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The Incredibly Sweet Sound of Impending Doom: Madan Mohan (1924 - 1975)
February 19, 2007
Many years after Madan's death, his son Sanjiv Kohli wrote in a touching tribute to his father (Filmfare, 1997):
When we went on long car drives, dad would tell us to sing a song. Small and unfeeling that we were, we would start singing the songs composed by other music directors. He'd turn around and say, "Hey, even you!" At that time, we couldn't understand what he meant. We wouldn't sing his songs because they weren't easy to sing. That used to hurt him. Even his family didn't appreciate him.
Despite the obsequies of fate, Madan's creative muse flowered. For a film called Aap Ki Parchaiyaan with an unknown South Indian heroine opposite Dharmendra, he composed the classic - Agar Mujhse Mohabat hai. For Manmauji he tuned Chanda Ja. And then there were the string of pearls for Chetan Anand. Haqeeqat for which he tuned the most rousing patriotic song ever: Kar chale ham fida jaan-o-tan saathiyon, Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyon had seven other classics which I fear to rank till this day. And then also for Chetan Anand in Hanste Zakhm was the jazz redux: Tum Jo Milgaye To and the orchestral classic for Heer Ranjha: Yeh Duniya yeh Mehfil, mere kaam ki nahin. If it were not for two Madan loyalists - Chetan Anand who used Madan in Haqeeqat, Naunihal, Heer Ranjha, Hanste Zakhm and Hindustan Ki Kasam and Om Prakash (the character actor known as much for his off screen generosity as his on screen villany) who used Madan Mohan in Sanjog, Jahan Ara, Gateway Of India and Chacha Zindabad, many of Madan Mohan's brilliant compositions would have remained uncomposed. Jahan Ara had three songs by Talat Mehmood - Phir Wahee Shaam, Main Teri Nazar ka Suroor, Tere Aankh ke ansoo and the duet with Lata - Ae Sanam aaj ye kasam khayein. This duet along with the other one from Suhagan - Tumhi To Mere Pooja ho are two of Talat's most melodious duets. The Talat-Madan combination gave some of the most moving songs ever: Meri Yaad mein tum na aanso bahana from Madhosh, Mera Qarar Leja and Main Pagal mera manwa pagal from Aashiana, Humse aaya na gaya from Dekh Kabeera Roya and a multi-singer Ho Ke Majboor from Haqeeqat. Madan Mohan had the uncanny knack of getting the right singer to sing each of his compositions. Apart from Lata, Madan's choice of Mohamad Rafi was hauntingly perfect. In Chetan Anand's Naunihal Rafi sang that langourously seductive Tumhare Zulf ke Saaye mein Shaam kar loonga, Safar ik umr ka pal me tamam kar loonga, for a Guru Dutt Mala Sinha starrer Suhagan, Rafi sang Tu mere saamne hain and for Sunil Dutt in Mera Saaya Rafi's rendition of Aap ke Peheloon mein akar ro diye is heartbreakingly poignant. Rafi, it seems was hurt at Madan's stubborn choice of Talat for some of the the best songs of Jahan Ara. But not for long. With a portfolio that included Main nigahen teri chehere se from Aap Ki Parchaian, Rang aur Noor ki baraat from Ghazal, Ek Haseen Shaam Ko Dil Mera from Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Chirag Dil Ka Jalao, bahot andhera hai from Chirag and that hauntingly perfect Tumse Kahoon Ek baat paronse halki halki from Dastak, Rafi had little to complain. And then there the duets - one with Asha - Humsafar saath apna chhod chale and the other with Lata from Heer Ranjha: Meri Duniya Mein Tum Aaye, Kya Kya Sapne Sath Liye - a magical dreamlike duet with almost no orchestration apart from the singers own melodious whispers. For Manna Dey too, Madan conjured that classic from Dekh Kabeera Roya - Kaun aaya mere Man ke dware and the achingly sweet duet with Lata - Bheegi Chandni Chayee Bekhudi from Suhagan.