(Apologies for the hiatus, the result of a series of unavoidable circumstances).
Last month, when I posted a solos list as a tribute to Asha Bhonsle, a couple of blog readers asked me if I would be posting one (or more) follow-up posts. After all when Lata Mangeshkar passed away, I ended up publishing five posts, a total of fifty songs showcasing the solos Lata had sung with fifty different music directors or music director pairs. Surely Asha merited something similar? Yes, indeed she does, but I personally think Asha’s most stunning solos were sung for a handful of composers like OP Nayyar and SD Burman during the 1950s and 60s. She did sing songs for a wide range of music directors, but I find a lot of those songs relatively forgettable.
I decided therefore to focus this post on another aspect of Asha’s career: her duets: Romantic, funny, flirtatious, poignant—and so much more. Songs where her voice merged with that of a co-singer to create magic.
Here, then, are a selection of ten of my favourite Asha Bhonsle duets, sung with ten different singers. As always these are all from pre-1970s Hindi films that I’ve seen and are in no particular order.
1. Achha ji main haari chalo maan jaao na (Kaala Paani, 1958): With Mohammad Rafi. The sheer volume of great Asha-Rafi duets made this one a very difficult song to pick (interestingly, the co-singer with whom Rafi sang the largest number of songs was Asha). Together, these two have sung everything from popular and very well-known songs like Deewaana hua baadal, O haseena zulfonwali and Abhi na jaao chhodkar to relatively obscure gems like the very melodious Ae saba unse keh zara.
I decided to choose Achha ji main haari not just because it’s a delightful song (by SD Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri), but because both Asha and Rafi really act their parts through their voices. The teasing manaana on her part, the huffiness on his; her cajoling, veering close to pleading; his final recapitulation… these two act as much (and as well) as Madhubala and Dev Anand do, onscreen.
2. Kajra mohabbatwaala akhiyon mein aisa daala (Kismat, 1968): With Shamshad Begum. OP Nayyar is the music director most associated with Asha through the 1960s—but before Asha became his muse (so to say), Shamshad Begum and Geeta Dutt were the female singers he preferred the most. In this iconic song, OP Nayyar uses Shamshad Begum’s distinctively nasal (and therefore possibly considered slightly more deep?) voice as playback for Biswajeet in drag. Asha, with her rather more conventionally ‘feminine’ voice, is the perfect fit for Babita (who, though dressed as a man, has a disguise flimsy enough to be useless). A delightful, funny song.
3. Kya ho phir jo din rangeela ho (Nau Do Gyarah, 1957): With Geeta Dutt. Both Asha Bhonsle and Geeta Dutt had a versatility that made their voices suitable for just about any kind of song—and I personally think that when it came to the fast-paced, Westernized type of club song, there was no beating these two (remember Mera naam Chin Chin Choo? Dil ki manzil kuchh aisi hai manzil? O babu o lala mausam dekho chala?). Together, in this scintillating song composed by SD Burman (and written by Majrooh Sultanpuri), they are style and pizzazz itself. Geeta Dutt (singing playback for Shashikala) begins each stanza softly, almost caressingly—and then Asha, singing for a young and pretty Helen, joins in, her voice upping the energy levels of the song. Fabulous.
4. Aankhon-aankhon mein hum-tum (Mahal, 1969): With Kishore Kumar. Like Mohammad Rafi, Kishore was also one of Asha Bhonsle’s more frequent co-singers. They sang hundreds of songs together, their first collaboration probably being a song composed by flautist/composer Pannalal Ghosh in 1949-50; and Kishore’s very last song to be recorded was a duet with Asha. Through the 50s and 60s, the two of them sang many hits—Arre yaar meri tum bhi ho gazab, Haal kaisa hai janaab ka, and Chhod do aanchal zamaana kya kahega among them. Kalyanji-Anandji’s score for the 1969 suspense thriller Mahal had some excellent songs, including the seductive Asha solo Aaiye aapka thha humein intezaar and the romantic duet Yeh duniyawaale poochhenge. This duet (written by Majrooh Sultanpuri), though, is one of my favourite duets of the 60s: warm, charming, and very melodious.
