Top 10 Bollywood duets of Lata Mangeshkar composed by S. D. Burman

R. D. Burman recorded many romantic solos and duets for top heroines of 1950s-1970s in Lata Mangeshkar’s voice. Majority of those them were recorded with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar, while he rarely tried her combination songs with other male playback voices like Manna Dey, Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor. He also recorded a few songs with Hemant Kumar in the early 1950s. In my list of best songs, I couldn’t find any Lata Duet with other singers except Rafi and Kishore. Yet I would like to mention the song, Chandani Raatein Pyar Ki from Jaal, (Co-singer: Hemant Kumar) filmed on Dev Anand and Geeta Bali.

R. D. Burman exclusively worked with Dev Anand for more than 25 movies since early 1950s, and he was the only composer of Bollywood who made use of Kishore Kumar’s voice as playback before he turned full-time singer. Needless to say those songs were exclusively recorded for Dev Anand. When it comes to duets, the composer thus recorded numerous duets of Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar for the romantic songs of Dev Anand. He also recorded a few duets with Rafi’s and Lata’s voices for Dev Anand films.

R. D. Burman also recorded memorable duets with Lata Mangeshkar for the movies of Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan etc. It’s a hard choice to list top 10 Bollywood duets of Lata Mangeshkar recorded by S. D. Burman, as the composer has always tried to reserve best of the best songs for her. Yet it’s my attempt. Hope you will like my choice of songs. I have sorted songs in alphabetic order.

1. Aaj Madhosh Hua Jaye Re from Sharmeelee, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) Year – 1971

The song was filmed on Shashi Kapoor and Rakhi Gulzar as a dream sequence soon after marriage, and Neeraj penned the lyrics. The movie included popular solos of Lata Mangeshkar such Khilte Hain Gul Yahan and Megha Chaaye Aadi Raat.

2. Aasman Ke Neeche from Jewel Thief, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) Year – 1967

Jewel Thief remains one of the highly acclaimed works of Kishore Kumar before he became a celebrated singer. In fact S. D. Burman frequently used Kishore da’s voice to record many of hit songs of Dev Anand since 1950s. This popular duet featured Vyjayanthimala aside Dev Anand, and was well picturised in a fun and teasing mood. Majrooh Sultanpuri penned lyrics for its songs except sad solo of Lata Mangeshkar, “Rula Ke Gaya Sapna” which was written by Shailendra.

3. Bagon Mein Bahaar from Aradhana, (Co-singer: Mohammed Rafi) – Year: 1969

No doubt it is the best song filmed on Farida Jalil, who was only a newcomer then, and her single film opposite Rajesh Khanna. The song is unique for its lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi, music as well as song picturization where the hero tricks her to say ‘Yes’ to his question, if she loves him. The song is indeed funny and beautiful to watch on screen, and the pair also shares an amazing chemistry onscreen.

4. Dil Pukare from Jewel Thief, (Co-singer: Mohammed Rafi) Year – 1967

This intense love song was filmed on Dev Anand and Vyjayanthimala and penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri. It’s the single Rafi track of the entire album, but the sweetest romantic one too. S. D. Burman used the voices of both Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi to record the songs of Dev Anand for many movies since 1950s, and Jewel Thief too is not an exception.

5. Gata Rahe Mera Dil from Guide, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) – Year: 1965

Gata Rahe Mera Dil is the only duet of the entire musical album, while the rest were solos recorded in the voices of Lata Mangeskar, Rafi and the composer himself. Thus Kishore Kumar turned lucky to record the single duet aside Lata, and it was the most popular track of the album too. When this song got released, Kishore Kumar was not a great singer, but better known as a comic lead hero, who occasionally becomes the ghost voice of Dev Anand for the songs recorded by S. D. Burman only. The song penned by Shailendra was filmed on Waheeda Rahman and Dev Anand.

6. Hum Tum Tum Hum Hum Tum from Tyaag, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) – Year: 1977

The song was filmed on Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna, and one among the last registered hits of S. D. Burman as a composer. Post Aradhana’s success it’s also one of the rare works of S. D. Burman for any Shakti Samanta movie, with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore playing the lead roles. The movie was posthumously released, and Anand Bakshi penned its lyrics.

7. Ik Ghar Banauga from Tere Ghar Ke Samne, (Co-singer: Mohammed Rafi) Year – 1963

Nutan appears in the beer glass as an illusion for drunken Dev Anand in this song, which was unique when it got filmed in the early 1960s. Hasrat Jaipuri authored the lyrics of the title track.

8. Koraa Kaagaz from Aradhana, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) Year – 1967

Songs of Aradhana are best associated with Kishore Kumar, who turned a playback singer in full swing after the movie’s release. The movie also included some of the finest duets of Rafi, Lata and Asha recorded by both S. D. Burman and R. D. Burman. Koraa Kaagaz is the only duet of Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar in the movie, yet the most popular one too. The song penned by Anand Bakshi was filmed on Sharmila Tagore and Rahesh Khanna.

9. Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh from Abhimaan, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar)

If I am asked which the best music Bollywood album of 1970s is, I can reply without hesitation, “Abhimaan” – absolutely flawless! While Lata Mangeshkar’s voice was exclusively used by Burman to record the voice of Jaya Bachchan, who also played a singer in the movie, he experimented with the voices of Rafi, Kishore and Manhar Udas for Amitabh Bachchan who played a pop singer and performer on stage, in the film. This highly emotional song appears in the movie’s climax, when the couple reconcile. Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote lyrics for all its songs.

10. Teri Bindiya Re from Abhimaan, (Co-singer: Mohammad Rafi)

The movie was released soon after the marriage of Jaya & Amitabh Bachchan. This particular song was filmed as a wedding reception song and thus best fits their real life too, when it got released.

A few more duets of Lata Mangeshkar composed by S. D. Burman

11. Shokhiyon Mein from Prem Pujari, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar) 

12. Likha Hai Teri Aankhon Mein from Teen Deviyan (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar)

13. Loote Koi Man Ka Nagar from Abhimaan, (Co-singer: Manhar Udhas)

14. Tere Bin Soone Nain from Meri Surat Teri Aankhen, (Co-singer: Mohammed Rafi)

15. Choodi Nahi Yeh Mera from Gambler, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar)

16. Chandani Raatein Pyar Ki from Jaal, (Co-singer: Hemant Kumar)

17. Palkon Ke Peeche Se from Talaash, (Co-singer: Mohammed Rafi)

18. Haan Meine Kasam Li from Tere Mere Sapne, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar)

19. Jeevan Ki Bagiya from Tere Mere Sapne, (Co-singer: Kishore Kumar)

Go through the gallery links to read some of the posts of country’s beloved and the celebrated female voice of Hindi cinema, also known as Nightingale – Lata Mangeshkar. Here is the page link. Click on the images to read.