Bilagi,
a beautiful place with the above said historical evidences has become a birthplace
or a place for their prosperity in their profession and career. Several eminents, who served as Administrators, Artists, Doctors, Scientists,
Professors, Freedom Fighters, Swamiji, Industrialist, Educationists, Novelist,
Poets, Linguists, etc. are from Bilagi.
Amirbai Karnataki (c. 1906 – 3 March 1965) was a famous actress/singer and playback singer of the early Hindi cinema and was famous as Kannada Kokila. Mahatma Gandhi was an ardent fan of her song Vaishnav Jan To.[1]
Husainsaab and Ameenaabi's daughter Amirbai Karnataki, who was born in Bilagi in the decade of the nineteenth century (1906) had four sisters and a brother. When all of these were still children, Husainsaab passed away. As a result, Ameenaabi's brother Hatailsaheb began looking after this family. This family was also referred to as the Tummarmatti family because Ameenaabi was from Tummarmatti a village near Bilgi.
The children of this household could only manage a rudimentary education in Bilagi. Due to the family's musical heritage, Amirbai developed a growing interest in dramas and excelled in both singing and acting. Savayi Gandharva saw this rarity in a personality and invited her to work for his company. Accordingly, the entire family was shifted to Vijayapur. People admired Ameerbai after appreciating her melodic voice and lively action, other theatre companies gave her a red carpet welcome as well. The name and fame of Amirbai (Ameerbai) made her to enter into cinema field and shifted her residence to Mumbai.
Because
of her melodious voice, she could sing in Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, Marathi,
Bengali, Gujarati, etc. She played prime roles in several cinemas. She was kind
and generous lady and Ameer theatre in Vijayapur is the reminiscence of this
great artist.
Goharbai Karnataki or Miss Gohar of Bijapur was the sister of Amirbai, who also acted in lot films and Sung lot of songs in differernt languages.
Amirbai Karnataki has sung lot of songs, some of them are:
- "O' Jaanay Waalay Balamwa Laut Kay Aa Laut Kay Aa" Sung by Amirbai Karnataki and Shyam Kumar, lyrics by D. N. Madhok and music by Naushad Ali in the film Rattan (1944)[4]
- "Dheere Dheere Aa Re, Baadal", from the film Kismat (1943)
- "Priya madhuvanadali", a Kannada song, sung by Amirbai, which is so popular all over Karnataka even today
She had a paralytic attack in 1965, died just four days later, and was buried in Bilgi. Still "Amir Talkies" in the city of Vijayapura (Bijapur), run by her family.
https://wynk.in/u/kQ21P8AYE
Tribute to AmirBai Karnataki from Radio Ceylon:
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