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Some time ago, Abhay Indori posted on the RMIM group a video having this label and the song
More Aanganaa Men Toraa Kiyaa Kaam by Miss Sheeela.
Soon many of us started seeing posts on WhatsApp, Facebook and elsewhere about this song, saying that this was recorded in 1883!
That number 1833 is NOT the year of the recording, in fact the date/year was not written on the 78s until the late sixties.
As any reputable site (eg Wikipedia or the Yale University Music Library) can tell you that it is the Matrix or the Master number of the record.
In fact, there is a hint about the year in the words, Electric Sound System, at the bottom. Before 1925 was the Acoustic Era where the artists spoke or sang into the acoustic horn familiar from old gramophone machines. After that they used a microphone.
Knowledgeable people tell me that Miss Sheela sang in the late 30s or early 40.
 

The Song


Narsingh 786

Variety (a Trade Publication of Hollywood) assesses the box office potential of Awara (1951). 

April 11, 1956 issue.

Now You Know!


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On October 8, 2006, I wrote this post in the classic RMIM:

******************

Hi RMIMers:

I was watching Ashirwad (1968) and heard Ashok singing. I thought he
must have done that after a long time! So I went to my
tentative-and-still-to-be-checked list. Turns out he sang in
Chandrashekhar (1948); that's a gap of 20 years.

So, who are other candidates? I remembered Bhoomika (1977) where
Saraswati Rane had sung. She sang last in Jai Bheem (1949), a gap of 28
years! We have a winner, I thought! But then my eyes fell on Firoz
Dastur in Bhomika (1977); he had sung last in Neki Aur Badi (1949),
still 28 years.

Later I was watching Badhati ka Nam Dadhi (1974) and heard Sunder,
Johar, Bhagwan and Maruti singing! I am not sure about the others, but
Sunder Singh has sung before! Turns out he sang in Nag Mani (1957), no good.

That's where the matter stands. Looks like the record is likely to be 28
years.

I have finished watching all my movies until 1980. I have a few after
that; perhaps I will run into some more old-timers :)

**************

There were many responses, I offered a reward for the longest interval in singing. There were many replies. The winner was Vibhendu Tewari who wrote

*************

Did Khayyam sing anything between Romeo & Juliet (1947) and Anjuman
(1986)?

*************

Then he elaborated

*************

Both the songs are Faiz ghazals- he sang 'dono jahaan teri mohabbat me'
with Zohra in R&J and 'kab haath me teraa haath nahin' with wife Jagjit
Kaur in Anjuman.

************

The gap being 39 years, Khayyam was a clear winner, as was Vibhendu Tewari! He picked 6 movies from my list and sent him 6 DVDs.

So, it looks like I have been rewarding people for many things :)

 

 Now You Know!


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