K.L. Saigal Death Anniversary

 

K. L. Saigal, who passed away on 18 January 1947, was an Indian singer and actor who is considered the first superstar of the Hindi film industry, which was centred in Kolkata during Saigal's time, but is currently centred in Mumbai. Saigal's unique voice quality which was a mixture of baritone and soft tenor was the benchmark for most of the singers who followed him. In fact, it remains the gold standard even today shining through very early and practically primitive recording technology.

10 Facts About K. L. Saigal You Should Know:

1.      Due to K. L. Saigal's modest background, as a child he earned his music education informally, singing along with people at a local shrine or at religious ceremonies with his mother.

2.      He worked several odd jobs, a timekeeper, salesman, and manager, pursuing singing on the side.

3.      KL Saigal's first break came in 1932 when his first film, Mohabbat Ke Ansu, was released.

4.      For his first three films, he used the name Saigal Kashmiri and used his own name Kundan Lal Saigal (KL Saigal) from his fourth film Yahudi Ki Ladki which was released in 1933.

5.      While the Jammu-born star started his career singing Punjabi songs, he picked up Bengali and acted and sang in several Bengali films.

6.      In the movie Street Singer, KL Saigal rendered the song "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye" live in front of the camera despite playback singing was a preferred mode of singing at that time.

7.      As a singer, K. L. Saigal has given memorable melodies like "Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya", "Bangla Bane Nyara", "Balam Aaye Baso Moray Man Mein", Do Naina Matware, "Mere Sapnon Ki Rani" among others.

8.      K. L. Saigal had turned alcoholic and died at an early age of age of 42 in his ancestral city of Jalandhar on January 18, 1947.

9.      He was survived by his wife Asha Rani and four children. While Madan Mohan, Nina and Bina were his biological children, he had also adopted his late elder brother's daughter Durgesh Nandani when he was still single.

10.   K. L. Saigal's distinctive singing was revered and idolised by Hindi Film playback singers, including Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, and Mukesh.