Sangeet Samrat Tansen

1962 170 minutes

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About Sangeet Samrat Tansen

Ramtanu is born mute. A miracle at a temple when he is five gives him a voice, and Swami Haridas of Vrindavan trains him in dhrupad. Haridas then sends the boy, with his childhood friend Hansa, to study under Muhammad Ghaus. Years later Ghaus posts him to Raja Ramchandra's court instead of letting him marry Hansa, and the raja titles him Sangeet Shiromani. His reputation reaches Akbar, who takes him into the circle of nine, and after a breach with Hansa the two are brought back together.

More about Sangeet Samrat Tansen

S. N. Tripathi directed and wrote the music for Sur Singar Chitra, and he plays Akbar without a credit. Shailendra wrote most of the lyrics. The line credited to Swami Haridas is "Sapta Suran Teen Gram," sung in Yaman.

Themes

  • A mute child given a singing voice
  • Training passed from Haridas to Ghaus
  • A court post set against a marriage
  • Reputation carried by a raga
  • Tansen
  • Akbar
  • dhrupad
  • Swami Haridas
  • Hansa
  • raga Dipak
  • Mughal court

Background

Mian Tansen was a dhrupad singer at Akbar's court and one of the navaratnas. This is the second Hindi feature on him, after the 1943 Saigal film.

Music

S. N. Tripathi composed. Besides the Sohni and Dipak numbers, Lata Mangeshkar and Mahendra Kapoor sing "Badli Badli Duniya Hai Meri" in Jhinjhoti, and Manna Dey sings "Mitwa Laut Aaye" in Darbari Kanada. Shailendra wrote those lyrics.

Notes

  • Bharat Bhushan plays Tanu, Anita Guha plays Hansa, David Abraham plays Mohammed Khauj, and D. K. Sapru plays Raja Ramchandra.
  • Sabita Chatterjee plays Naaz Praveen and Mukri plays Ustad Fateh Khan.
  • Mukesh sings "Jhoomti Chali Hawa" in raga Sohni on Bhushan's playback.
  • Manna Dey's "Raag Bhairav Pratham Shant Ras" is staged as the end of Haridas's teaching.
  • Mohammed Rafi sings "Deepak Jalao Jyoti Jagao" in Dipak, the raga the Tansen legend ties to fire.
  • K. L. Saigal and Khursheed had already played the same musician in Tansen (1943).

Scenes

  • A temple miracle gives the mute boy a voice at five.
  • Haridas closes the lessons with the Bhairav raagmala.
  • Ghaus sends Tanu to Raja Ramchandra just as he plans to marry Hansa.
  • Akbar brings him into the nine jewels of the court.

Influenced by

  • Tansen (1943), the earlier Saigal telling of the same life

Also available

  • Wikimedia Commons (Sangeet Samrat Tansen (1962).webm)

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