# Subir Sen

Subir Sen (24 July 1934 – 29 December 2015) was an Indian playback singer who sang modern songs in Bengali and Hindi. He was also one of the artists of Rabindra Sangeet.

## Personal life

Sen was born in Dibrugarh, Assam to Sailesh Chandra Sen and Lily Sen. Sailesh was a doctor. They also had a pharmacy in Guwahati. His siblings were Prithwish Sen, Gauri Sen, Sunil Sen and Arun Sen. He passed the Matric Examination from Guwahati and came to Kolkata in pursuit of music. He was married to Roma Sen.

## Career in Music

Music interested Subir Sen from a young age. During his schooling, he attended a classical vocal music competition at Morris College, Lucknow. He secured first place and received his award from Pandit Shrikrishna Ratanjankar. In 1951, he came to Kolkata and was admitted to Ashutosh College. While in Kolkata, he started taking music lessons from Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri, who sent Sen to Shri Usha Ranjan Mukherjee to learn thumri.
While he was studying in Ashutosh College he took part in the KEREJU Music Competition conducted by HMV, and he was selected as first among around fourteen hundred competitors. Subir Sen described this event in his own words in "আমি তো গেয়েছি সেই গান", where he sang a song composed by his mentor Sri Anupam Ghatak: সারা রাত জ্বলে সন্ধ্যাপ্রদীপ.
Sen's first record was released by Columbia records in February 1954 and contained two Bengali modern songs whose music was composed by Sri Chitto Roy and lyrics written by Sri Shyamal Gupta: 'জীবন-বাতি নিভিয়ে যেদিন' and 'আর কত জানাব তোমায়'. Subir Sen was invited to Mumbai by Guru Dutt. Sudhin Dasgupta too was invited by Guru Dutt to work for his production house. For some time, Subir Sen and Sudhin Dasgupta stayed together in Tardeo Sonawala building in Mumbai when Sudhin composed a song "এত সুর আর এত গান" (Eto sur aar eto gaan), which was recorded by Subir Sen much later. The second record of Subir Sen appeared in 1956 and contained two compositions of Sudhin Dasgupta, 'ঐ উজ্জ্বল দিন ডাকে স্বপ্ন রঙ্গীন' and 'স্বর্ণঝরা সূর্যরঙে'. It was this record of Subir Sen that made him famous and gave Subir Sen a permanent place in the world of Bengali music.
* এত সুর আর এত গান যদি কোনদিন থেমে যায়
* সেইদিন তুমিও তো ওগো জানি ভুলে যাবে যে আমায়।
* কতদিন আর এ জীবন কত আর এ মধু লগন...
* তবুও তো পেয়েছি তোমায় জানি ভুলে যাবে যে আমায়।
* আমি তো গেয়েছি সেই গান যে গানে দিয়েছিলে প্রাণ...।
* ক্ষতি নেই আজ কিছু আর ভুলেছি যত কিছু তার...
* এ জীবনে সবই যে হারায় জানি ভুলে যাবে যে আমায়।.
While in Mumbai, Subir Sen was scouted by Shankar-Jaikishan, the famous music composer-duo and was inducted to the Mumbai film industry. In Om Prakash's first production, "Aas Ki Panchhi" (1956) starring Rajendra Kumar, Subir Sen sang the title song through the lip of the hero riding on a bicycle leading a team of NCC cadets: "Dil mera ek aas ka panchhi, udta hai oonche gagan par." Subir Sen also lent his voice to various Hindi movies such as Chhoti Bahen (1959), Boy Friend (1961) and Passport (1961). He was associated with Salil Chowdhury, Sudhin Dasgupta, Abhijit Bandopadhyay, Anal Chatterjee, Amiyo Dasgupta and many other noted music composers of Calcutta (Kolkata) and Bombay (Mumbai) that time.
In 1967, Subir Sen debuted as a music director when composing music for Bengali film মিস প্রিয়ম্বদা (Miss Priyambada). In 1972, he was music director for the Hindi film "Midnight." The film, directed by Raju, was released in England in 1972. Playback songs were: Koi mera ho gaya (Subir Sen), London ke mele mein & Zindagi Ka Hai Yeh Fasana (Md. Rafi), Tumsa meet mila (Geeta Dutt and Talat Mahmood), and Tere yad mein sajan (Geeta Dutt).
Subir Sen acted in several movies in Bengali and Hindi. He was an actor-singer in Bengali movies Momer Alo (1964) (with Uttam Kumar) and Anubhav (with Sanjeev Kumar). He was offered the lead role in the Hindi movie Abhiman by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and when Subir Sen declined, it was given to Amitabh Bachhan.
Subir Sen's literary contributions are rare and difficult to retrieve, but his writings' spontaneity may be observed in a chapter of a book titled Shyamal Mitra – a compilation of essays, a memoir of Shyamal Mitra.

