Sabina Yasmin

Sabina Yasmin
Alma mater	Dhaka University[1]
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1967-present
Spouse(s)	Anisur Rahman (divorced) Amir Hossain (divorced) Kabir Suman
Children	Fairooz Yasmin (daughter) Srabon (son)
Parent(s)	Lutfar Rahman (father) Begum Mouluda Khatun (mother)
Awards	National Film Awards(12 times)

Sabina Yasmin is a Bangladeshi singer who does playback singing for Bengali movies. She has won 12 National Film Awards as Best Female Playback Singer, highest ever in the world, as well as Bangladesh.

Career

1960's

Yasmin has sung for films, radio, television and gramophone companies. She has been active in the Bangladeshi music industry since the 1970s.^[2] She has recorded more than 1,500 songs for films.^[1]

1970's

When Yasmin entered the film industry, her co-eval Shahnaz Rahmatullah was the number one singer. In 1970, the film Jibon Theke Neya was released. It contained the evergreen song "Eki Sonar Aloy" which elevated Yasmin as the leading singer. In 1971 Bangladesh was involved in a battle for independence against Pakistan. At this crisis, Yasmin sang some unforgettable patriotic songs "Sob Kota Janala","Swajan Harano Diner Samarane","Sei Railliner Dhare","Swadhinata Tumi" etc. She came to limelight singing the evergreen hit "Sudhu Gaan Geye Porichoy" in 1972 film 'Abujh Mon'. In 1973, she sang "Monero Ronge Rangabo" in 'Masud Rana', which was a popular song. She sang "Tumi Je Amar Kobita","Tumi Achho" etc. duets with Mahmudunnabi. Yasmin received the first Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1975 for her songs in 'Sujon Sokhi'. Yasmin received three consecutive National film awards : in 1978 for Golapi Ekhon Train E, in 1979 for Sundari and in 1980 for Kosai. Composer Alauddin Ali was instrumental in making her the number one singer. He composed great songs for her in Sundari, Kosai, Apanjan, Golapi Ekhon Train E, Noyonmoni, Basundhara and many more. She sang "Osru Diye Lekha","O Amar Rosiya","Ei Mon Tomake Dilam,"Ei Prithibir Pore" etc. songs in the 1970s.

1980's

1980s was a golden period of Yasmins' career. Veterans such as Ferdausi Rahman, Shahnaz Rahmatullah left playback singing. So, along with Runa Laila she monopolised music throughout the decade. She became a permanent voice for actress Shabana. She sang numerous timeless hits for Yasmin including "Koto Sadhonay Emon Bhagyo Mele", "Shoto Jonomer Sadh", "E Jibone Tumi Ogo Ele" and many more. Her rising popularity dragged her to Indian cinema. In 1985, she sang "Cherona Cherona G Haat" and "Jalpari" with Kishore Kumar in the Indo-Bangladesh joint production Anyay Abichar which had music by R. D. Burman.

1990's

Yasmin earned National Awards ib 1991 for Danga and 1992 for Radha Krishna. She was reigning in the age of 40. In 1994, Kanak Chapa came to the music scene with the film Tomakei Chai. The film's Soundtrack was superhit and it dethroned Yasmin from her position and Kanak Chapa became the new 'Melody Queen of Bangladesh'. But Yasmin was such a singer that she did not fade away so easily. She sang many songs in the 1990s and gave tough competition to new generation's singers such as Kanak Chapa, Baby Nazneen and Samina Chowdhury.

2000's

By the year 2000, Kanak Chapa was already most sought after playback singer. Yet Yasmin got to sing numerous hit songs composed by top-notch music directors. She achieved National Film Award for her rendition of Tagore song "Boroshar Prothom Dine" in Dui Duari (2000). In 2004, her song "Preme Poreche Mon" in 'wrong number' topped the music top charts. She achieved her 12th and last National Film Award for 'Dui Noyoner Alo'. The film's song "Sukher Pakhi Re" was a heart-touching sad song which was picturised on Shabnur who played a cancer patient in the film. It was a melancholic song and touched the heart of cine-goers.

2010's

Yasmin sang several hits in the 2010s also. She sang a duet with the winner of Channel I Sera Kontho, Imran. In these years she sang for new generation of actresses like Apu Biswas, Sahara, Racy etc. Her song "Premiker Buk Jeno Sukher Nodi" featured in top charts for many weeks.

