These Bollywood songs earned both Filmfare and National Film Awards in the best playback singer category

Bollywood is indeed one of the biggest film industries of the world, and when it comes to awards, Filmfare awards is widely regarded as the most prestigious one. Yet receiving National awards is indeed a great feat, particularly when Bollywood competes with film industries and artists across India, and film awards are declared solely based on excellence rather than popularity.

Many Bollywood films and artists have won National awards and Filmfare awards for same work. Read: Actors who won Filmfare & National Film Awards for same movie in the best actor category. Through this column, I would like to list a few songs which won both Filmfare and National Film Awards in the best playback singer category. Manna Dey was the first playback singer to achieve this feat, and a few lucky singers have later made that mark.

Manna Dey for Ae Bhai Jara Dekh Ke Chalo – Mera Naam Joker starring Raj Kapoor as a joker in circus was a box office failure. But its songs are immensely popular even today. Manna Dey earned his single Filmfare award for Ae Bhai Jara Dekh Ke Chalo and his second and National award for the songs of Mera Naam Joker. It’s not specified in Wikipedia page, for which song of Mera Naam Joker Manna Dey received National award. He sang two tracks of the album – Ae Bhai Jara Dekh Ke Chalo and Kaate Na Kaate Raina, and music was composed by Shankar Jaikishan, who won Filmfare best composer award.

Mohammed Rafi for Kya Hua Tera Wada – Rafi remains the most talented male voice of Bollywood ever. But he received National awards for only a single song throughout his career. When he received the awards for 1977 movie, Hum Kise Se Kam Nahi, he was going through the low phase of his career, and all the songs of the movie composed by R. D. Burman, particularly this heartbreaking song, boosted his career a lot. Though Hum Kise Se Kam Nahi was widely regarded as his glorious comeback, he didn’t survive too long, and passed away in 1980.

Despite earning maximum Filmfare awards among male artists in the 1950s and 1960s, he earned only one Filmfare award in the 1970s and that’s for this particular song featuring Tariq Khan, Rishi Kapoor and Kaajal Kiran.

Udit Narayan for Mitwa – Lagaan is best known for the outstanding performance of Aamir Khan and the wonderful tunes composed by A. R. Rahman. Released in 2001, the movie bagged all musical awards at Filmfare and all musical awards at National awards except female playback singer. The song featuring Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh got noticed for its dance sequence too. The same year, Udit Narayan won National awards for two songs, both featuring Aamir Khan – Mitwa from Lagaan and Jaane Kyon Log from Dil Chahta Hai.

Sonu Nigam for Kal Ho Naa Ho – The title track of Kal Ho Naa Ho remains the most popular song of Sonu Nigam and its composers – Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who also bagged their single National award for best music for this album for the year 2003. This highly expressive and deeply touching song sung by Sonu Nigam was filmed on Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta. But Sonu Nigam made it his by giving his career best performance in rendition. The wordings earned Filmfare award for best lyricist for Javed Akhtar too.

Filmfare nominations which earned National Film awards later

There have been a few instances when a Filmfare Award nominated rendition later received National awards, though could win the same at Filmfare. Mahendra Kapoor for Mere Desh Ki Dharti from Upkar, K. J. Yesudas for Gori Tera Gaon from Chitchor, Chhaya Ganguly for Aap Ki Yaad Aati Rahi from Gaman, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam for the songs of Ek Duje Ke Liye, K. S. Chithra for Paayale Chhun Mun from Virasat, Udit Narayan for Yeh Taara from Swades, Monali Thakur for Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Alka Yagnik for the title track of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Goonghat Ki Aad Se from Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (there is a little bit confusion while going through Wikipedia pages while referring this one), and Shreya Ghoshal for Bairi Piya from Devdas and Yeh Ishq Hai from Jab We Met. But Alka Yagnik and Shreya Ghoshal have received Filmfare awards the respective years, though for other songs – Choli Ke Peeche (1993) and Dola Re (2002) & Barso Re (2007) respectively.

Lata Mangeshkar in the early 1970s and Asha Bhosle in the late 1970s have requested Filmfare Award co-ordinates not to include their names in the list of nominees in the singing category. That’s why the names of the legendary singers couldn’t find their names in the list. Otherwise some of the beautiful renditions by Mangeshkar sisters would have earned them Filmfare awards. National award winning renditions such as Beeti Na Bitai Raina of Parichay and Yaara Seeli Seeli of Lekin sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle songs of Umrao Jaan and Izzajat would have never missed the list, definitely!  

There are numerous Bollywood songs as well which earned National award for best playback singer, though not been recognized at Filmfare nominations – S. D. Burman for Safal Hogi Teri Aradhana, Mukesh for Ek Baar Yuhi, Shankar Mahadevan for Meri Maa etc to mention a few.

Conclusion

Here I conclude the list of songs. Only 4 songs & male singers could find their names in the list, and no female singers. Some of female singers like Chithra and Chhaya Ganguly, though received Filmfare nominations for their National award winning songs, they never managed to receive a Filmfare award. Singers like Alka Yagnik and Shreya Ghoshal have received Filmfare & National Film awards same year, though for different songs, and the legendary Mangeshkar sisters stopped accepting Filmfare awards in the 1970s, that’s the only reason why their names didn’t shown up in the list. If I have missed any name, please let me know.

I have added a big list of articles on Filmfare Awards, the most celebrated film awards of Hindi cinema. Here is the page link. Click on the images to read.