## Awards

* 2007 – Harmonica Sangeet Samman – Lifetime achievement award.
* 2012 – Sangeet Maha Samman by Government of West Bengal
* 2013 – "Banga Bibhushan" by the Government of West Bengal.

## Death and legacy

Survived by his daughter (Supriya Sen, presently a professor in occupational therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University), he died of lung cancer in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, at 8 a.m. on 29 December 2015. Subir Sen had a deep, dreamy, romantic and appealing voice. His renditions of Rabindra Sangeet, Hindi film songs, and Bangla modern songs were popular and represented a genre of its own kind. Sen was fond of Western music, particularly of Jim Reeves and Nat King Cole. According to Abhijit Bandopadhyay, he created an international style of his own.
Runa Laila, a notable Bangladeshi singer, was one of Sen's nieces.

## Discography
### Film and Non-film songs of Subir Sen

Subir Sen Discography :
| Year | Song | Film/Director | Language | Music Composer | Lyrics | Starring |
| 1962 | Aa ja re nayan dware solo | Roop Ki Rani Choro Ka Raja Dir: H S Rawail | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | Shailendra | Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman |
| 1962 | Aa ja re nayan dware with Asha Bhonsle | Roop Ki Rani Choro Ka Raja H S Rawail | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | Shailendra | Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman |
| - | Aagneogiri ke jwolte dekhe | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1968 | Aah dil mein hain nayan mein neer hain | Rani Chandrawati | Hindi | S N Tripathi | | Lalita Pawar |
| - | Aaha piano amar prothom prem mon rangano | - | Bengali | Kalyan Sen Barat | Shibdas Bandyopadhyay | - |
| 1956 | Aaja re aaja with Geeta Dutt | C I D Chhoo Mantar | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | | |
| - | Aakash jekhane golpo bole | - | Bengali | - | | - |
| 1981 | Aamar jibon tarani | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1973 | Aami je tomar tumi je aamar with Asha Bhonsle | Kayaheener Kahini Dir: Ajay Kar | Bengali | Mukul Roy | - | Uttam Kumar, Aparna Sen |
| 1973 | Aami pore nilam | Album titled Mousumi mon | Bengali | | - | - |
| 1954 | Aar kato janabo tomay | - | Bengali | Chitta Roy | Shyamal Gupta | Columbia Records (GE24715) |
| 1981 | Aar kichhu smorone nei | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1981 | Adhikar ke kake dey | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | CMRS-107 |
| - | Aranyer jhor | - | Bengali | Subir Sen | Kumar Bishwarup | - |
| - | Asto akash jemon kore | - | Bengali | Sailen Mukherjee | Indrajit | - |
| 1961 | Baharen Luta Ke Nazare Dikha Ke with Suman Kalyanpur | Anarbala | Hindi | Bulo C Rani | Ramesh Chandra Pandey | Daljeet, Krishna Kumari |
| - | Bandhu tomake jeno | - | Bengali | Swapan Roy | Gopinath Mukhopadhyay | - |
| 1965 | Bujh gaya dil ka diya | Jadui Anguthi Dir: A M Khan | Hindi | Suresh Kumar | Zafar Rahi | Chitra, Manher Desai, Krishna Kumari |
| 1963 | Chand tale jhoom jhoom, thirak rahi hain ghoonghar with Suman Kalyanpur | Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai Kedar Kapoor | Hindi | Dattaram | | Pradeep Kumar, Geeta Bali, Shammi Kapoor |
| - | Chand tumi eto alo kotha hote pele | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Bankim Ghosh | - |
| - | Chondon anka chhotto kopal | - | Bengali | - | | - |
| 1961 | Dekho Na Jao Jane Man | Boy Friend Dir: Naresh Saigal | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | | Shammi Kapoor, Madhubala & Dharmendra |
| - | Deyal ghorite ekhon onek raat | | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1980 | Dharanir pothe pothe | | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1956 | Dheere chalo zara with Lata Mangeshkar | Aas Ki Panchhi Dir: Mohan Kumar | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | - | Rajendra Kumar, Vyjayanthimala |
