Mubarak Begum

Career

Mubarak Begum started her career with light music recitals performed for All India Radio, the Indian Government radio. Her career as a playback singer began in 1949 with the Indian, Hindi-language film Aiye (1949). It was the Indo-Pakistani composer Nashad (not to be confused with the more famous Indian composer Naushad) who gave Mubarak Begum her first break. The first song she recorded for films was "Mohe Aane Lagi Angrayi, Aja Aja Balam" (film Aiye, 1949). She also sang a duet with the then upcoming Lata Mangeshkar in the same film. A major hit in her career was the song "Kabhi Tanhaiyon Mein Yun" for composer Snehal Bhatkar in Kidar Sharma's film Hamari Yaad Aayegi which is, till this day, regarded as a classic rendition.

Popular songs

Mubarak Begum has sung a total of 178 songs for Hindi films during her career, and the total number of films where her songs have appeared is 115. For a complete list of her songs, see List of songs recorded by Mubarak Begum. The following is a short list of her most popular songs:

Personal life

Mubarak Begum was born into a Muslim family at Sujangarh in Churu district of Rajasthan. She was married to Mr. Shaikh, a man of her own community, and was the mother of two children, a son and a daughter. Her husband and daughter are both dead and she lives with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

Although she was a well-known singer, Mubarak Begum was not able to capitalize on her talents. She did not have the savvy 'networking' skills which are so important in careers connected to the entertainment industry, and her career remained stilted as a result. A competent singer, she was not a savvy businessperson. She was more interested in the music and less in the money, and her day-to-day expenses and generosity did not allow her to save much money. In a 2016 interview before she died, when asked, she said that the Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali was her favorite singer.

Present situation

Mubarak Begum's daughter, who had been suffering from Parkinson's disease, died in October 2015, after which Begum's own health took a serious downturn. In May 2016, the press reported that Mubarak Begum was in hospital and that her family were unable to pay her medical bills. She lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Behram Bagh, in the Mumbai suburb of Jogeshwari, with her family consisting of a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Her only income, it was reported, was a pension which she received from her late husband's employer. This pension was reported by NDTV news channel to be Rs.800 ($12) per month and by DNA (an Indian newspaper) to be Rs.3000/- ($45) per month, both of which figures are extremely paltry by Indian standards and utterly inadequate for a person's sustenance. Mubarak Begum is dependent on her son, Hussain Shaikh, who earns an uncertain income by freelancing as a chauffeur, and is cared for by her daughter-in-law.

Begum's daughter-in-law, Zarina Hussain Shaikh, has told the press that the actor Salman Khan is virtually the only person from the Hindi film industry who is helping the family financially on a sustained, long-term basis. He has been paying the full costs of all medicines required by the elderly lady. The singer Lata Mangeshkar visited Mubarak Begum in hospital after the death of her daughter and condoled with her. She also extended financial support to the family, which still requires money for Mubarak Begum's treatment and special needs. In June 2016, Vinod Tawde, a BJP minister in the government of Maharashtra, stepped in to help the family. He found that there were no government schemes under which he could release money to the Begum, therefore he asked a charitable trust run by people close to him to help her, and they have provided her with some money.

Mubarak Begum died on 18 July 2016 at her residence in Jogeshwari after a prolonged illness.

Filmography

1. Aiye (1949)
2. Basera (1950)
3. Dolti Naiya (1950)
4. Phoolon Ka Haar (1951)
5. Mamta (1952)
6. Mordhawj (1952)
7. Sheesha (1952)
8. Char Chand (1953)
9. Daeera (1953)
10. Dharma Patni (1953)
11. Africa (1954)
12. Aamir (1954)
13. Aulad (1954)
14. Chandni Chowk (film) (1954)
15. Dak Babu (1954)
16. Gawaiya (1954)
17. Gul Bahar (1954)
18. Har Jeet (1954)
19. Maan (1954)
20. Rishta (1954)
21. Sangam (1954)
22. Tatar Ke Chor (1954)
23. Baradari (1955)
24. Devdas (1955 film)
25. Jasoos (1955)
26. Patit Pawan (1955)
27. Khandan (1955)
28. Kundan (1955 film)
29. Rukhsana (1955)
30. Sau Ka Note (1955)
31. Sakhi Lutera (1955)
32. Aan Baan (1956)
33. Awara Shahzadi (1956)
34. Badal Aur Bijli (1956)
35. Baghdad Ka Jadoo (1956)
36. Baghi Saudagar (1956)
37. Dhola Maru (1956)
38. Fighting Queen (1956)
39. Harihar Bhakti (1956)
40. Jungle Queen (1956)
41. Lal-E-Yaman (1956)
42. Rangeen Raatein (1956)
43. Sultana Daku (1956)
44. Fashion (1957)
45. Gateway of India (1957)
46. Maharani (1957)
47. Paisa (1957)
48. Parvin (1957)
49. Patal Pari (1957)
50. Chetak Rana Pratap (1958)
51. Jungle Princess (1958)
52. Madhumati (1958)
53. Sim Sim Marjina (1958)
54. Behram Daku (1959)
55. Chini Jadugar (1959)
56. Maa Ke Ansoo (1959)
57. Jalim Jadugar (1960)
58. Mughl-e-Azam (1960)
59. Return of Mr Superman (1960)
60. Veer Durghadas (1960)
61. Arab Ka Sitara (1961)
62. Daku Mansoor (1961)
63. Dekhi Teri Bombay (1961)
64. Gypsy Girl (1961)
65. Hamari Yaad Aayegi (1961)
66. Piya Milan Ki Aas (1961)
67. Shahi Farman (1961)
68. Zindagi Aur Khwab (1961)
69. Cobra Girl (1963)
70. Hamrahi (1963)
71. Sunehre Nagin (1963)
72. Yeh Dil Kisko Doon (1963)
73. Aandhi Aur Toofan (1964)
74. Balma Bada Nadan (1964) [Bhojpuri]
75. Fariyad (1964)
76. Hameer Haath (1964)
77. Kab Ho Hain Gawana Hamaar (1964)
78. Magic Carpet (1964)
79. Marvel Man (1964)
80. Naihar Chutal Jai (1964) [Bhojpuri]
81. Pahadi Nagin (1964)
82. Punar Milan (1964)
83. Qawwali Ki Raat (1964)
84. Shagoon (1964 film)
85. Tarzan and Captain Kishore (1964)
86. Arzoo (1965 film)
87. Black Arrow (1965)
88. Khooni Khazana (1965)
89. Mai Hoon Jadugar (1965)
90. Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain (1965)
91. More Man Mitwa (1965)
92. Tarzan and the King Kong (1965)
93. Gagola (1966)
94. Neend Humari Khwab Tumhare (1966)
95. Professor aur Jadugar (1966)
96. Sushila (1966)
97. Teesri Kasam (1966)
98. Zimbo finds a son (1966)
99. Awara Ladki (1967)
100. Around The World (1967)
101. Mera Bhai Mera Dushman (1967)
102. Poonam Ki Chand (1967)
103. Juari (1968)
104. Saraswatichandra (1968)
105. Hum Ek Hain (1969)
106. Chetna (1970)
107. Chandan (1971)
108. Annadata (1972)
109. Ek Bechara (1972)
110. Chattan Singh (1974)
111. Subah Zaroor Ayegi (1977)
112. Ramu Toh Deewana Hain (1980)
113. Sister (1980)
114. Ganga Mang Rahi Balidan (1981)
115. Nai Imarat (1981)