5. Humein haal-e-dil tumse kehna hai (24 Ghante, 1958): With Talat Mahmood. Asha’s pairing with Mohammad Rafi or Kishore Kumar is well-known; with both these men, she sang literally hundreds of songs. But Talat? In the popular imagination, if Asha is stereotyped as the voice of the cabaret dancer, Talat is equally stereotyped as the soulful singer of ghazals. Not, you would think (if you went by those stereotypes), two voices that might come together often. But they did, in fact: Talat and Asha sang some lovely songs over the course of the 50s and 60s. There’s the beautiful Do dil dhadak rahe hain; there’s Pyaar par bas toh nahin, and Pyaas kuchh aur bhi bhadka di… and there’s this, a fairly little-known romantic duet composed by Bipin-Babul and written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Lilting, frothy, sweet: what a very likeable song.
6. Rafta-rafta woh hamaare dil ke armaan ho gaye (Hum Kahaan Jaa Rahe Hain, 1966): With Mahendra Kapoor. Unkindly called ‘the poor man’s Mohammad Rafi’, Mahendra Kapoor however did sing some beautiful songs—many of them for Ravi, who used his voice in several hit songs in films, including Humraaz and Gumraah. Given that Asha, too, was a favourite of Ravi’s, it was hardly a surprise that she sang several great songs with Mahendra Kapoor. The more famous ones include Jhukti ghata gaati hawa, Dhadakne lage dil ki taaron ki duniya, and Aadha hai chandrama raat aadhi; but I decided I should go the unexpected route here. A song that’s actually well-known, but from an obscure film. A softly melodious tune (music by Basant Prakash, lyrics by Qamar Jalalabadi), and both Asha and Mahendra Kapoor manage to imbue their voices with all the yearning of two romantic young souls on a moonlit night.
7. Zulfon ki ghata lekar saawan ki pari aayi (Reshmi Roomal, 1961): With Manna Dey. Oddly enough, some of Asha’s most famous songs along with Manna Dey are not duets, but songs featuring more than two singers: the iconic Na toh kaarvaan ki talaash hai, for instance; or Dukh bhare din beete re bhaiya, or even the kiddie song Thehar zara o jaanewaale. They did sing some wonderful duets together, though, of which this is one of my particular favourites. Composed by Babul, and with lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, one of those love songs that make me melt. So beautiful.
8. Jab-jab tumhe bhulaaya tum aur yaad aaye (Jahanara, 1964): With Lata Mangeshkar. Which Asha list would be complete without at least one song with her elder sister, the colossus of Hindi playback singing? Over the course of their careers, Asha and Lata sang together in anywhere between fifty and eighty songs (I haven’t been able to find a more exact number, at least not online), including some of my favourites: Mere mehboob mein kya nahin, Koi aayega aayega humre gaaon koi aayega, and Manbhaavan ke ghar jaaye gori.
This court dance from Jahanara, picturized on Minoo Mumtaz and a very young Aruna Irani, is especially superb. Madan Mohan’s music is excellent, Rajendra Krishan’s lyrics bring a poignancy and even a sense of despair into the song, and the two Mangeshkar sisters are perfect, their voices melding seamlessly, then moving into their own tracks, before coming back again for the mukhda.
9. Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi, 1958): With Mukesh. This was one of the first songs that popped up when I began researching Asha’s songs with Mukesh. Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi happens to be one of my favourite songs (Sahir’s lyrics, Khayyam’s music and Mukesh’s very restrained vocals always bring a lump to my throat). But should it really count as an Asha song, given that Mukesh gets to actually sing all the stanzas? She just joins in on the mukhda and adds to the song with her non-lexical vocals.
Surely there were other Asha-Mukesh duets that gave her more prominence? After all, together these two sang some good songs: the fun romantic Nain tumhaare mazedaar; the little-known (but excellent) Kahaan ud chale hain mann-praan mere, and (in later years) Hum donon milke kaagaz ke dil pe. Should I choose another? But no; I came to the conclusion that if it weren’t for Asha, Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi would not have had the same impact. Her voice, hesitant at the start, gathering strength and comfort as she progresses, is a vital part of the song, acting as a sort of backdrop for Mukesh’s vocals.
