Sulakshana Pandit was one of the most melodious voices of her time. In an era dominated by legends, she made her mark with songs that remain timeless. Here’s a look at Sulakshana Pandit’s top 10 songs.
Tu hi sagar hai tu hi kinara(Sankalp): Once in a while when Khayyam could take his audio gaze away from Lataji and her sister Asha Bhosle ,Sulakshana Pandit could slip into the picture. This classic written by the great Kaifi Azmi and composed by Khayyam finds Sulakshana at the acme of her singing power. She won her one and only Filmfare award.
Beqaraar dil tu gaye jaa(Door ka Rahhe): Kishore Kumar had a soft corner for Sulakshana. This elegant ditty composed by Kishore proves it. He generously let her sing two stanzas and gave himself just one.
Mana teri nazar mein tera pyar hum Nahin(Ahista Ahista): Arguably the finest song of Sulakshana’s career, this Khayyam composition was composed for a film called Khandaan in which she starred. The haunting Ghazal was to be filmed on Sulakshana. That never happened. The song ended up in a film called Ahista Ahista and was filmed on Padmini Kolhapure.
Khali pyala dhundla darpan(Sparsh): Rarely did Sulakshana get a chance to do an entire soundtrack . Sparsh was that rarity. Kanu Roy composed three solos , Sulakshana breathed life into them.Shabana emoted to them with immaculate sensitivity.
Bandhi re kahe preet(Sankoch): In this revisitation of Saratchandra’s Parineeta, Sulakshana was a pretty Lalita with a luscious lilt on her lips.Apparently the producers wanted one of the Mangeshkar sisters to sing this one. But Kalyanji-Anandji insisted on Sulakshana.
Somwar ko hum mile(Apnapan): Lataji sang the best song of this album, Sulakshana got to do this chulbuli chartbuster with Kishore Kumar. The two singers had a whole lot of fun in this.
Jana kahan hai(Chalte Chalte): Bappi Lahiri once told me he loved Sulakshana’s voice. In this album dominated by Kishore Kumar’s title song and Lataji’s Pyar mein kabhi kabhi, Sulakshana quietly made her presence felt in this honeyed duet with Bappi.
Ek baar kaho(title song): An outstanding score by Bappi Lahiri , Sulakshana scored with this velvety duet where Bappi asks the girl to confess her love. Each time the three magical words spring to her lips, Sulakshana says, ‘Main tumse….kya kahoon?’ An aching confession and a silent appeal.
Aap agar aap na hote(Grihapravesh): In Basu Bhattacharya’s moving marital drama Kanu Roy gave us a melodious score topped by this Sulakshana solo where she flirts with Gulzar’s lyrics as though love was just a beat away.
Jisse yaar ka sacha pyar mile(Bandi): Shyamal Mitra’s composition. Kishore Kumar as her co-singer, Sulakshana couldn’t hope for more.And yes, Sulakshana got to sing her own song this time with the legendary Uttam Kumar by her side.
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