A musical giant, Salil Chowdhury’s versatile compositions unleashed a new wave in Bengali music in the 1950s. In a career spanning five decades, Chowdhury scored music for Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Marathi, Assamese and Odiya films, apart from Bengali. On his 99th birth anniversary, we revisit seven compositions by Chowdhury which are memorable in both Hindi and Bengali.

Na Jaane Kyun — Pagol Hawa

Na Jaane Kyun is one of Salil Chowdhury’s memorable compositions for Basu Chatterjee’s slice-of-life romantic comedy Chhoti Si Baat (1976). Picturised on Vidya Sinha, this wistful melody set to Yogesh’s words was brought to life by Chowdhury’s favourite singer, Lata Mangeshkar. The song is a recreation of Chowdhury’s Bengali song Pagol Hawa, which Jatileshwar Mukhopadhyay sang with great finesse.

O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayee — Na Jeyo Na

Shailendra’s melodic poetry was turned into the iconic song O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayee by Salil Chowdhury for Bimal Roy’s classic Parakh (1960). The idyllic composition based on Raag Khamaj set on a rainy night captures the love and longing of the leading lady, played by Sadhana. This is another gem from the composer-singer duo of Chowdhury and Lata Mangeshkar. Lata had also sung its Bengali version, Na Jeo Na.

Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye — Amay Proshno Kore Neel Dhrubo Tara

In Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film Anand (1971), Chowdhury’s composition for Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye captures the melancholy of a terminally-ill cancer patient who’s watching his life slip by. Penned by Yogesh, the song is evocatively sung by Mukesh. The original Bengali version, Amay Proshno Kore Neel Dhrubo Tara, in Hemanta Mukhopadhyay’s voice has etched its place in the annals of Bengali music.

Na Jiya Lage Na — Na Mon Lage Na

This is yet another evergreen number from the film Anand. Na Jiya Lage Na is the only song on romantic love in Anand, sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Salil Chowdhury. The Bengali original Na Mon Lage Na was also sung by Mangeshkar.

Jhir Jhir Barse Sawan — Jhir Jhir Jhiri Barashay

Jhir Jhir Barse Sawan from the 1968 film Aashirwad by Hrishikesh Mukherjee is another classic composition delivered by the Salil Chowdhury-Lata Mangeshkar jodi. It is a recreation of another Bengali classic by Chowdhury — Jhir Jhir Jhiri Barashay from the film Pasher Bari (1951). The Bengali version was sung by Dhananjoy Bhattacharya, and Lata Mangeshkar matched up to his rendition in the Hindi version.

Dil Tadpe Tadpaye — Jodi Kichu Amare Sudhao

Shyamal Mitra’s Jodi Kichu Amare Sudhao was recreated in Hindi by Chowdhury as Dil Tadpe Tadpaye for the film Poonam Ki Raat (1965). The Hindi version was sung by Mohammed Rafi. In the Bengali version, Chowdhury scored the music only for the first half of the song, keeping only vocals for the rest of it. For the Hindi song, Rafi’s solo was backed up by an orchestra.

Ganga Ki Bhari God Mein — Ganga Gangar Tarange

In the song Ganga Gangar Tarange for Rajen Tarafdar’s film Ganga (1959), Chowdhury depicted the rhythm of fishermen sailing their boats with unique orchestration. Sabita Choudhury sang the Bengali song, while Manna Dey sang the Hindi version Ganga Ki Bhari God Mein for the film Mere Apne (1971), directed by Gulzar.