**Indian Music Director Remembering Madan Mohan On His Birthday Aniversary*

 Born on June 25, 1924, at Baghdad, where father Rai Bahadur Chunilal was working as an Accountant General with the Iraqi Police, Madan spent the first five years of his life in the Middle East. As a boy of two, Madan Mohan used to spend hours listening to gramophone records and cultivated the uncanny ability to recognize and pick up any record from a pile of hundreds. When his father had guests at home, he would ask Madan to pick a particular record from a pile and he could do so with unerring precision, leaving the visitors wonderstruck as to how a tiny tot, unable to read or write, could accomplish this near impossible feat.

On his second birthday, Madan was gifted a small drum by his parents. Just at that time the Iraq Police Band was marching down the streets outside his house. Madan took his little drum, joined the band and started marching with the musicians. When his absence from home was discovered, his parents set out on a vigorous search and after two hours, the missing child was located at the police depot!

On his second birthday, Madan was gifted a small drum by his parents. Just at that time the Iraq Police Band was marching down the streets outside his house. Madan took his little drum, joined the band and started marching with the musicians. When his absence from home was 

discovered, his parents set out on a vigorous search and after two hours, the missing child was located at the police depot!

During this period, O.P.Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan stormed the film industry with their unique brand of music making. Their success caused much concern to many film producers, who could not afford to take O.P.Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan, started pressurizing other music directors to compose music of their style. Madan Mohan also faced this demand. He made some compromises and scored O.P.Nayyar style music for films like Night Club (1958), Khazanchi (1958) and Khota Paisa (1958). But that phase lasted for a short span and Madan Mohan came up with flying colours by getting back to his elements with melodies like "Woh Bhooli Daastaan, Bhooli Huyi Yaadon, Chalaa Hai Kahaan, Badali Se Nikala Hai Chaand... all for the film Sanjog (1961).

With Sanjog, Madan Mohan changed his orchestration style dramatically. It was more refined, more melodious and with a unique musical arrangement. Anpadh (1962), Manmauji (1962), Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964) and Ghazal (1964) witnessed this transformation of his musical style. This new style of Madan Mohan was more soulful and widely followed in the industry. Other composers of the day now started getting influenced by him.

According to Madan Mohan, the life of the music director is very hard but "good if you prosper". The task of a music director becomes hard because in every film the music is supposed to be the major factor. "Unlike the foreign films, we don't have films made as purely musicals. Here every film is made with all the entertaining ingredients, music being the major one, whereas it is not so in the case of films made in other countries. Seventy percent success of our films depends solely on the merits of the musical score. But it is still very exciting to be a music director".

In Madan Mohan's initial period, the trend of film making was for heroine-oriented subjects which gave him ample scope to improvise upon his talent. Some even called him a "ladies composer". Moreover, he had composed comparatively more catchy tunes for female singers than male. After 1960, hero-oriented films became the trend. But during this period also fortunately the subjects which came by Madan Mohan's way had more scope for female songs than male songs.

Consequently, Madan Mohan could manage to produce some outstanding pathos-based melodies which created a special place for him in the hearts of music connoisseurs. As he put it: "One must remember that a sad song, once it gets popular, has more chances of surviving and remaining popular for a long time than a light song. A light song, even the most popular one, hardly lasts for a year while a sad song survives for decades".

Another important film of the time was Haqeeqat (1964). It hardly had any scope for film music. But this was one music director who could embellish it with such polished gems as Main Ye Sochkar Uske Dar Se Uthaa Thaa, Zara si Aahat Hoti Hai, Khelo Na Mere Dil Se, Hoke Majboor, and Ab Tumhare Hawale Wattan Sathiyo Significantly, this was also the film that rekindled Madan Mohan's interest in acting. (Actually, after Parda was shelved, he lost interest in acting, barring a few appearances in films like Munimji and Ansoo) With Chetan Anand offering him a role in Haqeeqat, he grabbed it. "I was so excited about the offer that I brushed aside a dozen obstacles, worked overtime to finish my assignments and flew to Delhi to join the unit on its way to the location at Ladakh". Clearly, his dream was to don the army uniform once again and be the soldier in reel life this time. But that dream remained unfulfilled as he waited at Srinagar for almost a week for the weather to clear out and make flying possible. Once during this long wait, Madan managed to persuade a top army officer, who was to drive up to the front the next morning to take him along. The officer agreed. But the weather turned from bad to worse and even this trip had to be abandoned. "I had hoped to return from this trip with memories to cherish", he recounted. "Instead, all I brought back with me were a few cotton clothes I purchased from Delhi where I had least expected to hang on".

