This tribute to Madan Mohan is in continuation of my tribute to him exactly two months ago: Tribute to Madan Mohan – My Own Singing.
Madan Mohan was born on 25 Jun 1924 at Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, where his father Rai Bahadur Chunilal was working as an Accountant General with the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces. Madan Mohan spent the early years of his life in the Middle East. After 1932, his family returned to their home town of Chakwal, then in Jhelum district of Punjab, British India. He joined the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the year 1943. He served there for two years until end of World War II, when he left the Army and returned to Bombay to pursue his musical interests. In 1946, he joined the All India Radio, Lucknow as Programme Assistant, where he came in contact with various artists such as Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Begum Akhtar, and Talat Mahmood.
He was very fond of singing, and so in 1947 he got his first chance to record two ghazals penned by Behzad Lucknawi, Aane Laga Hai Koi Nazar Jalwa Gar Mujhe and Is Raaz Ko Duniya Jaanti Hai. Soon after, in 1948 he recorded two more private ghazals penned by Deewan Sharar, Wo Aaye To Mahfil Mein Ithlaate Huye Aaye and Duniya Mujhe Kahti Hai Ke Main Tujhko Bhoolaa Doon. In 1948, he got his first opportunity to sing a film duet Pinjare Mein Bulbul Bole and Mera Chhotasa Dil Dole with Lata Mangeshkar under composer Ghulam Haider (composer) for the film Shaheed (1948 film), though these songs were never released or used in the film. Between 1948 and 1949, he assisted music composers SD Burman for Do Bhai, and Shyam Sundar in Actress and Nirdosh.
As Music Director, he scored his first big break with the film Aankhen in 1950. He was soon to emerge as a music director par excellence especially for ghazals. Indeed, music director OP Nayyar once said about Madan Mohan that two of his ghazals were better than all that OP Nayyar composed. Some of the best songs of Lata Mangeshkar (she fondly called him “Madan Bhaiyya”) were composed by him on the lyrics of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Rajinder Krishan.
Some of my favourite songs of Madan Mohan are: Aaj soch to aansu bhar aaye, Betaab dil ki tamanna yehi hai, Tum jo mil gaye ho (Hanste Zakham 1973), Aapke pehlu mein aa ke ro diye, Naino mein badra chhaye, Jhumka gira re, Tu jahan jahan chalega (Mera Saya 1966), Aapki nazaron ne samajha, Hai isi mein pyaar ki aabru, Vo dekho jala ghar kisi ka (Anpadh 1962), Aapko pyaar chhupane ki buri aadat hai, Tere paas aake mera waqt nikal jaata hai (Neela Akash 1965), Agar mujhase mohabbat hai, Main nigaahen tere chehre se hatayun kaise (Aap Ki Parchhayiyan), Ai mere dil mujhe bata de (Bhai Bhai 1946), Ari vo shokh kaliyon muskara dena vo jab aayen (Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai 1967), Baad muddat ke yeh ghadi aayi, Haal-e-dil youn unhe sunaya gaya, Jab jab tumhe bhulaya tum aur yaad aaye, Kisi ki yaad mein duniya ko jhain bhulaye huye, Main teri nazar ka saroor hoon, Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhaayi hai, Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun, Wo chup rahen to mere dil ke daag jalate hain (Jahan Ara 1964), Hamare baad mehfil mein (Baghi 1953), Bainya na dharo O balma, Ham hain mataa-e-kuchcha-e-bazaar ki tarah, Mai ri main kaase kahun, Tumse kahun ik baat (Dastak, 1970), Bairan neend na aaye mohe (Chacha Zindabad 1959), Basti basti parbat parbat gaata jaaye banjara, Chand madham hai aasman chup hai, Dekh tere Bhagwan ki haalat (Railway Platform 1955), Bhooli hui yaado mujhe itna na satayo, Vo bhooli dastaan lo phir yaad aa gayi (Sanjog 1961), Chanda ja re ja re, Main to tum sang nain mila ke (Manmauji 1962), Chhadi re chhadi kaise gale mein padhi, Dil dhoondata hai fursat ke, Ruke ruke se kadam (Mausam 1975), Chhod kar tere pyar ka daaman, Jao hamane dastaan apni sunaayi, Lag jaa gale ke phir, Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim, Shokh nazar ki bijliyan (Woh Kaun