Happy Birthday Udit Narayan: The Small-Town Boy Turned Legendary Singer's Iconic Songs

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UDIT NARAYAN: Udit Narayan, born December 1, 1955, in Baisi, Bihar, is a renowned playback singer who has captivated audiences worldwide with his melodious voice and versatile singing style. His journey from a small-town boy to a legendary singer is an inspiring tale of talent, dedication, and unwavering passion for music.

Udit, who turns 68 today on December 1, began his career in the early 1980s as a playback singer with the film Unees Bees and has sung in over 140 Hindi films to date. He has also done playback for films in other Indian languages and recorded many solo and duet albums.

In 1980, Narayan moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in playback singing. His initial years were marked by struggle and perseverance. He faced rejections and worked on small projects, but his determination never wavered.

His breakthrough came in 1988 with the film “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.” His rendition of the song “Papa Kehte Hain” catapulted him to fame, earning him his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

From there on, Narayan’s career soared. He became one of the most sought-after playback singers in Bollywood, delivering countless hits across various genres, from romantic ballads to energetic dance numbers. His versatility and ability to adapt to different styles made him a favourite among music composers and filmmakers.

Narayan married Deepa Gahatraj in 1985, and the couple welcomed their son, Aditya Narayan, in 1987. Aditya followed in his father’s footsteps and became a successful singer and television host.

UDIT NARAYAN’S ICONIC SONGS

1. Papa Kehte Hain (1988)One of the most iconic songs from the ‘80s is Papa Kehte Hain from the 1988 tragic romance film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Written by poet and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, this Anand-Milind composed song touched the hearts of youths all over India, thanks to Udit Narayan’s soul-stirring performance. This is the first time Udit Narayan did the playback of all the songs with male vocals in a film. He also bagged his first Filmfare Award for the song.
2. Pehla Nasha (1992)Pehla Nasha from Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) became a youth anthem during the early 1990s. Also written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, this Jatin-Lalit composed duet track was performed by Udit Narayan and Sadhana Sargam. The song depicts the emotions associated with first love.
3. Mitwa (2001)Lagaan, about a rag-tag group of men from an Indian village who participate in a cricket match against the erstwhile British Raj, won a number of prestigious international accolades and secured eight National Film Awards, including one for Udit Narayan, for the track Mitwaa, with lyrics from Javed Akhtar. Sukhwinder Singh, Alka Yagnik and Srinivas also lend their vocals to this song, composed by A.R. Rahman.
4. Aisa Des Hai Mera (2004)Udit Narayan’s soothing yet powerful rendition of this late Madan Mohan composition from the film Veer-Zaara inspires a strong sense of nationalistic pride among Indians. The track, composed by Zaved Akhtar, also highlights the divisions that exist between India and its neighbouring Pakistan.
5. Yeh Taara Woh Taara (2004)Udit Narayan won his third National Film Award for playback of this popular track from one of the finest modern Hindi-language films, Swades. The music was composed by A.R. Rahman.
6. Pardesi Pardesi (1996)One of the hit songs of the 90s, Pardesi Pardesi, from Raja Hindustani, has been sung by Narayan, Alka Yagnik and Sapna Awasthi. The song expresses the feeling of two people who love each other but are parting ways due to circumstances. Nadeem Shravan has given the music to the song and Sameer has written its lyrics.
7. Sona Kitna Sona Hai (1997)Narayan and Poornima have given their voice to the peppy number. The song from the movie Hero No. 1 features Govinda and Karisma Kapoor. This number is still played at parties and people usually find it difficult to refrain from shaking legs on this song.
8. Tip Tip Barsa Paani (1994)Tip Tip Barsa Paani from the movie Mohra is still considered one of the most romantic songs. The sizzling chemistry between Raveena Tandon and Akshay Kumar in the song has made it worth watching too. Narayan and Yagnik have crooned this romantic number. Its music has been produced by Viju Shah.

UDIT NARAYAN’S SONGS WITH SON ADITYA NARAYAN

His son Aditya Narayan has followed his father’s footsteps and has established a singing career in the Bollywood industry. Moreover, the father-son duo has also sung several songs together, check them out.

1. Katti BattiFrom Sunil Shetty, Pooja Batra and Sonali Bendre’s gangster film Bhai, the song Katti Batti was sung by Udit and his son Aditya. This was one of the first songs of the father-son duo.
2. Papa the GreatOne of Aditya and Udit’s popular songs include Papa the Great from the film with the same name. Released in the year 2000, the song featured Krishan Kumar, Master Bobby and Nagma. The song was penned by Faiz Anwar and Maya Govind Babu Singh Mann. It was directed by Nikhil and Vinay.
3. Koi Ladki HaiFrom the film Dil Toh Pagal Hai, the song Koi Ladki Hai is another collaboration of Udit and Aditya. The song was originally sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit, while Aditya sang a small part in the song.
4. Chim ChimniAditya sang the song Chim Chimni along with other singers including dad Udit Naraya, Abhijeet, Preeti Uttam and Deepa Narayan. The chirpy song was from 1997 film Ghoonghat. He also sang the song Hotel Mobile, which is featured in this film.
5. Akele Hum Akele TumAditya and Udit lent their voice to this lead song from the romantic drama Akele Hum Akele Tum. Directed by Mansoor Khan, the film starred Manisha Koirala, Master Adil and Aamir Khan. The music for the song Akele Hum Akele Tum was given by Anu Malik.