NEW HEIGHTS

The year, 1964 witnessed eight releases in a row having Madan Mohan's compositions, including Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (a love story), Ghazal (a musical), Haqeeqat (war film), Jahanara (costume drama), Pooja Ke Phool (family drama), Suhagan (social theme) and Woh Kaun Thi? (mystery). Madan Mohan handled each subject gracefully and came out with many all-time hits for these films. The last mentioned actually became a trendsetter for haunting melodies. The tune of Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim from Woh Kaun Thi?, had originated in Madan Mohan's mind some 12 years earlier. For want of a fitting lyric and effective film situation, he had put it on the back burner for so long. His decision to fit it in this film highlighted his understanding of song situations.

The following years saw the release of Rishte Nate (1965), Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1966), Mera Saaya (1966) and Naunihal (1967) full of typical Madan Mohan melodies. A highly elated writer-producer Sawan Kumar Tak noted: "Madan is one whose rare artistic sense and incomparable compositions have enriched Naunihal. And how he has helped me complete the film is another story. That was the time when strict orders were issued not to exploit Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's name in any manner".

Now, the story of the film revolved around a boy whose sole ambition was to meet Chacha Nehru. When he finally succeeds in reaching Delhi to meet his idol, he witnesses his cortege being taken out in a funeral procession. "The climax of my film was the funeral procession of Panditji", continues Tak. "How could I help it? Will the film be banned? Up came my music director Madan Mohan to my help. He reassured me not to bother and to continue making the film. But how? I was the writer of the film also. The climax has to have Panditji's funeral procession or else? Madan fixed the next recording and told me this would be the song to change the fortune of the film. The song was Meri Aawaaz Suno. This was a background song, supposed to be sung by the soul of the Panditji as his last message".

Continued the filmmaker: "while I was undergoing unbearable mental torture and distress was writ all over me, this song filled me with that rare joy of sorrow. The rhythm in it seeped into my veins and its melody made my blood run faster. The words in it made me feel as if Panditji has just departed and the procession is going on from Raj Path and the song is being sung from the skies. - the last message of the man who symbolized the Red Rose. I started feeling confident. I thanked Madan Mohan and took the tape to Delhi. There I arranged a meeting with Panditji's daughter Indira Gandhi, our then Prime Minister. In her presence I played the tape. She had tears in her eyes. The song had brought flashbacks of the funeral and the great loss to her life and our nation. When I asked her permission to use the song in Naunihal, she said she had no objection. Earlier, I had narrated the subject in a nut-shell. She assured me of her whole hearted co-operation. This was the time when in my heart of hearts, I started thanking Madan Mohan and my respect for him took a firm foundation".

The composer had his own take: "Mohammed Rafi's song Meri Awaaz Suno from Naunihal, was very popular with the public as a disc even before the release of the picture. As the lifeless body of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is carried to cremation, his message is given in this song. It is a message from one of the greatest world leaders to his countrymen whom he loved and for whom he had lived and died. The very novelty of the situation and the context of the song and the beauty of the message itself provided me with an inspiration which made me do my best and my very best. The song has become a unique creation and will remain evergreen in the minds of people for long. The song deserved all the respect due to it and had to be treated with the same reverence as to the great-departed leader. As we all loved him and as an Indian first and last, I was emotionally moved and inspired to do something which I had never done before in my career as a music director. This was also the first time I ever composed a song in a situation like this, which demanded every ounce of patriotism".

In the year 1970, Madan Mohan's film Dastak was released. It was like a musical art movie giving full scope to the composer to showcase his talent. The songs Baiyaan Naa Dharo, Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon and Ham Hain Mataay-e-Kuchao fetched him the National Award for best music direction for that year. This was the first time that Madan Mohan's contribution got recognition at the national level. Till then, as far as awards were concerned, he was totally neglected by the film fraternity as well as the Government of India.

Dastak was followed by Heer Ranjha, a totally unique experiment nobody dared the way Chetan Anand handled it. Lyricist Kaifi Azmi wrote the dialogues and lyrics of the film. The whole film was like a poetry. Dialogues were also in a poetic form. Madan Mohan handled the subject very sensitively. On the one hand he composed romantic songs like Milo Na Tum To Hum Ghabaraye and Meri Duniyaa Mein Tum Aayi and on the other hand, soulful songs like Do Dil Toote, Doli Chadhale Hee (traditional Heer moulded in his own style) and Yeh Duniyaa Yeh Mehfil. Many producers and composers tried their hand on the subject before and after this film, but nobody could achieve the feat which producer-director Chetan Anand and his composer achieved in combination.