Thi 1964), Do dil toote do dil haare, Doli chadate hi Heer ne bain kiye, Milo na tum to ham ghabraayen, Ye duniya ye mehfil mere kaam ki nahin (Heer Ranjha 1970), Ham chal rahe the wo chal rahe the (Duniya Na Maane 1959), Ham pyar mein jalane waalo ko chain kahan (Jailor 1958), Hamsafar saath apna chhod chale, Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba (Aakhri Dao 1958), Hamse aaya na gaya, Kaun aay mere man ke dwaare, Meri veena tum bin roye, Tu pyar kare ya thukraye (Dekh Kabira Roya 1957), Har taraf ab yahi afsaane hain, Hai tere saath meri wafa main nahin to kya (Hindustan Ki Kasam 1973), Hoke majbuur mujhe usne bhualaya hoga, Kar chale ham fida, Khelo na mere dil se, Main ye soch kar uske dar se, Zara si aahat hoti hai (Haqeeqat 1964), Husn haazir hai mohabbat ki saza paane ko, Is reshmi paazeb ki jhankar ke sadake, Tere dar pe aaya hoon (Laila Majnu 1976), Ik haseen raat ko dil mera kho gaya, Kabhi ai haqeeqat-e-muntazar, Sapano mein agar mere (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki 1966), Ishq ki garmi-e-jazbaat kise pesh karun. Mere mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhase, Naghma o sher ki saugat, Rang aur noor ki baraat (Ghazal 1964), Jaa jaa re jaa saajna, Jaana tha hamse door, Unako ye shikayat hai, Youn hasaraton ke daag (Adalat 1958), Kabhi na kabhi kahin na kahin koi na koi to aayega, Mujhe le chalo aaj us jagah, Sawan ke mahine mein (Sharaabi 1964), Koi shikwa bhi nahin koi shikayat bhi nahin (Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhaare 1966), Main paagal mera manwa paagal (Aashiyana 1952), Meri yaad mein tum na aasnu bahana (Madhosh 1951), Na tum bewafa ho na ham bewafa hain (Ek Kali Muskaaye 1958), Sapne mein sajan se do baaten, Do ghadi wo jo paas aa baithe (Gateway Of India 1957), Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kya hai (Chirag 1969), Tumhari zulf ke saaye mein shaam kar loonga (Naunihaal 1967), Tu mere saamne hai teri zulfen hain khuli (Suhagan, 1964), and Vo jo milate the kabhi hamsase deewano ki tarah (Akeli Mat Jaiyo 1963).
When I learnt singing, I soon got to sing Madan Mohan. Here I present six more of his songs that I sang:
7. Humse aaya na gaya.
The song is from a 1957 farcical comedy Dekh Kabira Roya directed by Amiya Chakravarty. Three artistes: a singer, painter and writer, ie, Anoop Kumar as Mohan, Daljit as Pradeep, and Jawahar Kaul as Ranjit, have their talents mixed up as they fall in love with three girls: Ameeta as Geeta, Anita Guha as Rekha and Shubha Khote as Kalpana. Their feigned talents as per the liking of their girl friends lead to the farcical comedy.
This song was enacted between Anoop Kumar and Shubha Khote. The beauty of the songs of this movie, composed by the maestro Madan Mohan is that notwithstanding a hilarious comedy, he composed most songs in serious raagas. This was composed by him in Raag Baageshri/Bhimpalasi.
The original was sung by Talat Mahmood. The beautiful lyrics are those of Rajinder Krishan who paired with Madan Mohan to give us some of the most unforgettable songs in Hindi movies.
Please enjoy my own rendition of Humse aaya na gaya….
हम से आया न गया तुम से बुलाया ना गया
फ़ासला प्यार में दोनों से मिटाया ना गया
वो घड़ी याद है जब तुम से मुलाक़ात हुई
एक इशारा हुआ दो हाथ बढ़े बात हुई
देखते देखते दिन ढल गया और रात हुई
वो समां आज तलक दिल से भुलाया ना गया
हम से आया न गया
क्या ख़बर थी के मिले हैं तो बिछड़ने के लिये
क़िस्मतें अपनी बनाईं हैं बिगड़ने के लिये
प्यार का बाग बसाया था उजड़ने के लिये
इस तरह उजड़ा के फिर हम से बसाया ना गया
हम से आया न गया
याद रग जाती है और वक़्त गुज़र जाता है
फूल खिलता है मगर खिल के बिखर जाता है
सब चले जाते हैं फिर दर्दे जिगर जाता है
दाग़ जो तूने दिया दिल ने मिटाया ना गया
हम से आया न गया …
8. Kaise kategi zindagi tere bagair.
This ghazal by the Ghazal King Madan Mohan is from an album called Tere Bagair that was released in 2009. Songs in this album including this one were sung by Mohammad Rafi. Then there are others that were sung by Lata
Mangeshkar, Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle. There is one by Kishore Kumar too.
