Zeenat Begum

Zeenat Begum (born Shamim Akhtar; 11 November 1931 – 11 December 2007), sometimes known as Zeenat, was an Indian-Pakistani singer.

Zeenat Begum
Born
Shamim Akhtar

(1931-11-11)11 November 1931
Malerkotla Punjab, British India
Died(2007-12-11)11 December 2007
Lahore, Pakistan

Music career

Zeenat Begum was a courtesan (kothewali) and a renowned classical singer. She was discovered by Pandit Amar Nath around 1937.[1] Her first success as a playback singer came in 1942 when she sang for Govind Ram's Punjabi film Mangti (1942). The film was marked as the first Golden jubilee film produced in Lahore.[1]

Her first Hindi film was Nishani (1942).[2] She sang for other notable films including Panchhi (1944), Shalimar (1946), Shehar se Door (1946) and Daasi (1944).[3]

Zeenat Begum migrated from Lahore to Bombay in 1944. She sang for several music directors in Bombay, including younger brothers of Pandit Amar Nath – Pandit Husnlal Bhagatram, Master Ghulam Haider, Pandit Gobind Ram etc. The last film she sang for in India was Mukhda (1951). She migrated to Pakistan and joined Lahore Radio station and worked there until the late 1950s. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, many new playback singers arrived in Pakistan which affected the playback singing career of Zeenat Begum.[1]

Death

She died on 11 December 2007 in Lahore, Pakistan.[1][4]

References
  1. "Zeenat Begum profile". cineplot.com website. 2 November 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  2. "Zeenat Begum's Song List – (1942–1951)". Cineplot.com. 21 May 2011. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  3. "Zeenat Begum". Cineplot.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  4. Profile of Zeenat Begum on pakmag.net website Retrieved 19 April 2019
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