Jagjit Kaur Biography 
Jagjit Kaur is a Hindi playback singer who worked in the early talkies and black and white era of Bollywood. She owns many hit and classic songs to her credit, the best instance being Tum apna ranj–o-gham apni pareshani mujhe de do and Dekho dekho ji gori sasural chali from Shagun. She is the wife of legendary music composer of Bollywood – Khayyam. A few more hit songs include - "Khamosh zindagi ko afsaanaa mil gayaa" and "Chanda gaaye raagini" from Dil-e-Nadan (1953), "Dekh lo aaaj humko jee bhar ke" from Bazaar, "Kaahe ko byahi bides" from Umrao Jaan etc.
Kaur was born into to a wealthy Punjabi zamindari family. Born into a Sikh conservative family, she chose Khayyam as her life partner, whose religious belief was different. Khayyam was only an upcoming music composer then. The couple had one son, Pradeep Khayaam, an actor who died of heart attack in 2012. Later a trust was started in his memory by the couple to help artistes and technicians in need. It was Kaur’s suggestion on Pratip’s second anniversary to start a trust in his memory, and Khayyam Jagjit Kaur Charitable Trust came into existence.
She has sung many memorable marriage songs of Bollywood like Saada chidiya da chamba ve" from Kabhi Kabhi (1976), "Kaahe ko byahi bides" from Umrao Jaan etc and has regularly worked with her husband, Khayyam. Kaahe ko byaahi bides, the 14th Century Amir Khusro composition in Jagjit's voice was used as the beginning credits roll in the movie Shagun, which includes two of her memorable and evergreen songs. She is credited to compelling the film producer to complete the unfinished project, Pakeezah, originally began in 1958. When the movie was later completed and released in 1970s, it became a classic, and was Meena Kumari’s last theatre release.
Published: December 04, 2018
Updated: December 04, 2018