10. Humein dum daike sautan ghar jaana (Yeh Dil Kisko Doon, 1963): With Mubarak Begum. And, to end this list, a song with a sadly overlooked playback singer. Mubarak Begum, though she sang some well-known songs (Devta tum ho mera sahaara, Kabhi tanhaiyon mein yoon among them) tends to often get sidelined by the bigger names. With Asha, she sang a few good duets, including Jab ishq kahin ho jaata hai, from Aarzoo. This song from the Shashi Kapoor-Ragini starrer Yeh Dil Kisko Doon was composed by Iqbal Qureshi (another immensely underrated personality) and written by Qamar Jalalabadi. Mubarak Begum sings for Madhumati, who dances at a kotha, using all her wiles on her audience—until the wife (Jayshree Gadkar) of one of these men (played by Agha) gatecrashes the mehfil and makes it a mujra face-off. Fabulously sung by both the women.
Which other songs would you add to this list? Preferably with singers I haven’t mentioned in this list, but of course anybody will do!
Dustedoff 
What a lovely tribute to Asha, thank you! I was especially happy to see my favourite “drag queen” pair featured. That two of my absolute FAVOURITE playback singers did at least two duets together ‘in drag’ has long amused and delighted me. Thanks for sharing one of them, now I must be off to listen to Reshmi Salwar Kurta Jaali Ka :)
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I’m glad you liked this post, Stuart – thank you! And to add to that love for Asha-Shamshad for women in ‘drag’, there’s also Jawaani jala bedardi, also from 24 Ghante:
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I have no idea why a comment I made once was posted thrice, sorry!
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Not a problem. Like the peace of God – and Dr Donne’s poetry – WordPress passeth all understanding.
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Asha was one of my favorite singers and the list is perfect! I can think of a few songs of which I picked these – Yaad rakhna pyar ki nishaani with Hemant Kumar, Film Nagin and another with Usha Mangeshkar Dekho bijli dole bin baadal ke from Phir wohi dil laya hoon.
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I am so glad you liked this list, Nishi. Thank you. And a special thank you for Dekho bijli dole – I love that one, and wish I’d remembered it!
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Madhu,
I can’t think of a better list of singers. With every singer there are multiple songs, for example my preference would be Chaand sa mukhada kyon sharmaya (with Rafi); Humse hoti mohabbat jo tumko (with Mukesh), and so on. Congratulations for a nice list of songs.
AK
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Praise from you means a lot, AK. Thank you so much. And both the songs you’ve suggested are lovely. I especially like the softness of Chand sa mukhda kyon sharmaaya.
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Madhu ji,
Thanks for posting this wonderful list. Must say I was eagerly waiting for this.
Since you asked that we add to this list, here is my list –
And now I would like to list songs with singers you have included, but different songs from your list.
Regards,
Uday
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Thank you, Udayji, both for the appreciation, as well as the songs you’ve suggested – some absolutely lovely ones there. I think with Asha we have a serious problem of an embarrassment of riches: so many fabulous songs! The three songs that you’ve listed last are also favourites of mine.
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Madhu ji,
As I was researching for my blog I came across a rare gem that I wanted to share here as it is a song where Asha sang with her inspiration Suraiyya.
This is from the 1954 movie Shama Parwana starring Shammi Kapoor and Suraiyya. Music is by Husnlal Bhagatram. I think the lyrics were by Majrooh Sultanpuri. –
I think there is a brief humming by Rafi in the beginning so not sure if this counts as a duet, but thought it would be relevant anyway.
Regards,
Uday
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Thank you for this! Yes, another of my blog readers also mentioned this song. I’ve watched (and reviewed) Shama Parwana long ago, and so had forgotten all about it. Definitely relevant, even if Rafi hums a bit.
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I posted a long comment that disappeared into ether. :(
Der aaye durust aaye, Madhu. I’ve been checking for days for this post. What a lovely compilation. Of your list, Achha ji main haari chalo and Woh subah kabhi to aayegi are my favourites; Humein haal-e-dil tumse kehna hai and Rafta rafta woh hamare are new to me.
If I were to ‘do a Harvey’ and post my selections for the same pairs, I would choose:
Rafi: Ishaaron ishaaron mein jadoo chalana from Kashmir ki Kali [It’s one of my favourite romantic duets.