The song Yeh Duniya Yeh Mehfil from the film is a unique composition of the maestro. It has altogether four stanzas. The tune of all four stanzas and the interlude music attached to them differs from each other and yet, the song arrives smoothly on the sign line after completion of each stanza. It is a unique triumph of form over content - four different melodies in one song and yet it appears as one complete song. Said Madan Mohan "It is usually very difficult for a music director to get unusual song situations and one is quite thrilled and inspired for better composition when a novel song situation turns out to be a novel situation"

During this period, O.P.Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan stormed the film industry with their unique brand of music making. Their success caused much concern to many film producers, who could not afford to take O.P.Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan, started pressurizing other music directors to compose music of their style. Madan Mohan also faced this demand. He made some compromises and scored O.P.Nayyar style music for films like Night Club (1958), Khazanchi (1958) and Khota Paisa (1958). But that phase lasted for a short span and Madan Mohan came up with flying colours by getting back to his elements with melodies like "Woh Bhooli Daastaan, Bhooli Huyi Yaadon, Chalaa Hai Kahaan, Badali Se Nikala Hai Chaand... all for the film Sanjog (1961).

With Sanjog, Madan Mohan changed his orchestration style dramatically. It was more refined, more melodious and with a unique musical arrangement. Anpadh (1962), Manmauji (1962), Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964) and Ghazal (1964) witnessed this transformation of his musical style. This new style of Madan Mohan was more soulful and widely followed in the industry. Other composers of the day now started getting influenced by him.

According to Madan Mohan, the life of the music director is very hard but "good if you prosper". The task of a music director becomes hard because in every film the music is supposed to be the major factor. "Unlike the foreign films, we don't have films made as purely musicals. Here every film is made with all the entertaining ingredients, music being the major one, whereas it is not so in the case of films made in other countries. Seventy percent success of our films depends solely on the merits of the musical score. But it is still very exciting to be a music director".

In Madan Mohan's initial period, the trend of film making was for heroine-oriented subjects which gave him ample scope to improvise upon his talent. Some even called him a "ladies composer". Moreover, he had composed comparatively more catchy tunes for female singers than male. After 1960, hero-oriented films became the trend. But during this period also fortunately the subjects which came by Madan Mohan's way had more scope for female songs than male songs.

Consequently, Madan Mohan could manage to produce some outstanding pathos-based melodies which created a special place for him in the hearts of music connoisseurs. As he put it: "One must remember that a sad song, once it gets popular, has more chances of surviving and remaining popular for a long time than a light song. A light song, even the most popular one, hardly lasts for a year while a sad song survives for decades".

Another important film of the time was Haqeeqat (1964). It hardly had any scope for film music. But this was one music director who could embellish it with such polished gems as Main Ye Sochkar Uske Dar Se Uthaa Thaa, Zara si Aahat Hoti Hai, Khelo Na Mere Dil Se, Hoke Majboor, and Ab Tumhare Hawale Wattan Sathiyo Significantly, this was also the film that rekindled Madan Mohan's interest in acting. (Actually, after Parda was shelved, he lost interest in acting, barring a few appearances in films like Munimji and Ansoo) With Chetan Anand offering him a role in Haqeeqat, he grabbed it. "I was so excited about the offer that I brushed aside a dozen obstacles, worked overtime to finish my assignments and flew to Delhi to join the unit on its way to the location at Ladakh". Clearly, his dream was to don the army uniform once again and be the soldier in reel life this time. But that dream remained unfulfilled as he waited at Srinagar for almost a week for the weather to clear out and make flying possible. Once during this long wait, Madan managed to persuade a top army officer, who was to drive up to the front the next morning to take him along. The officer agreed. But the weather turned from bad to worse and even this trip had to be abandoned. "I had hoped to return from this trip with memories to cherish", he recounted. "Instead, all I brought back with me were a few cotton clothes I purchased from Delhi where I had least expected to hang on".

NEW HEIGHTS

The year, 1964 witnessed eight releases in a row having Madan Mohan's compositions, including Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (a love story), Ghazal (a musical), Haqeeqat (war film), Jahanara (costume drama), Pooja Ke Phool (family drama), Suhagan (social theme) and Woh Kaun Thi? (mystery). Madan Mohan handled each subject gracefully and came out with many all-time hits for these films. The last mentioned actually became a trendsetter for haunting melodies. The tune of Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim from Woh Kaun Thi?, had originated in Madan Mohan's mind some 12 years earlier. For want of a fitting lyric and effective film situation, he had put it on the back burner for so long. His decision to fit it in this film highlighted his understanding of song situations.

