Pratima Bandopadhyay


Pratima Bandopadhyay was a Bengali playback singer from Kolkata, who sang numerous songs in popular Bengali language movies and non-film as well, particularly during the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s. She was also known as Pratima Banerjee'''.

Early life

Pratima Bandopadhyay's ancestors came from Baherak, Bikrampur, Dhaka, Bangladesh. She lost her father Mani Bhushan Chattopadhyay at the age of one. Her mother Kamala Chattopadhyay raised her in their house at Bhabanipur, Kolkata. She started taking lessons in music at a very early age from Sri Prakash Kali Ghoshal.

Career

Pratima Bandyopadhyay's first record appeared in 1945 through Senola Records. In famous radio programme of Akashvani the song "Amala Kirane" was introduced in the late 40s, another song a duet with Dwijen Mukhopadhyay "He Charupurno Somoshikhorini" was introduced in the year 1952 which increased her popularity. She made her debut in playback singing in Bengali films in 1951 when she recorded "Totini ami, Tumi sudurer chand" under the music direction of Shri Sudhirlal Chakraborty in film "Sunandar Biye". Over three decades, she lent her voice to more than 65 Bengali movies and numerous non-film songs.

Death and legacy

After the death of Pratima's husband Shri Amiyo Kumar Bandyopadhyay in 1986, her health deteriorated rapidly, and on 29 July 2004 she died. She was survived by her daughter Raikishori Bandyopadhyay and son Amarnath Bandyopadhyay and family.

Memoirs

  • Pulak Bandyopadhyay, the famous and noted lyricist of Bengal of the yesteryear, mentioned in his memoir: "When the song "Ke prothom kachhe esechhi", written by me and sung by Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar, became popular, I received a call from a mysterious fan, praising the lyrics. She did not reveal her name. Since then I used to receive call from her whenever a song written by me became a sensation. At last one day she agreed to come to meet me at certain location in Elgin road at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. I was overwhelmed. The time was approaching, and cleaned my car and got dressed. Then the phone rang. It was Hemanta Mukherjee. He insisted that I should visit his house for creation of Puja songs at 5 o'clock. Pratima Bandopadhyay would be there waiting. All my persuasion to change the date failed. While driving my car towards Hemanta-da's house, the clock was approaching 5, I was thinking about the mysterious lady, and first two lines came in to my mind, "Baro saadh jaage, ekbar tomay dekhi". Never heard of the lady ever after. Pratima recorded the song."
  • Nirmala Mishra recalled: "One night at about 12 o'clock I received a phone call. It was a great surprise for me, because the caller was none other than the famous artist Pratima Bandopadhyay. She told, 'Nirmala, Manab Babu had given us a song. Let us practice it here.' Regularly Pratima Bandopadhyay used to call me after mid night for practice." The song was: Abire Rangalo Ke Amay /Film Mukhujjye Paribar.

Discography

Others

;Musical Opera
Pratima Bandopadhyay also rendered her voice in the following Musical Opera:
  • Alibaba Part-1 & 2 created by Kshirod Prasad Bidyabinod. Drama: Pranab Ray, Music: V Blsara.
  • Shree Radhar Manbhanjan. Compilation: Pranab Ray, Music: Rabin Chattopadhyay.
;Music Composition by Pratima Bandopadhyay
  • Tandrahara Raat - Hemanta Mukhopadhyay; Lyrics - Debashis Chattopadhyay; Music - Pratima Bandopadhyay;.