Shamshad Begum: Aingan baingan from Duniya Na Maane
Geeta Dutt: Jaanu jaanu ri from Insaan Jaag Utha
Kishore: [A little after your timeline but…] Jaane jaa dhoondhta phir raha from Jawani Diwani
Talat: Dil jawaan hai aarzoo jawaan from Samundari Daku
Mahendra Kapoor: I was initially thinking of In hawaaon mein in fizaaon mein from Gumraah, but this is a fascinating duet from Kaajal: Agar mujhe na mili tum to
Manna Dey: Re mann sur mein gaa from Lal Patthar
Mukesh: Daag na lag jaaye from Mera Naam Joker
Mubarak Begum: Dil ko lagaake huzuur from Rukhsana
Lata: Kar gaya re kar gaya mujhpe jadoo from Basant Bahar (or even Ja ja re jaa sajna from Adalat)
[I hope this comment is published.]
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Ooh, what a lovely collection of songs, Anu! There were several here (Dil ko lagaake huzoor, Aingan baingan and Daag na lag jaaye) which were new to me, but the others are old favourites. What a powerhorse of talent Asha was – and thank goodness so many composers and producers seemed to recognize that.
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Songs can be added but I doubt that anybody can do the kind of research work that you always do and have done for this post as well. I have heard most of the listed songs and would like to listen to the remaining ones. Fabulous post Madhulikaji. Truly a fitting tribute to the one and only Ashaji.
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As always, your encouragement and support are much appreciated, Jitendraji. Thank you so much!
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Hi dusted off,
With Asha duets, we are really spoiled for choice, aren’t we?
I liked your selections – songs # 2, 3, 8 and 9 are some of my all time favorites.
Regarding Phir Subah Hogi, it must be hard to choose between “Woh Subah Kabhi” and “Phir na keeje” – they are both excellent songs.
If I may add a few of my favorite Asha duets, as follows:
First with Mohd. Rafi, we are truly spoiled for choice, esp from the treasure trove of OPN compositions.
However, there is one song that keeps playing in the back of my mind.
It is a relatively obscure song dating back to 1953.
Composition by Ghulam Mohd.
Teri yaad aa rahi hai o dil mein basne wale (Hazar Raatein)
Just listen how sweet and youthful the voices of both Asha and Mohd. Rafi sound…
And the background orchestra is heavenly…overall, the song is sublime.
Another beautiful duet with Mohd. Rafi:
Dekh Hamen Aawaz Na Dena (Amar Deep)
Regarding Manna Dey, I like this one:
Mere jeevan mein kiran ban ke (Talaq)
Another beautiful Asha – Manna Dey duet from a relatively B-grade stunt movie Flying Rani:
Mujhko Sanam Tere Pyar Ne Jeena Sikha Diya
Composition by relatively unknown B.N. Bali, but the song is beautiful.
I would say we are also somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to duets with Talat Mahmood – Asha & Talat actually sang lots of sweet, romantic, soulful duets.
I love all the 4 duets you listed.
Here is another soulful duet that I love:
Hardam tumhi ko pyar (Apsara)
Composition by the duo of Husnlal-Bhagatram…a true gem from the golden era.
Another soulful Talat – Asha duet I really love:
Dil-e-nadaan zamane mein muhabbat ek dhokha hai (Mast Qalandar)
Beautiful, soulful composition by Hansraj Behl.
You also mentioned Asha’s duets with Mubarak Begum.
There is a unique song featuring the trio of Asha, Talat and Mubarak Begum from Tartar ka chor:
Na manzil hai na manzil ka nishan hai
Composition by Khayaam
This is a really moving song and all 3 rendered their parts to perfection.
There are scores of duets that keep flashing through my mind…I should probably stop here.
Just like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha had unlimited talent and there is no end of our memories and recollections of the musical wealth she has left behind.
-Pratick
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Thank you so much for this very well-thought-out, very well-curated list of songs. At first glance, I thought: I don’t think I’ve heard any of these. Then, I remembered the ones from Talaq and Amardeep; but all the others were new to me. I liked each of them a lot, but special thanks for the wonderful song from Flying Rani, I loved that!
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So many lovely duets to chose from and you have covered almost every song I love.
On the top are of course Ashaji’s duets with Rafi.
So I’ll concentrate on mostly marathi duets.
