Late legendary composer Kamol Dasgupta was remembered at a programme at the Music and Dance Centre Auditorium of
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Wednesday.
Organised by the academy, the programme featured a musical soirée where noted singer Shakila Zafar, Subir Nandi, and others presented songs of Kamol Dasgupta followed by a discussion session that highlighted the life and contributions of the legend.
Ranajit Kumar Biswas, secretary of the cultural affairs ministry, was present at the programme as chief guest. Cultural personality ABM Nurul Anwar, noted researcher Saim Rana and director of the music and dance department of the academy Sohrab Uddin delivered speech at the programme that was presided over by the director general of the academy Liaquat Ali Lucky.
The discussants stressed that God gives gifts to man but only a few do justice to it. Kamol Dasgupta (1912-1974) was such a rare personality, who made the best use of his talents as a music composer and director.
The legendary composer had composed over 8,500 songs, including setting tunes for about 400 Nazrul songs.
The speakers also informed that Dasgupta composed the music for about eighty Bangla films, most of which received huge popularity. He was an expert in multiple languages, as he sang modern songs in Bangla, Urdu, Hindi and Tamil. Noted singers of the sub-continent Angurbala, Mrinal Kanti, Feroza Begum, Satya Chowdhury, Talat Mahmud, Kanan Devi, Juthina Ray and many others gained popularity by singing songs composed by him.
The Bangla films that had Dasgupta’s music include the like of Pandit Moshai, Shesh Uttar, Sahadharmini, Jogajog, Bideshini, Nandita, Bhabikaal, Rangamati, Anuradha and Prarthana, among others and, the Hindi films include well-known movies like Jawab, Hospital, Rani, Arabian Nights, Bindiya, Krishan Leela, Phulwari and others.
The speakers also observed that Kamol Dasgupta’s songs Ami Bonophool Go, Toofan Mail, Prithibi Amare Chaye, Du’ti Pakhi Du’ti Teerey, and many others have maintained popularity spanning generations.
The discussion session was followed by presentation of some classics of Kamol Dasgupta by noted artistes of the country. Shakila Zafar presented Tufan Mail and Ami Bono Phul Go in her melodious voice at the show. Subir Nandi, Dinat Jahan Munni and others also presented songs of the legendary composer.
-With New Age input