The song was penned by Rajinder Krishan. It was originally used in the 1968 Pakistani hit movie Jahan Tum Wahan Hum.
Please enjoy my rendition of: Kaise kategi zindagi tere bagair…
कैसे कटेगी ज़िन्दगी
तेरे बगैर तेरे बगैर
पाउँगा हर शै में कमी
तेरे बगैर तेरे बगैर
फूल खिले तोह यु लगे
फूल नहीं यह दाग हैं
तारे फलक पे यु लगे
जैसे बुझे चिराग हैं
आग लगाये चाँदनी
तेरे बगैर तेरे बगैर
कैसे कटेगी ज़िन्दगी
चाँद घटा में छुप गया
सारा जहाँ उदास है
कहती है दिल की धड़कने
तू कही आस-पास है
ा के तड़प रहा है जी
तेरे बगैर तेरे बगैर
पाउँगा हर शै में कमी.
9. Rang aur noor ki baraat.
This ghazal is from the 1964 movie Gazal directed by Ved Madan and starring Sunil Dutt and Meena Kumari. The movie revolves around this ghazal. It was first sung in the movie by Lata Mangeshkar and picturised on Meena Kumari singing in the mehfil of her female friends. Sunil Dutt is passing by her house and falls in love with her voice and the ghazal. Later, he uses the same tune to sing in a mushaira organised by her father Prithviraj Kapoor. Of course, that seals the love between Sunil Dutt and Meena Kumari.
But, then, before their love would result in nikah (wedding) she loses her voice and doesn’t want Sunil Dutt to go through wedded life without hearing her. So, she agrees to marry the bad and persistent guy Rehman. Rehman is so thrilled with it that he asks Sunil Dutt to sing a sehra (wedding tribute) on his wedding with Meena Kumari.
Sahir excelled in the lyrics on all three occasions. Its lyrics and extraordinary composition by Madan Mohan made it into one of the most iconic songs of its era.
The song equally belongs to Mohammad Rafi for its outstanding rendition. It is one of the most difficult of Rafi songs.
Please enjoy my rendition of: Rang aur noor ki baraat kise pesh karun…
रंग और नूर की बारात किसे पेश करूँ
ये मुरादों की हंसीं रात किसे पेश करूँ, किसे पेश करूँ
मैने जज़बात निभाए हैं उसूलों की जगह (२)
अपने अरमान पिरो लाया हूँ फूलों की जगह
तेरे सेहरे की …
तेरे सेहरे की ये सौगात किसे पेश करूँ
ये मुरादों की हसीं रात किसे पेश करूँ, किसे पेश करूँ
ये मेरे शेर मेरे आखिरी नज़राने हैं (२)
मैं उन अपनों मैं हूँ जो आज से बेगाने हैं
बेत-आ-लुख़ सी मुलाकात किसे पेश करूँ
ये मुरादों की हंसीं रात किसे पेश करूँ, किसे पेश करूँ
सुर्ख जोड़े की तबोताब मुबारक हो तुझे (२)
तेरी आँखों का नया ख़्वाब मुबारक हो तुझे
ये मेरी ख़्वाहिश ये ख़यालात किसे पेश करूँ
ये मुरादों की हंसीं रात किसे पेश करूँ, किसे पेश करूँ
कौन कहता है चाहत पे सभी का हक़ है (२)
तू जिसे चाहे तेरा प्यार उसी का हक़ है
मुझसे कह दे …
मुझसे कह दे मैं तेरा हाथ किसे पेश करूँ
ये मुरादों की हंसीं रात किसे पेश करूँ, किसे पेश करूँ
रंग और नूर की …
10. Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhayi hai
This ghazal is from the 1964 Vinod Kumar movie Jahan Ara starring Prithviraj Kapoor as Shah Jahan and Mala Sinha as his daughter from his favourite wife Mumtaz. At her death two things happened: One, of course, was that Shah Jahan built one of the seven wonders of the world: Taj Mahal and the second was that Mumtaz loved Shah Jahan so much that she took a promise from Jahan Ara that she would, after Mumtaz, look after her father Shah Jahan and not get married.