With Sudhir Phadke – He was not just a composer but a singer himself. Sang so many unforgettable songs and a lot of them are with Asha.
Fite Andharache Jaale
Dis Jatil Dis Yetil – With Suresh Wadkar
Gomu Sangatina – With Hemant Kumar. A playful mood something I rarely associate with Hemantda. But his voice gives an unique edge to the song.
With Mahendra Kapoor it is Dhundit Rahu Mastit Gau – Mahendraji’s open voice suits naturally the song filmed in Kashmir.
With Anuradha Poudwal – Aala Aala wara
Man kyon Behka Re Behka – Do I need to say who it is with?
Asha – Bhupinder in obscure romantic song Raat Banu Main Aur Chand Bano Tum from Mangalsutra movie.
Asha – Kishor again in romantic duet Mausam Pyar Ka from Sitamgar composed by RD picturized on Rishi & Poonam Dhillon both pretty faces in rainy season is my guilty pleasure.
Btw I find the fonts on this page difficult to read. I think this issue is faced since UI was changed. Does anyone else face same issue?
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Thank you for these songs! As expected, the Marathi songs were all new to me, but – also as expected – all good ones. I enjoyed listening to them. The duet with Hemant was certainly an unusual song for Hemant (though come to think of it, Hai apna dil toh aawara also has a certain pep and aawaargi to it that is not typical of Hemant).
Special thanks for Mausam pyaar ka. That is a big favourite of mine, mostly because Kishore’s voice sounds so soft and gentle. Lovely song.
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Sorry, I forgot to reply to the last part of your comment. I haven’t changed the UI or the font since I think about 10 years back (or maybe more), so I’m not sure why you’re facing a problem with the font. Have you tried increasing the zoom on your laptop/desktop/phone, wherever you access this blog from? I find that easier to manage than to peer at websites where the font size may be too small for my tired old eyes.
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Lovely to have you back, dear Madhu!
What a fitting post and a wonderful tribute to the art of Asha Bhosle. All the songs you have shared are delightful. And when my dear soul sister Anu “can do a Harvey,” then Harvey must at least attempt one too! So I shall also restrict myself to the couples you have mentioned, and to the same era.
Asha–Rafi: Achha Ji Main Haari Chalo is the first song that comes to my mind as well when I think of this pairing. The second is Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar, which I absolutely adore. Since Anu has already plucked the Kashmir Ki Kali, I shall go with Raat Ke Humsafar from An Evening in Paris. Both Rafi and Asha sound so lovely in it that one can simply lose oneself in their voices. Mehekne Lagi Dil Ki Duniya is another duet of theirs that I love very much.
Asha–Shamshad: Kajra Mohabbatwala is indeed a delightful choice. I love it, and I am equally fond of Sharma Ke Kyun Sab Parda-Nasheen from Chaudhvin Ka Chand. To my ears, Asha’s and Shamshad’s voices blend far better than Lata’s and Shamshad’s. That is one of the things I most admire about Asha in duets, her remarkable ability to adapt her voice to complement her singing partner’s.
Asha–Geeta: I would choose Jaanu Jaanu Re Kaahe Khanke Re Tora Kangana, simply because both singers seem to be having such tremendous fun with it, just as Madhubala and Minoo Mumtaz appear to be on screen. But I love Kya Ho Din Rangeela Ho too.
Asha–Kishore: The first song that comes to mind is Piya Piya Piya Mera Jiya Pukare, largely because of the oft-repeated anecdote associated with it. But truly, I adore Paanch Rupaiya Barah Aana from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, partly because both singers sound as though they are having an absolute ball singing it, and partly because, despite sounding so effortless and playful, it is actually an extremely difficult song to sing well.
Asha–Talat: There is a duet of theirs that is not widely known but which I simply love: Dil Jawan Hai Aarzoo Jawan from Samundari Daku. Talat’s voice sounds more seductive there than ever. If I am not entirely mistaken, I believe this was from Jaidev’s debut film album.
Asha–Mahendra: Mahendra Kapoor’s voice is not particularly suited to my ears, though he certainly was not without merit. I especially like him under S. D. Burman’s baton in Mera Kya Sanam Meri Khushi Hai Tumhari from Talash (1969). Quite an unusual song for Mahendra Kapoor.
