By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Top playback singer Suman Kalyanpur, whose mellifluous voice enchanted generations of music lovers and was often mistaken for that of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 89, marking the end of an era in Indian film music.
She was cremated in Mumbai on Monday with full state honours.
Born as Suman Hemmadi in Dhaka in 1937, Kalyanpur emerged as one of the most respected playback singers of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. After her family moved to Mumbai, she received classical music training and gradually built a distinguished career that spanned more than three decades. She recorded songs in several Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Assamese.
While her remarkable talent earned her immense popularity, Kalyanpur was often overshadowed by comparisons with Lata Mangeshkar because of the striking similarity in their voices. Many listeners frequently mistook her songs for Lata’s, a comparison that followed her throughout her career. Yet Kalyanpur never publicly expressed bitterness over it and consistently maintained deep respect and admiration for her contemporaries. In a 2022 interview, she said she was never bothered by such comparisons and regarded Lata as a close friend.
The reported professional rift between legendary playback singers Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar in the 1960s unexpectedly opened doors for Suman Kalyanpur to establish herself in the industry. During this period, music directors and film producers faced a challenge. Rafi was the most sought-after male playback singer of the era, and filmmakers still needed female voices for romantic duets. Suman Kalyanpur emerged as a natural choice. Her soft, melodious voice blended seamlessly with Rafi’s, allowing composers to create songs that retained the musical charm audiences expected.
Kalyanpur’s rich catalogue includes timeless classics such as “Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya”, “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche,” “Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se,” Rahe Na Rahe Hum and numerous memorable duets. Over her career, she recorded hundreds of songs and became known for her flawless diction, emotional depth and soothing style.
In “Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya” song, where she starts with “Kya Batayein Tumhein Hum Shama Ki Kismat Kya Hai”, the pathos in her voice leaves a deep resonance in the heart.
Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023, Suman Kalyanpur remained a beloved figure in Indian music. Though history often remembered her as “the other Lata,” her enduring legacy stands firmly on its own, carried forward through songs that continue to resonate across generations.
She recorded songs for movies in several languages besides Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Odia and Punjabi.
Kalyanpur sang with Lata Mangeshkar the rare duet “Kabhi Aaj, Kabhi Kal, Kabhi Parson” under the direction of composer Hemant Kumar.
She recorded some popular duets with male singers Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Mukesh, Talat Mahmood, and Hemant Kumar. Some of her memorable duets with Rafi are “Aajkal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche”, “Na Na Karte Pyaar”, “Tumse O Hasina”, “Rahen Na Rahen Hum”, “Parbaton Ke Pedon Par Shaam Ka Basera He”, “Ajahuna Aye Balama”, “Tumane Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aye”, “Bad Muddat Ke Yeh Ghadi Ayee”, “Mujhe Yeh Bhool Na”, “Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya”, “Tujhko Dilbari Ki Kasam” and “Chand Takata Hai Idhar”. With Manna Dey, she sang the popular duet “Na Jane Kahan Ham The” under the music direction of Dattaram. With Mukesh she has sung many popular duets like `Yeh Kisne Geet Chheda’, “Akhiyon ka noor hai tu”, “Mera Pyar Bhi Tu Hai”, “Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya”, “Shama Se Koi Kehde”.