Var Jhara Jhara” still remain to be found.