Zohra Bai Ambala Wali (1918-90)
Zohra Bai Ambala Wali
A noted classical singer, Zohra bai Ambale wali belonged to the first generation playback singers of Hindi cinema. Born into an orthodox Muslim family, Zohrabai’s introduction to music was through the gramophone records playing in her home in Ambala (now in the Punjab).
Recognizing her musical talent, Zohrabai’s grandfather put her under the tutelage of Ghulam Hussain Khan and Ustad Nasir Hussain Khan. The latter trained her in the Agra gharana (school) of Hindustani music, and it was this robust, unrestrained style of singing that Zohrabai brought to film music.
She began her career as a radio artiste, singing mainly classical and semi-classical numbers. She also cut albums with HMV, the leading gramophone company of the time. Music Director Pransukh Nayak gave Zohrabai her first film song in Daku Ki Ladki (1933). She subsequently sang for music director Naushad Ali in Rattan, delivering such hits as Aai Diwali aai Diwali and Akhiyan mila ke, jiya bharma ke. In fact, most of the singer’s famous songs, including those in Anmol Ghadi, Mela, and Jadoo, were to come under the music direction of Naushad Ali.
Zohrabai retired in the late 1950s to help her daughter, the noted kathak dancer Roshan Kumari.
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Historical inaccuracies in Indian - Pakistani Films
Action Replayy (2010)
Two Debutants / Same Film Curse...
Shyam and Naseem in Shabistan (1951)
Sudha Malhotra
: 
: 
:
sir I wish to know the lyrics of a song sung by Zohra bai in a film {1945}the words of which are as:
NAINO ME KRISHNA MURARI HAIN, MANKE BIHARI HAIN.
The song, ‘Naino mein Krishan murari hain…’ was sung by Zohrabai Ambalawali in in the film ‘Sanyasi’,which was released in 1945. The song was written by Pandit Madhur and set to music by Naushad.
a. c. tuli
The best part above is a two line note of Mr.Jinx.I want to be his Shagird.Wah bai Wah.
The earliest song listings of Zohrabai Ji available are from Jawani Diwani (1934) with Rafique Ghaznavi as music director. She may have also acted in some 30s films as then there was no playback (esp. pre-35)
Yeah, that is what I thought too. I don’t think that her first song was for Shakuntala (1943).Thanks for providing more info on her.
I also read a 1938 article in http://www.hindi-films-songs.com that Zohrabai’s first song was for Anil Biswas in Surendra starrer Gramphone Singer (1938).
Hi Mr Jinx. How are you? Hope everything is allrght. I am sorry to say but this Bollywood Zohrabai was not a classical singer. There was another singer with the same name and she was a classical singer. She had never sung in a movie. This Zohrabai or Zohrajaan was not a classical singer
Radjesh
Hello Rajdesh!
Nice to see you back! I think you are right, Zohra Bai was not a classical singer. I think they confused her with Zohra Bai AgreWali who was a noted classical singer. I will update the article later. “Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema: An Enchanting Close-Up of India’s Hindi Cinema (Britannica)” has quite a few errors and omissions.
Zohrabai was definitely trained in classical music but Zohrabai Agrewali was completely different, of course. Amabalewali’s early songs were during Agrewali’s demise (1939).
What Rajdesh meant was that Zohra Bai was not a classical singer. Ofcourse, she was classically trained like Lata Mangeshkar and Noor Jehan. And like Lata Mangeshkar and Noor Jehan, her main forte was film music.
I am singing on radio cylone between 1998 to 2004 in which some most beautiful songs I heard . MAR KATARI MAR JANA,I still waiting to be heard.
Mar katari was sung by Amirbai Karnataki and not by Zohra Bai Ambala Wali.
‘Mar katari mar jana ke akhiyan kisi se milana na, kha ke zehr mar jana par apna kisi ko banana na…’, this song was sung by Amirbai Karnataki in the film ‘Shehnai’ which was released in 1947. The song was picturised on the actress Rehana. It was written by PL Santoshi, father of present-day filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, and its music was composed by C.Ramchandra. It was a hit movie of 1947 and its comic song, ‘Aana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday’ became very popular.
It is confirmed that her first film songs were in Gramophone Singer (1938), music by Anil Biswas Ji. She possibly sang for actress Prabha Ji.
Sorry, I just confirmed with the support of Geet Kosh that her first song was from Daku Ki Ladki (1933). She must have acted since there was no playback till 2 years later. She sang 2 songs including a solo (her debut song) and a duet with Aslam. What an old timer! Her voice is truly so unique and immortal. Her last song was “Mere Dard-E-Jigar Ki Har Dhadkan”, a trio with Chandbala Ji and Asha Bhonsle Ji, from Nausherwan-E-Adil (1957), music by C. Ramchandra Ji.
The songs of Zohrabai Ambalawali cited in this blog are those which are known to most admirers of vintage music, but it is some of her lesser known songs through which one comes to knows what a remarkable singer she was. I would therefore recommend her following songs. The first one is from the 1951 film ‘Kashmir’. Its music was composed by Hanraj Behl and the song that Zohra sang was, ‘Samaj lo nazar se ishara kisi ka ke dil chahta hai sahara kisi ka…’It is the sung in the mujra style, but what a heart-warming song. Zohra’s voice is simply spellbinding in this song.
The second song is, ‘Suno ji pyari koyaliya bole, mast jawani dhole…’ It is a duet that she sang with Amar (he was character actor in many old films of the 50s and 60s). Naushad has composed this song so well that the more one listens to it the more it grows on one. The third song is, ‘Toota hua dil gaye ka geet suhana, har baat mein dhoonde ga wo rone ka bahana…’ It is from the 1948 film ‘Doosri Shadi. Its music was composed by Pandit Govindram. It is a sad song and you are bound to feel emotional as you listen to it.
Thanks for recommending those songs! I love “Suno ji pyari koyalya bole” from Sanyasi (1945). I also have a cassette of rare songs of Zohra and from that selection I like “Ankhoun mein aa”, “Kis tarah bhole ga dil” and few others.
Aankhon Mein Aa is by another such unique and robust voice, Amirbai Ji. Sometimes (reason is not known) wrongly credited to Zohrabai Ji. Even in Geet Kosh, you can get the right answer. Both of these stalwarts were two of the most prominent singers in the 1940s, apart from quality, even by quantity.
My bad! Yes Aankhon mein Aa is indeed by Amirbai Karnataki! Thanks for the correction!
Oh, it’s OK. This happens. Even, for instance, in Geet Kosh, some Rajkumari Ji songs are credited to Zohrabai Ji from Kavita (1944), etc.
It is not unusual for researchers to reach wrong conclusions. And the result is that songs sung by one singer are attributed to another. For instance, a song from the old film ‘Ram Rajya’ (1943) was often played by Radio Ceylon in their ‘Purani Filmon Se’ programme broadcast from 7-30 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. One such song was ‘Beena madhur madhur sach bol…’Announcer Gopal Sharma and others thought it was sung by Rajkumari. So whenever it was played, it was Rajkumari who got the credit for singing this semi-classical song. But the actual fact is that this song was rendered by Saraswati Rane, who later sang with Lata Mangeshkar, ‘Jab dil ko satave gham ched sakhi sargam…’ and ‘Tina tin tani, do din ki zindgani…’in ‘Sargam’ (1950).
Saraswati Rane was a classical singer who also sang a few film songs.