G. M. Durrani Biography 
G. M. Durrani was a popular playback singer during the first phase of Hindi cinema (1930’s to 1950’s). He was discovered by film producer Sohrab Modi who gave him the first break through Saaed-e-Hawas (1936). He worked under Bundu Khan for the first time. Then only the concept of playback singing started in Bollywood and he became one of the leading voices of the first two eras of Hindi talkies. He has delivered numerous duets with legendary Geeta Dutt. He was the idol of the great singer Mohammed Rafi who imitated him in the initial days.
As a playback singer his first song was a ghazal - "Mastonko shem farz hai peena Sharab ka” for the movie, Saaed-e-Hawas. Music was given by classical musician Bundu Khan, popularly known as "Taan-Talwar" Bundu Khan. When the concept of playback singing started in Hindi films, he was the first to lend his voice for a film titled Bahurani. Its music was given by Rafeeq Gazanavi. He was working for All India radio full time, during this period. As it was British rule, private recordings were not allowed. Yet with the insistence of Rafeeq Gazanavi, he sang a duet aside Rose for the movie. He put some conditions for the recording also and Rafeeq agreed. He was paid 75 rupees for that single song. As his monthly salary at AIR was only 50 rupees, he left that job to take playback singing as profession.
Khurshid Anwar, Naushad, Shankar Rao Vyas and A. R. Qureshi were a few among those composers with whom Durrani worked first. Mirza Ghalib, Magroor, Shama, Humlog, Namaste and Sabak were a few among his early films. Later he became a model to many playback singers who followed then. Rafi is one such big name who used to imitate Durrani in the initial years.
Published: N/A
Updated: March 26, 2014
