Rajkumari Dubey

Rajkumari Dubey (1924 – 2000), better known by her first name, Rajkumari, was an Indian playback singer who worked in Hindi cinema of 1930s and 1940s. Best known for her songs, "Sun Bairi Baalam Sach Bol Re" in Bawre Nain, "Ghabaraa Ke Jo Hum Sar Ko Takraayan" in Mahal (1949) and "Najariya Ki Maari" in Pakeezah (1972).

Biography She had much softer and sweeter voice with a narrow range than the leading singers of the time, Zohrabai Ambalewali, Amirbai Karnataki and Shamshad Begum. In the next two decades, she sang for 100 films, till the early 1950s, when Lata Mangeshkar changed the playback-singing scene in India.

Career She was 10 years old when she recorded her first song for His Master's Voice in 1934 and she started her career as a stage artiste. Vijay Bhatt and Shankar Bhatt of Prakash Pictures spotted her during one of her shows. They liked her voice and persuaded her to discontinue acting on stage as it would spoil her voice (In those days, there were no microphones and you had to shout to be heard). So she quit theatre, and became an employee of Prakash Pictures as an actress and singer. "Dil Loot Liya Ji" - Nai Duniya (1942) "Prem Ne Mann Mein Aag Lagayi" - Nai Duniya (1942) "O Tujhko Nainon" - Meharbani (1950) "Udd Jaau Main Sajan Re" - Kavita (1944) "Baras Gayi Raam Badariya Kaari" - Station Master (music director Naushad) "Dheere-Dheere Bol Mere Raja" - Ishara (1943) (Music director Khwaja Khurshid Anwar) (Lyricist – D. N. Madhok)