Earliest singers in Bollywood dies

Delhi,  Indian singing legend Shamshad Begum has died in the western city of Mumbai, aged 94.

 

Begum had been in poor health in recent months and died at her residence late on Tuesday. She was one of the earliest singers in Bollywood with a number of of hit songs.

 

Among her hits were Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon, Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar and Kajra Mohabbat Wala.

 

Born in Punjab's Amritsar district, Shamshad Begum made her debut on a radio station in Lahore in December 1947.

 

Fans say she captivated the hearts of her listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice.

 

She was also one of the first so-called "playback singers" – whose voice was pre-recorded for use in films in which actresses would lip-sync to her songs.

 

The singer had lived with her daughter and son-in-law in Mumbai ever since her husband died in 1955.

 

Shamshad Begum was a versatile artist, singing in Hindi and the Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi languages. (News india)