Street Singer (1938)

Interesting facts

Street Singer is a 1938 Indian film directed by Phani Majumdar. It was produced by New Theatres of Calcutta and was Phani Majumdar's first Hindi film as a director. The film was made in Bengali as Sathi in the same year. It stars K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi, Jagdish Sethi and Bikram Kapoor. The music was composed by R. C. Boral with lyrics written by Arzu (Arzoo) Lucknavi. Two street urchins dream of singing and making it big in the glamorous world of theatre in Calcutta. They grow up with the girl being employed while the boy is not. The story follows them through first their enchantment and then the disillusionment with the theatre. Finally both choose to return to their roots in the village.

Production

Street Singer was Phani Majumdar's first and most famous Hindi film. Saigal and Kanan Devi were a sensation nationwide following this film. The film helped establish Kanan Devi’s popularity and her ‘melody queen’ status. It is also ranked as one of Saigal’s greatest hits, where his rendition of Wajid Ali Shah’s Bhairavi thumri "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye" is considered a classic. Majumdar considered Saigal an exceptional artist.

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