Asha–Manna: I am torn between Ae Kash Chalte Milke from Manzil and Saanjh Dhali Dil Ki Lagi from Kala Bazar. Manna Dey sings for Dev Anand in both songs under S. D. Burman’s direction. I think I prefer the latter just a little more.
Asha–Lata: We are truly spoilt for choice here, aren’t we? I think I would settle on Kar Gaya Re Kar Gaya Mujhpe Jaadoo from Basant Bahar (1956).
Asha–Mukesh: I think Woh Subah Kabhi To Aayegi is the hands-down winner among Asha–Mukesh duets. All the others come a rather distant tenth.
Asha–Mubarak: I do not know of any other duet by the two of them, so I cannot suggest another.
Thank you for the post, dear Madhu. It was enormous fun listening to all these songs and then wandering off in search of others.
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Harvey, thank you so much! For reading, of course, but also for taking the time to actually talk of all your favourites. Some of the ones you’ve mentioned (Raat ke humsafar, Jaanu jaanu ri, Saanjh dhali dil ki lagi, and Piya piya piya – that one, mostly because of that delightful anecdote, yes!) were on my shortlist too, so I’m especially happy to see you mentioning them.
And Dil jawaan hai aarzoo jawaan – uff. When I saw you mention it, my first thought was: “This is new to me.” But of course it wasn’t, because I recalled it as soon as I began listening. What a gorgeous song that is, and really, how seductive Talat sounds. I suppose the song was picturized on Nasir Khan – Johnny Walker doesn’t sound like a good fit for it!
Thank you again, Harvey. I had such a good time listening to your selection. :-)
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Thank you, Madhu, for your kind words. Last evening, I discovered that Asha also has a duet with Suraiyya. It is from the film Shama Parwana, with music by Husnlal-Bhagatram. The song, Jaake Lage Naina Woh Paaye Nahin Chaina, is not strictly a duet, since it also contains a brief vocalise (I hope it called that) by Mohammed Rafi, I presume. Nevertheless, it is a very charming song.
It seems that Asha also sang quite a few songs with her younger sister Usha Mangeshkar. My personal favourite among them is Do Pal Jo Teri Aankhon Se Peene Ko Mile from Baharon Ke Sapne.
Asha also lent her voice to child artistes. Perhaps the most famous song in this category is again a duet — Dadi Amma Dadi Amma Maan Jaao from Gharana, sung with Kamal Barot. This has been one of my favourite songs since childhood, and I believe that sentiment is shared by many lovers of Hindi cinema.
I do hope there will be a third part to the tribute, which could be focusing on songs composed by lesser-known music directors. Especially during the 1960s, Asha sang many beautiful songs for composers in this category. But please take your time, there is absolutely no pressure.
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Thank you for these additions to the duets list, Harvey! I really like both Do pal jo teri aankhon se and Dadi amma Dadi amma – the latter is such an iconic kiddie song.
I have actually decided I must do a third tribute post, but not on composers: I decided I’ll do a second post on duets, but with singers I haven’t covered yet. Will start writing that up today!
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“Dil jawaan hai aarzoo jawaan” is indeed a melodious, seductive velvety song…it is one of my all-time favorites.
Asha’s duets with Talat especially showcase how well she could blend her voice with singers with completely different styles – from Mohd. Rafi to Kishore Kumar to Talat Mahmood.
Since Talat Mahmood had mostly faded away by the mid 1960s, most of the Asha-Talat duets are from the 1950s or early 1960s at the latest.
Therefore, they captured the peak melody years of the golden era.
There is another Asha – Talat song I was thinking of when writing my response above, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
I looked through my phone and found it.
Haseen Chand Sitaron Ka Vaasta (Mera Salaam, 1957).
This is from the same period as Samundari Daku (1956).
Talat is Mr. Velvet Voice as usual, and note how well Asha blends herself into this song.
Beautiful, melodious and soulful.
And the lyrics (by Shewan Rizvi) are wonderful – worth listening to just for the poetry.
-Pratick
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This song was new to me. What a beautiful song. The music (and their rendition) is exquisite, as is the poetry. Thank you for this.
