Tushar Bhatia: The Person Behind The Cdq Songs Of Geeta Ji, Please read about this amazing person! Options

[parag_sankla]

We music lovers across the internet have very easy access to many songs of Geeta ji in CDQ. Many of these songs have become commonly and easily available to all of us thanks to the CD technology and internet. When one goes back say 25 years in the past, there were no CDs no cassettes. There were just 2 LPs (long playing) records…only 48 songs!! Just the way the film and music industry did injustice to Geetaji in her career, the HMV equally did injustice to her.

Till as late as 1983-84, there were just 2 LP records of songs of Geeta ji released by HMV. One was called "Film Hits : Geeta Dutt" and the other one was called "Geeta Dutt in Memorium"[with the side 2 opening song by Asha Bhosle!]. Both the LP records had most of the songs from Guru Dutt films and a few songs like "Mera sundar sapna beet gaya". The general music lover was never exposed to many gems of this great singer. And these were the only songs that played on the radio over and over again.

And then came Tushar Bhatia, just 24 years old, who was a die-hard fan of Geeta ji from his early childhood.

He joined the HMV in the year 1983 and during his 2 and a half years of association[Feb ‘84-Aug ‘86] with HMV, he single handedly managed to release as many as five LP records of songs of Geeta ji. He was a producer for classical music initially, but the company management, much to their thrill and relief, discovered his passion for old soundtracks and allowed him to do whatever brought in more sales and prestige to the company’s releases. What else could he want? There he was, in HMV, given charge of the revival of compilations and old soundtracks!

He was determined to bring out the lesser heard gems of Geeta ji.

Thus came songs like "Naa Main Dhan Chahoon" on The LP of Kala Bazar and Humko Chhod Ke Kahan Jaoge from Shrimati 420 on LP records for the first time. Only then people came to know that Geeta ji and Talat sahab has sung so many melodious songs together. And it re-emphasized the fact that Geeta Roy was the number one playback singer in Gujrati film music in the late forties and early fifties. All this was thanks to one of truly great fan of Geeta ji. Hats off to Mr. Tushar Bhatia ji who single handedly managed to do all this against all odds. Why, just for one cause, to let more and more people know about this great and talented singer named Geeta Dutt. He was also instrumental in releasing LP records of films like Baazi, Chhoo Mantar etc. which had many songs of Geeta ji.

1] An Enchanting hour with Geeta Dutt

2] The best of Geeta Dutt

3] Duets to remember – Geeta – talat

4] Magic moments with Geeta Dutt

5] Ateetna Sambharna- Gujrati compilation of geeta dutt songs

6] Geet ane ghazal -featuring Gujrati songs by Geeta Dutt, Meena kapoor, Manna dey, Talat, Rafi, Hemant

7] A Gujarati compilaton of Geeta, Lata, Asha

8] Duets – Magic moments 2 LPs featuring Geeta dutt duets prominently amongst others!

And Soundtrack LPs of Baazi, Choomantar, Kala Bazar,

He was also instrumental in mobilizing the 2 bengali LPs of private and film songs through the Calcutta head office.

I am enclosing a pic of Tushar ji holding the very first LP record "Magic Moments" his own creation, which he got released by HMV in the eighties.

I happened to get in touch with Tushar ji through our Youtube channel. He is the same person who composed the music for the film "Andaz apna apna" starring Amir Khan and Salman Khan. And worked with the star writer Majrooh Sultanpuri. Ashaji sang under his baton ’Ye raat aur ye dori’

He is also the composer of the numerous mainstream Ads on the television in last 20 years/ Tv serials such as Banegi Apni Baat, Chakravyuh, Meri Pasand and Rishte, as well as many private albums like Bhagwad-geets, Buddha’s teachings, Patanjali’s Yogasutra etc released under the label of Times Music.

He was closely associated with stalwart composers like Naushad Sahab, O P Nayyar sahab and Anil Biswas saheb, Jaidev ji R D burman etc.

Currently Tushar ji is active in various forms of music including stage shows with his troupe called ‘Swardhara’ and sitar performances. He has just cut 2 CD albums with EMI where he has played western classics tunes on sitar.

It is our pleasure that he has agreed to speak to us about his fascination about Geeta ji, how he managed to cut all these LP records of Geeta ji during his tenure with HMV and his feedback about our site www.geetadutt.com

Let us thank Tushar ji from the bottom of our hearts for taking great efforts in coming up with LP records of songs of Geeta ji. Without his hardwork in the eighties we would not have been fortunate to listen to all these wonderful songs of Geeta ji.

Thank you Tushar ji.

This post has been edited by parag_sankla: Sep 12 2009, 09:48 AM