Pahari Sanyal: The actor and the singer too!

“Dipen, ei bhul ami ki kore korlam, ato din kebol Radha ke nurse boleyi janlam, Radhar bhetor meye ti ke ekbar'o dekhlam na”. Pahari Sanyal as Col. Mitter was expressing his soulful regret with a penitent expression. The articulation had such command such impact in the candid confession of a towering personality. The viewers were overwhelmed and Pahari Sanyal was Col. Mitter at his best. He spoke four languages - his mother tongue Bengali, Urdu, Hindi and English - with aplomb. The words he uttered in English in “Deep Jeley Jai” conveyed the impression that he was equally at home in English. He acted in Ivory-Merchant Production's “The Householder (1963)”. His diction in the languages was impeccable.
In his mother tongue Bengali, his expression was mellifluous. His longest dialogue in “Deep Jeley Jai” was when he was describing the flowering of human psychology holding his pipe and deftly playing with the lamp-shade. His description traversed from a baby's playfulness with his organs, and then when he discovers his appearance in the mirror; self-love develops - it is the narcissistic stage; then the boy starts to love his mother and the girl her father. When he finds that the society does not sanction such attachment he starts seeking his mother or the image of his mother in another woman. Pahari Sanyal's mastery of narration was splendid!
Pahari Sanyal was a robust presence in Bengali film, along with another titan Chhobi Biswas. He was equally comfortable in Hindi films. Some of his popular presence in Bengali movies was in “Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant” (1971), “Harano Sur” (1957 as Roma's father), “Shilpi” (1956 Anjana's teacher), “Sabar Upare' (1955, Rita's journalist brother) and indeed “Deep Jeley Jai” (1959) as the redoubtable Col. Mitter. Critics acclaim Pahari Sanyal for his iconic role as Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar in “Vidyasagar” (1950). He also acted in Satyajit Ray's “Kanchenjunga” (1962) and “Aranyer Din Ratri” (1970). His performances in these movies were profoundly natural. In “Aranyer Din Ratri”, his Atul Prasad song “Kunje pukare oli jahare barey barey” bore the mark of his excellence as a singer.
Pahari Sanyal's Hindi film career had a number of good films. “Adhikar” (1939), a bi-lingual popular film gave him a foothold in Hindi filmdom. He was in Raj Kapoor's notable film “Jagte Raho” (1956). He acted in a number of popular hits of the time like “Badi Didi” (1939), “Haar Jeet” (1940), and “Mohabbat” (1943). Pahari Sanyal acted in “Yahudi Ki Ladki” (1933) with Saigal, with PC Barua in “Maya” (1936), with Suchitra Sen in “Mamta” (1966) and in the Rajesh Khanna-Sharmila Tagore blockbuster “Aradhana” (1969).  
Iconic roles were Pahari Sanyal's forte. He was the natural choice for the roles; therefore he shone in “Kadambari”, “Mahakavi Kalidas” (1944) and “Shravan Kumar” (1946).
Pahari Sanyal, born Nagendranath Sanyal, had his education in Lucknow, India. He first enrolled for an engineering degree in Benares Hindu University. His love of music carried him on to take Hindustani classical music lessons in Morris College, Lucknow (now Bhatkhande Music Institute University). There he took music lessons under the tutelage of Ustad Md. Hussain, Chote Munna Khan, Nasir Khan and Ahmed Khan. Besides, he also took lessons of tabla from Rashbehari Sil and Abid Khan.
He was deeply inclined to different types of songs. Eventually Pahari Sanyal became fluent in Hindi and Urdu. During his stay in Lucknow, he came in touch with Atul Prasad who greatly contributed to his songs. Among many of his Bengali and Hindi songs, “Suhag Ki Raat” of “Adhikar”, “Tore Prakash Se” of “Chandidas” and “Keno Poran Holo Badhan Hara” of “Bhagyachakra” were popular. Pahari Sanyal also sang Rabindra sangeet like “Amar Ei Poth Chawote Anondo”, and songs of Atul Prasad.  Recently when Soumitra Chattopadhdhya was in Dhaka, he recalled listening to Atul Prasad songs by Pahari Sanyal.
Pahari Sanyal's film career spanned five decades from the beginning of the '30s to the end of the early '70s. Devakikumar Basu was a friend of Pahari Sanyal. Basu took him to BN Sarkar of Star Theatres. He helped his career. His first film was “Rajrani Meera” in 1933 directed by Devakikumar Basu. Pahari Sanyal ultimately rose to the category of Kundan Lal Saigal. In the same year he acted in “Yahudi Ki Ladki”. He was also seen in “Chandidas” (1934) and “Rooplekha” (1934). In the year 1935 we saw him in movies like “Carvan-e-Hayat” and “Dhoop Chhaon”. He acted in “Mayaand Krorepati” in 1936. His other notable movies are “Vidyapati” (1937), “Mahakobi Girish Chandra” (1956) and “Jomaloye Jibonto Manush” (1958).
Pahari Sanyal was born in Darjeeling on 22 February 1906, and passed away on 10th February 1974.      

The writer is a film enthusiast.