| 1959 | Dil leke ja te ho kahan with Kamal Barot | O Tera Kya Kahna Dir: K. Parvez | Hindi | Kalyanji Virji Shah | Indeevar | Mehmood, Chitra, Helen |
| 1956 | Dil mera ek aas ka panchhi | Aas Ki Panchhi | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | - | Rajendra Kumar, Vyjayanthimala |
| - | Dur diganta dheke achhe meghe | - | Bengali | - | | - |
| 1981 | Dustara paarabaar | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1968 | E jeno sei chokh | | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Abhijit Banerjee | - |
| - | E raat nibir holo | | Bengali | - | - | - |
| - | Ei ujjwalo din daake swapno rangeen | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| - | Ek rash elo chul | | Bengali | | | - |
| 1957 | Eto sur aar eto gaan | Puja Album | Bengali | Sudhin Dasgupta | Sudhin Dasgupta | - |
| 1964 | Gagan ke chanda na poochh humse with Lata Mangeskar | Apne Huye Paraye Ajit Chakraborty | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | - | Manoj Kumar & Mala Sinha |
| 1960 | Gar tum bura na mano with Asha Bhonsle | Mehlon ke khwab Dir: Muhafiz Haider | Hindi | S. Mohinder | Raja Mehdi Ali Khan | Pradeep Kumar & Madhubala |
| 1959 | Gori tere natkhat naina with Geeta Dutt | Hum Bhi Insaan Hain | Hindi | Hemanta Mukherjee | Shailendra | - |
| - | Haajar golap ghirechhilo more | - | Bengali | Subir Sen | Anup Chatterjee | - |
| - | Haate sob Haat-Ghori bandha | - | Bengali | Subir Sen | | - |
| 1968 | Hoyto tomar anek khoti korechhi | Album "Eto Sur Ar Eto Gaan" | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Abhijit Banerjee | - |
| 1960 | Humein yun rahon par chalna hai with Aratu Mukherjee | Masoom Dir: Satyen Bose | Hindi | Rabin Banerjee | Raja Mehdi Ali Khan | Sarosh Irani, Aziz, Honey Irani |
| 1981 | Jaanina jaanina kon sagorer dheu | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| - | Jaar alo nive gechhe | - | Bengali | Prabir Mazumder | Prabir Mazumder | - |
| - | Jakhan haat baralei akash | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Babu Guhathakurata | - |
| 1969 | Jayse pani chhupa ghata mein with Lata Mangeskar | Bandhan Dir: Narendra Bedi | Hindi | Kalyanji–Anandji | | Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz, Jeevan |
| - | Je buke tomar byatha chhilo | - | Bengali | Subir Sen | Kumar Bishwarup | - |
| 1954 | Jiban baati niviye | - | Bengali | Chitta Roy | Shyamal Gupta | Columbia Records (GE24715) |
| - | Kalo meghe dambaru | - | Bengali | Bhupen Hazarika | Pulak Bandyopadhyay | - |
| 1962 | Kasam na lijiye with Purnima Sett | Jadu Mahal Dir: Akkoo | Hindi | Bulo C Rani | - | Helen, Ajit, Azad, Hiralal |
| 1965 | Ki bhalo laglo chokhe | - | Bengali | Sudhin Dasgupta | Sunil Baran | |
| 1981 | Kichhudin pore ar | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| - | Kichhu phul diye aaj | - | Bengali | Anal Chatterjee | Shyamal Gupta | |
| 1972 | Koi mera ho gaya | Midnight Dir: Raju | Hindi | Subir Sen | Tajdar Taj | |
| 1981 | Kono bhalo kobitar duti ponkti dao | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1989 | Konodin tumi aar gaibe na | - | Bengali | - | - | In memory of Hemanta Mukherjee after his death |
| 1962 | Kya kaha jara phir kaho with Geeta Dutt | Gangu | Hindi | Kalyanji – Anandji | Qamar Zalalabadi or Prem Dhawan | Chandrashekhar and Naaz |
| - | Lal dopati o phul tomar | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1959 | Main rangeela pyar ki rahi with Lata Mangeskar & Ameen Sayani | Chhoti Bahen | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | Hasrat Jaipuri | Balraj Sahni, Nanda, Shyama |
| 1957 | Manzil wohi hai pyar ki | Kathputli | Hindi | Shankar – Jaikishen | Shailendra | Vyjayanthimala and Balraj Sahni |