Jahan Ara wanted to keep the promise but she fell in love with Mirza Yusuf Changezi (Bharat Bhushan). Because of JaHan Ara’s promise at her mother’s death bed, Jahan couldn’t get married to Mirza Yusuf Changezi and that led to a number of poignant songs in the movie, including this one, based on historical story.
The movie was a huge success thanks to its songs composed by Madan Mohan and penned by Rajinder Krishan. Indeed, this ghazal has the best lyrics of Rajinder Krishan as highlighted by me:
फिर वोही शाम वही ग़म वही तनहाई है
दिल को समझाने तेरी याद चली आई है
फिर तसव्वुर तेरे पहलू में बिठा जाएगा
फिर गया वक़्त घड़ी भर को पलट आएगा
दिल बहल जाएगा आखिर ये तो सौदाई है
फिर वोही शाम …
जाने अब तुझ से मुलाक़ात कभी हो के न हो
जो अधूरी रहे वो बात कभी हो के न हो
मेरी मंज़िल तेरी मंज़िल से बिछड़ आई है
फिर वोही शाम …
फिर तेरे ज़ुल्फ़ के रुखसार की बातें होंगी
हिज्र की रात मगर प्यार की बातें होंगी
फिर मुहब्बत में तड़पने की क़सम खाई है
फिर वोही शाम …
This ghazal was originally sung by Talat Mahmood.
Please enjoy my rendition of: Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhayi hai…
11. Woh jo milte the kabhi
Here is a ghazal of Lata Mangeshkar that I sang because I was so fascinated by it. Indeed, with this song I paid my own personal tribute to four of the greatest in the making of songs: the lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri who was awarded the highest award by the government of India: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Madan Mohan the composer, Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar – the singer, and finally the actress Meena Kumari whose superb acting made it into an unforgettably beautiful song.
The song is from the 1963 Nandlal Jaswantlal movie Akeli Mat Jaiyo starring Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari.
Please enjoy my rendition of: Woh jo milte the kabhi…
वो जो मिलते थे कभी हम से दीवानों की तरह
आज यूँ मिअल्ते हैं जैसे कभी पहचान न थी
देखते भी हैं तो यूँ मेरी निगाहों में कभी
अजनबी जैसे मिला करते हैं राहों में कभी
इस क़दर उनकी नज़र हम से तो अंजान न थी
वो जो मिलते थे कभी …
एक दिन था कभी यूँ भी जो मचल जाते थे
खेलते थे मेरी ज़ुल्फ़ों से बहल जाते थे
वो परेशाँ थे मेरी ज़ुल्फ़ परेशान न थी
वो जो मिलते थे कभी …
वो मुहब्बत वो शरारत मुझे याद आती है
दिल में इक प्यार का तूफ़ान उठा जाती थी
थी मगर ऐसी तो उलझन में मेरी जान न थी
वो जो मिलते थे कभी …
12. Main pagal mera manwa pagal.
This song is a favourite of mine. Its beautiful rendition by Talat Mahmood fascinated me. It is from the 1962 movie Aashina starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis, one of the 16 movies that they did together.
Its lyrics were penned by Rajinder Krishan and composed in Raag Kedar by the maestro.
Please enjoy my rendition of: Main pagal mera manwa pagal…
मैं पागल मेरा मनवा पागल
पागल मेरी प्रीत रे
पगले-पन की पीड़ वो जाने
बिछड़े जिसका मीत रे
मैं पागल मेरा मनवा पागल …
कहे ये दुनिया मैं दीवाना
दिन में देखूँ सपने
दीवानी दुनिया क्या जाने – २
ये सपने हैं अपने – २
घायल मन की हंसी उड़ाये
ये दुनिया की रीत रे, मैं पागल …
छुपी हुई मेरी काया में
राख किसी परवाने की
ये मेरा दुखिया जीवन है
रूह किसी दीवाने की
मन के टूटे तार बजाकर
गाऊँ अपने गीत रे
मैं पागल मेरा मनवा पागल
पागल मेरी प्रीत रे, मैं पागल …
So that this post won’t become too long, I shall end here today. Next time I shall give you another six songs of Madan Mohan sung by me in Part III.
