|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
By Category |
 |
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
India On Media |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Others
News |
|
| Mubarak Begum, once a famous singer |
| Mubarak Begum, once a famous singer, needs help
|
| INDIA
, 6-March-2013
12:6:17 PM |
| : In 1963, Mubarak Begum sang the song "Mujhko Apne Gale Lagalo" from the movie Hamrahi. It was just one of her many hits.
Through the 1950s and 60s, she worked with the best music directors in the film industry, collaborating with S D Burman, Shankar Jaikishan and Khayyam for movies that starred screen legends like Sunil Dutt, Nargis and Rajendra Kumar.
Today, she is an impoverished 70-year-old, living in a one-bedroom house in the Mumbai suburb of Jogeshwari. With her daughter, who has Parkinson's disease, and a son who freelances as a driver.
She has a government pension of Rs. 700 and earns by singing occasionally. In 2010, she had gone to Jaipur. She goes wherever people invite her, but cannot travel for too long.
Speaking to NDTV, Mubarak Begum says, "Allah is great and help comes in from somewhere or the other. But, if I have to ask for help for myself, what can I say? Others should know how difficult it is to live like this."
Mubarak Begum was born in Rajasthan. She moved to Mumbai when she was 10 years old. Among her favourite memories is singing "Woh na aayenge palat kar" from 'Devdas' which released in 1955 starring Dilip Kumar and Vijayantimala.
"I may not have work but I still have a name," she says. She wants a chance to sing some more. "Please pray that I get some help," she says.
Music scholar Raju Bharatan explains why her career was cut short. "She came to prominence at a time when Lata Mangeshkar broke through. It was a time, when not just Mubarak Begum but many others lost out. Because the timber of Lata's voice was such that mighty singers like Shamshad Begum, Zohrabai Ambalewali lost out."
Mubarak Begum's condition led Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj to tweet "I am sorry even after the Copyright Amendment Bill has become an Act her life has not changed. Please help Mubarak Begum. Will the film fraternity please respond?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADVERTISEMENTS
Free offer!!! Become an administrator for your zip home page, "Post" local news (local to your postcode)& pictures, "Post" advertisement banners from local companies. Make Extra money.
|
 |
 |
|
|
| |
|
