Biography of K.L. Saigal

(April 12, 1904 - January 18, 1947)

KL. Saigal was born in 1904. Born in Jammu, he became a typewriter salesman in Kolkata at a monthly salary of Rs. 80. His foray into the world of films began when B.N. Sircar of New Theatres signed him for a monthly salary of Rs. 200.

He stepped into the film industry with his film 'Mohabbat Ke Aansoo' in 1932 but it was not a success. The film 'Chandi Das, released in 1934, was however highly successful, and Saigal achieved stardom after this film. In 1935, the film 'Devdas' made K.L. Saigal the first male superstar of Hindi Cinema. Unlike other stars, he only did one or two films a year for New Theatres. His films President', 'Street Singer' and Zindagi' were not only commercially successful but were also critically acclaimed.

His immense popularity was largely due to his famous voice, the distinct nasal tone and the poetic blending of syllables into musical curves in forms like the thumri and the ghazal. He died in 1947.