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The Incredibly Sweet Sound of Impending Doom: Madan Mohan (1924 - 1975)
February 19, 2007
Whenever I have listened to many of the incredibly beautiful melodies of Lata singing for Madan Mohan, my heart has always gone out to the unfortunate character who sang it on screen. Nothing good was ever going to come her way. Even the happiest of melodies seemed only a brief interlude in this tragedy called life. The most passionate of songs were only an invitation to a doomed love. Each note from these beautiful compositions seemed to ride on a background of melancholy - sometimes only a hint like in Main To Tumse Nain Milake Haar Gayee Sajana from Manmauji, sometimes so completely suffused with it as in Rasm-e-Ulfat ko Nibhayen to Nibhayen Kaise from Dil Ki Rahein. Except for a few honourable exceptions, Sadhana (Mera Saaya, Woh Kaun Thi), Nutan (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki) and Nargis (Adalat), almost all Madan's compositions were sung by heroines who were never quite top-rung. Two of his great compositions Woh Bhuli Dastaan and Chala hai kahan from Sanjog was picturised on Anita Guha. Enduring classics Hai Isi mein Pyaar ki Aabroo and Aap ki nazron ne samjha were shot on Mala Sinha and Bindu sang Jiya le gayo jee mora sawariya in Anpadh. The number of Madan's gems wasted on Priya Rajvansh is an indication of the saturnine misfortune that dogged him all his life. When the heroine was right, the film flopped. Nutan's Dulhan Ek Raat Ki with Sapnon mein agar mere was removed from theatres after just four days. Just once, Madan had his moment in the sun. The Director was right. The Heroine was right. And the film was a certified hit - Raj Khosla's Woh Kaun Thi with Sadhana ran for 25 weeks and every one thought Madan's work in the film would surely get the Filmfare award for that year. It got a nomination. But as the rumour goes a rival Music Director rigged the poll and laughed all the way to the podium. Raj Khosla who had worked with him before on the musically memorable Mera Saaya used him in the flop Chiraag and then never worked with Madan again.