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This is a topic for Asha duets and I have come up with some of my favorites below:
Rafi-Asha: It’s really difficult and so I’ve opted for less popular ones. The very first which comes to my mind is DUNIYA HAI BADI JAALIM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GmA_K1BTuk&list=RD0GmA_K1BTuk&start_radio=1 composed by Nashad.
AB DO DILON KI MUSHKIL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gQ_ks9N2Ks&list=RD8gQ_ks9N2Ks&start_radio=1 composed by Madan Mohan
MERE DIL KO JISKI TALASH THI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd0ih1t2GWw&list=RDCd0ih1t2GWw&start_radio=1 composed by Ravi
PYAR KE DAAMAN PE LIPTI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gNMobYm-vY&list=RD0gNMobYm-vY&start_radio=1 composed by GS Kohli
Talat-Asha: SACH BATA TU MUJH PE FIDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufdzFhY6AIU&list=RDufdzFhY6AIU&start_radio=1 composed by OP Nayyar
Geeta-Asha: AAYE HAYE DIL RUBA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ5KawxGyFg&list=RDtZ5KawxGyFg&start_radio=1 composed by SD Burman
Mahendra Kapoor-Asha: CHAND BHI KOI DEEWANA HAI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw72bY6wCcM&list=RDZw72bY6wCcM&start_radio=1 composed by N Dutta
Shamshad Begum-Asha: SHARMA KE JARA MAST ADA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53ctv2Xyb8Y&list=RD53ctv2Xyb8Y&start_radio=1 composed by SN Tripathi
Kishore-Asha: Ek DO TEEN CHAAR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR_JnXUUBqU&list=PLbw3K0jZ1IWOlM1k-rVjsr_GZj6RTdT99&index=3
composed by James Singh
I strongly believe Kishore-Asha duet above is probably the first yodelling song of Hindi Cinema
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Thank you for this list of songs! I hadn’t heard Ek do teen chaar or Duniya hai badi zaalim before, and both of them are excellent additions to my ‘top favourite’ play list.
And, a special thank you for Chaand bhi koi deewaana hai. I love this song, and feel like hitting myself for having forgotten about it! That should have been my song for Asha and Mahendra Kapoor.
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Your list gave me goosebumps. I’m glad you included’other options’. But the ones you picked are so gorgeous!
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Thank you so much, Ava! I am glad you enjoyed this. :-)
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This is an unbelievably beautiful list. Just fabulous
It’s so comprehensive, how did you manage to come up with one best among so many with all the singers.
Hats off
this is something I would never be able to do.
A lot of songs already added by readers.
I will try to post her 10 best duets with the main singers separately on my blog in due course.
Anup
:-)
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I am so happy you enjoyed this post, Anupji. Thank you so much, and I am looking forward to reading your list. :-)
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By the way, what exactly is going on with Premnath in Humein Haal-e-Dil Tumse Kehna Hai? His facial expression suggests a man who is simultaneously relieved that he has escaped dishwashing duty and deeply troubled by the fact that the dishes appear to be getting cleaned in what looks like a cholera breeding ground. Meanwhile, Shakila is serving vintage glamour and pearly-white come-hither looks, but he reacts as though he has just remembered he left the pressure cooker on at home. Or is the real tragedy simply wardrobe-related? The polo shirt and tight argyle sweater vest seem to have compressed every movable facial muscle into permanent emotional constipation.
I just had to get that off my chest before I start my day.
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Harvey, you’re a scream! That comment was so delightful. :-D I think by this time all the success (such as it was) had gone to Premnath’s waistline and he really should not have been dressed in such a figure-hugging outfit. That sleeveless pullover is fine for someone like Balraj Sahni, not a tubby Premnath. He should have remained in suits.
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Another wonderful list Madhu!! I enjoyed going through the songs. Here are some songs that I like:
with Mahendra Kapoor
Haath Aaya hai from Dil Aur Mohabbat
With Rafi
Jis din se maine tumko from Parwana
Kishor
Kehdoon tumhen ya chhup from Deewar
Here’s rare combination of Asha with Suman Kalyanpur from Paigham
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I am so glad you enjoyed this post, Usha. Thank you! – and for the songs you’ve suggested. Coincidentally enough, I am writing a sequel to this post right now, and the Paigham song features on that list. :-)
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Madhuji,
This is a lovely list of duets!
Anita
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Thank you, Anitaji!
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