Usha Khanna

Usha Khanna Biography

Film field is exclusively defined for man – it’s the myth among common man. Many people strongly believe that except singing, ladies are not proficient in writing lyrics or doing compositions. Usha khanna is one among those exceptional persons who proved those thoughts wrong. Among all the successful male composers of Bollywood, she stands as the single lady. Perhaps she is the only lady of B’town who can be placed among the best music composers of the industry. Apart from a few movies, she has also done wonders with the music of most popular serial of Doordarshan during middle 1990’s – Chandrakantha.

Usha Khanna, regarded as the first established female composer of the industry was born in a musical family. Her father Mahohar Khanna was a lyricist and singer of ancient times and she debut Bollywood through Shammi Kapoor – Asha Parekh starrer super hit – Dil dekha dekho. Its music became quite successful during 1959 and marked the beginning of successful career of Usha Khanna. She was greatly inspired from Arabic tunes and has used them wisely while composing music for films. She was introduced to music industry by O.P.Nayyar and first two works she did for Asha Parekh movies. Second movie was ‘Hum Hindusthani’. Though her first two movies were instant hits, she had to struggle a lot in Indian film industry and had got only a few opportunities also. Despite of a few hit songs, she has only a few films in her name, a strange mystery still to unfold. Surprisingly most of them are huge musical hits too.

Apart from Bollywood movies she has done a few Malayalam movies during 70’s also. Suspense thriller of Prem Nazir, Moodal Manju (1969) is one such. The romantic song sung by Yesudas, ‘Nee Madhupakaru’ and solo number of Janaki, ‘Unaroo vegam nee sumarani’ are still remembered by melody lovers. It’s for these songs her name is quoted among the best songs of old Malayalam movies. She has also composed songs for Malayalam movies, Puthuram puri Unniyarcha based on ‘Vadakkan paatukal’ (Malabar songs) and Agni Nilavi.

Her association with Rafi and Asha Bhosle has been most successful. She has also given some fine compositions to Yesudas including ‘Dil ke tukde’ which won him many awards and songs of Rajesh Khanna starrer Sauthen ‘Tujhe chai pe bulana hai’ and ‘Zindagi’ were huge hits that time. Her hit Hindi movies include Southen, Dil ne phir yaad kiya, Dil dekhe dekho, Hum Hindusthani, Vishal, Mehak, Laila, Zamana, Aap to aise na the, Daada, Saajan bina suhagan, Hai mera dil,  Ek sapera ek lutera and Pyar ke jeet. She has done background score for ‘Dil ka Tukhda’ in 1994 and done the album, ‘Dil pardesi ho gaya’. She is married to director Sawant Kumar. She is living alone, though they are not legally separated.  

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Updated: May 29, 2018