The following years saw the release of Rishte Nate (1965), Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1966), Mera Saaya (1966) and Naunihal (1967) full of typical Madan Mohan melodies. A highly elated writer-producer Sawan Kumar Tak noted: "Madan is one whose rare artistic sense and incomparable compositions have enriched Naunihal. And how he has helped me complete the film is another story. That was the time when strict orders were issued not to exploit Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's name in any manner".

Now, the story of the film revolved around a boy whose sole ambition was to meet Chacha Nehru. When he finally succeeds in reaching Delhi to meet his idol, he witnesses his cortege being taken out in a funeral procession. "The climax of my film was the funeral procession of Panditji", continues Tak. "How could I help it? Will the film be banned? Up came my music director Madan Mohan to my help. He reassured me not to bother and to continue making the film. But how? I was the writer of the film also. The climax has to have Panditji's funeral procession or else? Madan fixed the next recording and told me this would be the song to change the fortune of the film. The song was Meri Aawaaz Suno. This was a background song, supposed to be sung by the soul of the Panditji as his last message".

Continued the filmmaker: "while I was undergoing unbearable mental torture and distress was writ all over me, this song filled me with that rare joy of sorrow. The rhythm in it seeped into my veins and its melody made my blood run faster. The words in it made me feel as if Panditji has just departed and the procession is going on from Raj Path and the song is being sung from the skies. - the last message of the man who symbolized the Red Rose. I started feeling confident. I thanked Madan Mohan and took the tape to Delhi. There I arranged a meeting with Panditji's daughter Indira Gandhi, our then Prime Minister. In her presence I played the tape. She had tears in her eyes. The song had brought flashbacks of the funeral and the great loss to her life and our nation. When I asked her permission to use the song in Naunihal, she said she had no objection. Earlier, I had narrated the subject in a nut-shell. She assured me of her whole hearted co-operation. This was the time when in my heart of hearts, I started thanking Madan Mohan and my respect for him took a firm foundation".

The composer had his own take: "Mohammed Rafi's song Meri Awaaz Suno from Naunihal, was very popular with the public as a disc even before the release of the picture. As the lifeless body of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is carried to cremation, his message is given in this song. It is a message from one of the greatest world leaders to his countrymen whom he loved and for whom he had lived and died. The very novelty of the situation and the context of the song and the beauty of the message itself provided me with an inspiration which made me do my best and my very best. The song has become a unique creation and will remain evergreen in the minds of people for long. The song deserved all the respect due to it and had to be treated with the same reverence as to the great-departed leader. As we all loved him and as an Indian first and last, I was emotionally moved and inspired to do something which I had never done before in my career as a music director. This was also the first time I ever composed a song in a situation like this, which demanded every ounce of patriotism".

In the year 1970, Madan Mohan's film Dastak was released. It was like a musical art movie giving full scope to the composer to showcase his talent. The songs Baiyaan Naa Dharo, Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon and Ham Hain Mataay-e-Kuchao fetched him the National Award for best music direction for that year. This was the first time that Madan Mohan's contribution got recognition at the national level. Till then, as far as awards were concerned, he was totally neglected by the film fraternity as well as the Government of India.

Dastak was followed by Heer Ranjha, a totally unique experiment nobody dared the way Chetan Anand handled it. Lyricist Kaifi Azmi wrote the dialogues and lyrics of the film. The whole film was like a poetry. Dialogues were also in a poetic form. Madan Mohan handled the subject very sensitively. On the one hand he composed romantic songs like Milo Na Tum To Hum Ghabaraye and Meri Duniyaa Mein Tum Aayi and on the other hand, soulful songs like Do Dil Toote, Doli Chadhale Hee (traditional Heer moulded in his own style) and Yeh Duniyaa Yeh Mehfil. Many producers and composers tried their hand on the subject before and after this film, but nobody could achieve the feat which producer-director Chetan Anand and his composer achieved in combination.

The song Yeh Duniya Yeh Mehfil from the film is a unique composition of the maestro. It has altogether four stanzas. The tune of all four stanzas and the interlude music attached to them differs from each other and yet, the song arrives smoothly on the sign line after completion of each stanza. It is a unique triumph of form over content - four different melodies in one song and yet it appears as one complete song. Said Madan Mohan "It is usually very difficult for a music director to get unusual song situations and one is quite thrilled and inspired for better composition when a novel song situation turns out to be a novel situation"