| 1967 | Monalisa tumi ke balona | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Abhijit Banerjee | - |
| - | Nagar jiban chhobir maton hoyto | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Amiyo Dasgupta | - |
| 1966 | Noy thakle aro kichhukhon | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumder | - |
| 1981 | Odhikar ke kake dey | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1964 | Ogo kajol noyona | Momer Alo | Bengali | Robin Chatterjee | - | Subir Sen, Sabitri Chattopadhyay, Uttam Kumar |
| - | Ogo Shakuntola | - | Bengali | Bhupen Hazarika | Pulak Bandyopadhyay | - |
| - | Oi ujjwalo din daake swapno rongin | - | Bengali | Sudhin Dasgupta | Sudhin Dasgupta | - |
| 1981 | Pagol Haowa aamar mato tumio hariye gele | | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | 2126-3115 |
| 1969 | Phaguner daak elo je with Sandhya Mukherjee | Aparichito Dir" Salil Datta | Bengali | Robin Chatterjee | - | - |
| - | Phis phis bon jhau | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1989 | Phooler bagicha hote sera phul | - | Bengali | Buddhadeb Gangopadhyay | Shyamal Sengupta | In memory of Hemanta Mukherjee after his death |
| 1989 | Poth je ekhono baki | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1959 | Pyar mein milna sanam with Lata Mangeskar | Ardhangini | Hindi | Vasant Desai | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Raj Kumar & Meena Kumari |
| - | Raat holo nijhum | - | Bengali | - | Gauriprasanna Mazumder | - |
| - | Sandhya logone swapno magane | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Shyamal Ghosh | - |
| 1967 | Saradin tomay bhebe | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Abhijit Banerjee | - |
| 1971 | Sedin dujone dulechhinu bone | Anubhav Dir: Basu Bhattacharya | Rabindra Sangeet in Hindi movie | Rabindranath Tagore | Rabindranath Tagore | Subir Sen as guest artist, with Sanjeev Kumar |
| - | Shato barsho ki tar-o besi kichhi aage | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | |
| - | Siri uthe gechhe dhaape dhaape | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| - | Sudhu sei gaane aaji | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| 1981 | Sukher bandhan jei na chukalam | - | Bengali | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | - |
| 1961 | Sun le dastaan yun na sata | Passport Dir: Pramode Chakravorty | Hindi | Kalyanji – Anandji | - | Pradeep Kumar, Madhubala |
| - | Sundar kichhu dekhle pore | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| - | Swarna jhora surya ronge | - | Bengali | Sudhin Dasgupta | Sudhin Dasgupta | - |
| 1962 | Thaam mujhe gir na jaaoon | Raaz Ki Baat Dir: Bolton Ci Nagi | Hindi | Rabin Banerjee | Hairat Sitapuri | Agha, Abhi Bhattacharya, Mohan Choti |
| 1957 | Tomar haasi lukiye haase | - | Bengali | Sudhin Dasgupta | Anal Chatterjee | - |
| 1957 | Tomar shishir bheja | - | Bengali | Anal Chattopadhyay | Samir Deb | - |
| - | Tomare peyechhi bole | - | Bengali | - | - | - |
| - | Tomay peyechhi aami | - | Bengali | Sailen Mukherjee | Indrajit | - |
| 1966 | Tomra amar gaan shune aaj | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumder | - |
| - | Tumi amar prem | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Miltu Ghosh | - |
| 1964 | Tumi bolechhile | - | Bengali | Abhijit Banerjee | Shibdas Bandopadhyay / or/ Amiyo Dasgupta | - |
| 1968 | Yeh pukar kiske liye geet banke with Suman Kalyanpur | Rani Chandrawati | Hindi | S N Tripathi | | Lalita Pawar |

### Rabindra Sangeet by Subir Sen

Subir Sen Discography :
| Song | Co-singer | Album |
| Asa Jaoar Pother Dhare | Purabi Mukhopadhyay | Nabin Megher Sur by SAREGAMA |
| O dekhbi re bhai ay re chhute | - | - |
| Sedin dujone dulechhinu bone | - | Anubhav (1971) |