Talat Mahmood (February 24, 1924 – May 9, 1998) was a popularIndian playback singer and film actor. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 1992, he had a unique style of singing. He was famous for singing ghazals.

Talat apprenticed classical music under Pandit S.C.R. Bhat at Marris College of Music, presently Bhatkhande Music University, Lucknow some time in the 30s. He started his career purely as a ghazal singer in 1939. Talat Mahmood began his singing career at the age of 16 in 1939 when he began singing the Ghazals of Daag, Mir, Jigar etc. on All India Radio, Lucknow. His voice had a quality distinct from all the other singers. HMV was quick to notice this and offered Talat his first disc in 1941 Sab din ek samaan nahin tha, Bun jaoon ga kya se kya main, Iska to kuch dhyan nahin tha.

Even though Talat sang hundreds of hits, some of his most memorable songs from Indian cinema are:

Humse aaya na gaya – Dekh Kabira Roya (1957)
Jayen to jayen kahan – Taxi Driver (1954)
Tasveer banata hoon – Baradari (1955)
Dil-E-Nadaan tujhe hua kya hai – Mirza Ghalib (1954)
Itna na mujhse tu pyar badha – Chhaya (1961)
Aansoo samajh ke kyon mujhe – Chhaya (1961)
Sham-E-Gham ki qassam – Foothpath (1953)
Jalte hain jiske liye – Sujata (1959)
Meri yaad me tum na – Madhosh (1951)
Phir wohi sham wohi gam – Jahan Aara (1964)
Aye mere dil kahin aur chal – Daag (1952)
Zindagi dene wale sun – Dil-e-Nadaan (1953)
Main dil hoon ek armaan bhara – Anhonee (1952)
Andhe Jahan ke Andhe Raste – Patita
kadale Neela Kadale- Malayalam Movie “Dweep” ( Music By M.S.Baburaj)
Ashkon ne jo paya hai – Chaandi ki Deewar 1964 (Music: N Dutta ; Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianv)