The First Superstar of Indian Films- Kundan Lal Saigal

In those days Indian film industry was based in Tollygunge area of Kolkata, hence was called Tollywood.

K. L. Saigal

(11 April 1904 – 18 January 1947)

In the early 1930s, classical musician and music director Harishchandra Bali brought K.L. Saigal to Calcutta and introduced him to R. C. Boral, who took an instant liking to Saigal’s talents. Saigal was hired by Calcutta-based film studio New Theatres on a contract of Rs. 200 per month. There he came into contact with contemporaries like Pankaj Mullick, K.C. Dey (Manna Dey’s uncle) and Pahari Sanyal and a solid foundation of Indian Film Industry was laid.

1932 onwards Saigal’s films started releasing one after other. Please remember that in those days, there was no playback singing technology. Audio recording and film shooting was done simultaneously on the spot and the actors were singing live. As a youngster, Lata Mangeshkar is alleged to have said that she wanted to marry K.L. Saigal after seeing his performance in Chandidas (1934).

With Devdas (1936) Saigal hit an unprecedented Stardom. His popularity was next only to Mahatma Gandhi.

Balam aaye baso – Devdas

Dukh kea ab din – Devdas

Saigal picked up Bengali very well and acted in seven Bengali films, produced by New Theatres. Gurdev Rabindranath Tagore first heard Saigal before giving consent for the first time to a non-Bengali singing his songs. Saigal endeared himself to the whole of Bengal through his 30 Bengali songs.

1934 onwards playback recording had started but Saigal continued shooting live in the conventional way. As late in 1938, Saigal sang live shooting his immortal song Babul Mora for the film Street Singer:
Babul Mora – Street Singer (1937)

In December 1941, Saigal moved to Mumbai to work with Ranjit Movietone. Somehow Saigal seemed to have lost that magical touch in the Bollywood milieu. Many of his films flopped at the Box Office. Depression and alcoholism got better of him and Saigal died on 18^th January 1947; three months short of his 43^rd birthday.

Some selected immortal gems from Saigal’s priceless treasure:

[Excerpts from the E-Novella ‘Cinemaghar’ written by Atul S. Merchant ‘Jataayu’]