Rivalry with Runa Laila

Yasmin shared a great on-screen rivalry with Runa Laila. Yasmin was the number one singer of Bangladesh from 1970 till 1974. In 1974, Runa stepped into Bengali cinema singing the popular "Ganeri Khatay Swarolipi Likhe" in Swarolipi film. From the very first days, Runa gave Yasmin stiff competition. Moreover, she had an edge over Yasmin; she was a renowned singer in India and also Pakistan. Runa recorded a lots of hit tracks in the 1970s and 1980s. Though she contested well with Yasmin, Sabina escaped her lead position till 1993. They sang a lot of female duets together, for example, "Tumi Boro Bhagyoboti" in the film Pratinidhi. Yasmin had a great pairing with Syed Abdul Hadi, Mahmudunnabi and Khurshid Alam whereas Runa collaborated with Subir Nandi and Andrew Kishore. Yasmin garnered 9 National film awards in the 1970s and 1980s, while Runa received 4 National film awards.

Personal life

Sabina Yasmin has three sisters — Farida Yasmin, Fauzia Yasmin and Nilufar Yasmin. Her father, Lutfar Rahman, worked in Provincial Civil Service of British India and her mother Begum Mouluda Khatun was a vocal artist who took lessons from the musician Ustaad Kader Baksh. Sabina is the aunt of Agun (son of Khan Ataur Rahman and Nilufar Yasmin), a musician and Reenat Fauzia, a sitar player.

Yasmin has married three times. She has a daughter, Fairooz Yasmin (Badhon), a singer, from her first marriage with Anisur Rahman, and a son, Srabon, from her second marriage with Amir Hossain. She is currently married to Suman Chattopadhyay, who is an Indian Bengali lyricist, composer, singer, and political activist.^[3]

Collaborations

Yasmin's best mentor was Alauddin Ali. He gave her one to another hit tracks in the 1970s and 1980s. She earned three consecutive National Film Awards in 1978-80 for Golapi Ekhon Train E, Sundari and Kosai respectively.

Popular Songs

• "Cherona Cherona Haat"
• "Jalpari"
• "E Jibone Tumi Ogo Ele"
• "Koto Sadhonay"
• "Shoto Jonomer Swapno"
• "O Majhi Nao Chhaira De
• "Majhi Nao Chhaira De Choluk Mach Dhoira Diya"
• "Ei Mon Tomake Dilam"
• "Shukher Pakhi Re"
• "Tumi Boro Bhagyoboti"
• "Boroshar Prothom Dine"
• "Moneri Range Rangabo"
• "Shudhu Gaan Geyei Pirichoy"
• "Ekbar Jete Dena" (compilation)
• "O Amar Rosiya"
• "Ei Prithibir Pore"
• "Mohakal Seto Akul Mahasamudra"
• "Swajon Harano Diner Smarane"
• "Sei Railliner Dhare"
• "Ek Je Chhilo Meye Tar Poribanu Naam"
• "Shadhinota Tumi"
• "Sundor Suborno"
• "Amar Hridoyer Aina"
• "Tumi Je Amar Kabita"
• "Boner Kokil"
• "Premiker Buk Jeno Sukher Nodi"
• "Amar Mon Kande"
• "Kaunse Dariya" (Hindi)
• "Ami Rajanigandha"
• "Badla Dine"
• "Achar Khaile Bhuchar Hobe"
• "Baba Bole Gelo"
• "Eki Sonar Aloy"
• "Ekdin Chhuti Hobe"
• "Amay Jodi Proshno Koro Hira Motir Desh"
• "Sob Kota Janala"

Filmography

Awards

• Shadhinota Padak (1996)
• Ekushey Padak (1984)
• Jatiyo Cholochchitro Puroshkar (The National Film Award)

Year	Category	Song/Nomination	Result
1975	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Sujon Sokhi	Won
1978	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Golapi Ekhon Train E	Won
1979	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Sundari	Won
1980	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Kosai	Won
1984	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Chandranath	Won
	1985	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Premik	Won
	1987	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Rajlakshmi Shrikant	Won
1988	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Dui Jibon	Won
1991		Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Danga	Won
1992	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Radha Krishna	Won
2000	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Aaj Gaye Holud	Won	2005	Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Dui Noyoner Alo	Won
1984	Ekushey Padak	Won
	1996	Shadhinota Padak	Won

References

External links

• Sabina Yasmin at the Internet Movie Database
• Ekti Bangladesh(একটি বাংলা দেশ )
• Sabina Yasmin on Facebook
• abnews24 on Sabina Yasmin
• সেলিব্রেটিং লাইফে সাবিনা ইয়াসমীন
• Kaler Kantha on Sabina Yasmin