Maestro who rose like a phoenix,flew on wings of melody but died an unsung genius, Madan Mohan
By D N Singh
The recent rains have brought lots of cheer after a bizarre phase of stifling heat. When I was, today, sitting at the small patio of my small house, it was indeed an exhilarating moment when I heard a beautiful number of Madan Mohan’s ecstatic Sawan ki mahine mein of Sharaabi from the shop bang opposite my house.
It was undoubtedly a coincidence but a refreshing one when the rain drops kept falling out and some of the drops stuck on the foliage creating a mirage of ear-drop pearls “Baad Muddat Ke Ye Ghadi Aayi” (“Jahanara”) recalling Madan Mohan’s magic. A close look at the ballet of rain drops were really enchanting. The lively verses of Majrooh Sultanpuri entwined in Mohammed Rafi’s naughty timbre and the music of Madan Mohan made the listening akin to a heavenly bliss.
One connects himself with a Platonic feel and keep swooning with a new mirth and ecstacy.
The entire film fraternity knows that this is the 94th anniversary of the great exponent Madan Mohan whom the great Lata Mangeskar always adored as her biggest melody mentor giving a new life in each song she sang in his composition.
Lata’s “Mujhe Yaad Karne Waale” (Rishte Naate), Talat’s “Main Paagal Mera Manwa Paagal” (Aashiana) and Momd Rafi’s “Tu Mere Samne Hai” (“Suhagan”) they all were pure excellence which shot Madan Mohan to the global fame and there is no count of fans who till date get intoxicated by his genius.
Music provides ‘ charm and gaiety to life’ and those words of Plato marvelously suits the great music master that India never had after his departure after a glorious stint of almost 50 years in music.
I can’t resist but dive into the vast reservoirs of old Hindi film songs of the Golden Era and the refined melodies of Madan Mohan always given a new feel of life. But what rankles me is why despite the overwhelming popularity of his songs, Madan Mohan was not given the applause and accolades that he so richly deserved in his lifetime and why most recognised his genius only after his departure from this world.
“Dastak”, “Ghazal”, “Haqeeqat”, “Hanste Zakhm” to “Heer Ranjha”, “Jahaanara”, “Mera Saaya”, “Neela Akash” a few of his terrific repertoire was not only a class but listening to them one cannot but see the rare fineness and sheen.
What strikes as quite incomprehensible as to why Madan had not been conferred the top status as a music director or a major film award in his heyday when most of his 650 odd songs were hits and enthrall millions till date?
