Some songs have a future life. They are going to be reborn in different languages, repurposed as jingles and canopy variations, found and nurtured by new generations and geographies. Madan Mohan's haunting composition 'Lag Jaa Gale', a concoction of melody and melancholy, belongs to that elite membership of single malt songs.
Listed below are the details: The traditional 'Woh Kaun Thi?' (1964) was reused in a number of movies, notably as 'Ponmeni Thazhuvaamal', filmed a couple of teenage Jayalalitha within the 1966 Tamil movie, 'Yaar Nee?' – and, most just lately, in 'Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster three' (2018). A number of Pakistani singers have sung it; There may be additionally a qawwali model. The observe was used to advertise the digital audio participant, Saregama Carvaan. No surprise the tune, written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and that includes vocals by Lata Mangeshkar, has over 300 million views on YouTube.
And right here's the irony: 'Lag Jaa Gale' didn’t function among the many high 32 songs of 1964 within the annual Binaca Geetmala hit parade despite the fact that there have been two different songs from the identical movie: 'Jo humne dastan apni sunayee' and ' Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim'. ' — made it to the coveted record.
nameless star
The destiny of Lag Jaa Gale is emblematic of Baghdad-born music director Madan Mohan's checkered profession, brimming with moody tunes which have stood the check of time and altering tastes however not often grew to become bestsellers. or gained awards. In a 25-year profession, the composer didn’t take house a single Filmfare statuette.
Solely three of his songs featured in Geetmala's Prime 5 hits of the 12 months. The playful 'Ae dil mujhe bata de' (no. 5, movie: 'Bhai Bhai', 1956), the folky and danceable 'Jhumka gira re' (no. four, 'Mera Saaya', 1966), which was recast in 'Rocky Karan Johar's Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' (2023) and 1977's 'Koi pathar se na maare mere deewane ko' (No.1, 'Laila Majnu'). Tragically, the musical director had breathed his final on him a few years earlier. He was solely 51 years previous.
His eldest son, Sanjeev Kohli, writes that the dearth of mass adulation all the time brought about him misery and, through the years, made him bitter. “The person who was acknowledged as a genius by individuals who understood and appreciated music was by no means on the highest rung of the charts or with the massive banners or the massive stars,” he says on the madanmohan.in web site. .
With exceptions like Madras-based manufacturing firm AVM and filmmakers like Chetan Anand and Raj Khosla, Madan Mohan primarily composed music for smaller producers and administrators. He labored for Devendra Goel (who gave him his break with 'Ankhen' in 1950), Shakti Samanta and Pramod Chakravarty too, however that was lengthy earlier than they grew to become business greats.
The songs he composed have been invariably higher than the movies by which they have been positioned. They’re typically the one notable ingredient of a movie. A few of his greatest works, 'Dekh Kabira Roya' (1958), 'Jahan Ara' (1964), 'Dulhan Ek Raat Ki' (impressed by Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' (1967), have been for motion pictures that have been mega failures. The songs are remembered, not due to the movie, however regardless of its failure.
ghazal trainer
There may be timelessness and universality in his compositions, says movie music historian Pavan Jha. Veer Zaara's tunes have been used about 30 years after his dying, however they don't sound dated in any respect, he says.
Nobody composed ghazals higher in Hindi movies. The main man-like music director had the present of imbuing songs with an underground disappointment even when the phrases weren’t overtly so, particularly in 'Aapki nazron ne samjha' ('Anpadh', 1962), 'Teri aankon ke siva duniya mein' ('Chirag', 1969) and Dil dhoondta hai ('Mausam', 1975).
Jha causes that not like a few of the extra widespread music administrators, Madan Mohan understood and appreciated Urdu poetry. He additionally sang. “That's why there’s a particular symmetry between the phrases and the melody in his compositions,” he says. His niece, actress Anju Mahendroo, reinforces this level. “He didn’t obtain formal musical coaching. However he was blessed with innate expertise. “His music got here from his coronary heart,” he says.
He was additionally a grasp of the mega tune, greatest illustrated in 'Tum jo mil gaye ho' ('Hanste Zakhm', 1973) and 'Har koi chahta hai' ('Ek Mutthi Aasman', 1973). Like Vivaldi's 4 Seasons, these bold themes change tempo, evoking a large number of longings. He was additionally versatile. Few patriotic items are as transferring as 'Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyon' ('Haqeeqat', 1964). And barely would one have heard a happier tune than 'Zaroorat hai zaroorat hai' ('Man-Mauji', 1962).
Composer and singer Amitabh Bhattacharya stumbled upon a tune by Madan Mohan from the unreleased movie, 'Jahan Tum Wahan Hum'. “Over the times, I stored coming again to it and I believe it underlines the energy and sophistication of the composer who makes us take heed to his tune in an period the place every little thing is fleeting and dysfunction guidelines our sonic universe,” he says. The tune goes: “Kaise kategi zindagi tere bagair.”
In 1970, Madan Mohan gained the Nationwide Award for Greatest Music Director for 'Dastak'. Author-director Rajinder Singh Bedi's movie had a few of the composer's most touching and delicate tunes, like 'Baiyan na dharo' to 'Hum-hain-mataae-koocha' and 'Mayee ree'. “He was extraordinarily delicate. Through the recording of the tune 'Hanste Zakhm', a sitar observe moved him a lot that he began crying profusely,” Mahendroo remembers.
man of ideas
He was additionally a person of convictions and ideas, a trait he shared with different composers corresponding to Jaidev and Khayyam. “Though he was satisfied that Talat Mahmood was the proper singer for a few of the songs in 'Jahan Ara', the director insisted that every one the songs be given to Rafi Saab. My father didn’t give in and was prepared to go away the movie. The identical factor occurred when he selected Rafi Saab reverse Kishore Kumar for 'Laila Majnu' songs. The administrators lastly relented and these movies grew to become musical milestones,” Kohli writes. Overshadowed by Kishore Kumar within the post-'Aradhana' period, the superhit songs of 'Laila Majnu' helped Rafi make a powerful comeback.
Like the perfect whiskey, a lot of Madan Mohan's compositions have aged remarkably nicely and their repute has grown. On the eve of his start centenary, celebrations of his life and his songs are deliberate in locations like Mumbai, Surat, Pune and others. The grasp musician would have cherished that.