Even though some of them (C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar) admitted later on that they had been unfair to her. She has sung songs for most music directors, often when they were newcomers, and at less than her usual rate because they couldn’t afford her. Only to have them overlook her when they became famous in their own right. That the rapid rise of Lata Mangeshkar dimmed her own prospects is something that Shamshad Begum has no qualms in admitting – yet, there is no rancour. In fact, much before the juggernaut that was Lata Mangeshkar swept everyone else out of the way, Shamshad Begum was the preferred choice of voice for Nargis – Deedar, Mela, Aag, all had Nargis lip syncing to the Begum’s full-throated voice. Apart from Ghulam Haider, C Ramchandra and Naushad worked with her the most. Shamshad Begum, fondly called aapa ji(elder sister) by her contemporaries in the industry, came to India in 1944, encouraged by Lahore-based music director Ghulam Haider who had already used her to great effect in Khazanchi (1941) and Khandaan (1942). Even Noor Jehan and Suraiya were more popular. Yet, she is hardly ever mentioned in the same breath as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle or Geeta Dutt. A constellation of stars such as Zohrabai Ambalewali, Amirbai Karnataki, Rajkumari, Juthika Roy, Noorjehan and Suraiya – and close behind, the phenomenon that was to become Lata Mangeshkar was making a grasp for the crown.
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