His voice continues to haunt
By M. L. Dhawan

MUKESH was born in Delhi on July 22,1923. His father, Lala Zorawar Chand Mathur, was an engineer. He wanted his son to follow his footsteps. Lalaji had engaged a teacher to teach music to his daughter. Mukesh would sit in the adjoining room and listen to the teacher. This was how he picked up the intricacies of music. In school, Mukesh regaled his schoolmates with the songs of Kundan Lal Saigal. His friend Roshan (who later on became a music director in Bombay) accompanied him on the harmonium. While Mukesh was entertaining guests with his songs at the wedding of his sister, Moti Lal, a legendary actor who was also attending the wedding ceremony was impresed by the melancholy discernible in Mukesh’s voice. He invited Mukesh to Bombay to try his luck in the film industry.

At the age of 17, Mukesh came to Bombay. His good looks inspired film-makers to cast him as a singing hero. He acted in Nirdosh, Sukh Dukh, Aadaab Arz and Mashooqa. Unfortunately, he was not successful as a hero but his singing was noticed first in Dil bujha ho to fasale-bahar kya from Nirdosh and later on in Moorti when he sang for Moti Lal. However, Mukesh took music lovers by surprise when he copied Saigal while singing Dil jalta hai to jalne de aansoon na baha faryad na kar in Pehli Nazar. Even Saigal was taken in and exclaimed "But I do not remember singing this song". Mukesh met Raj Kapoor for the first time at Ranjit Studio on the sets of Bansri. Mukesh sang for Raj Kapoor in his first film Neel Kamal. Raj Kapoor realised that he could achieve stardom if Mukesh sang for him. Later on in Aag, Barsaat, and Aawara, Mukesh rendered songs for Raj Kapoor. Soon it became evident that both were made for each other. Mukesh was Raj Kapoor’s voice in the RK productions as well as some other banners.

The 1954-56 span was the leanest period for Mukesh. This was a phase in which nothing he did was right. Mukesh compounded his mistakes by venturing into production. His decision to produce his own film Anuraag was an unfortunate one. Indeed, things came to such a pass that he had to withdraw his children from school. To keep his home fires burning Mukesh was compelled to sing in an advertisement.

At this time Mukesh had his first stroke of luck. Salil Choudhary resurrected his, career in Raj Kapoor’s Jagte Raho number Zindagi khwab hai in 1956. This song proved to be a turning point in his attempt to stage a comeback. Aansoon bhari hain yeh jewan ki rahen from Parverish further consolidated Mukesh’s career. Khayyam composed some hit songs for Mukesh like Woh subha kabhi to aayege, Aasman pay hai Khudda aur zameen pay hum, Chino Arab hamara, Jo bore kare yaar ko us yaar se touba. Shankar-Jaikishan created a hypnotic and enduring number Sub kuch sikha hum ne na sikhi hoshiari. This masterfully orchestrated number from Anari turned the wheel of fortune in Mukesh’s favour. He won the Filmfare Award for best singer. The award was conferred upon Mukesh by Gamal Abdal Nasar, President of Egypt in 1959.

Mukesh always strove for quality in his work rather than quantity. In a span of over four decades he sang about 1500 songs. He was aware of his limitations. Once he told Madan Mohan to give him only those songs that wouldmark his tendency to go off-key. The smooth eloquence that Mukesh poured into plaintive songs lent everlasting appeal to them. Some of his evergreen numbers include Zinda hoon is tarha ke gham-e-zindagi nahin, Mujh ko is raat ki tanhai mein aawaz na do, Teri duniyaan mein dil lagta nahin, Kismat bigdi duniyan badli, Bhooli hui yado mujhe itna na satao, Tum bin jewan kaisa jewan, Dewano se yeh mat poochho and Jane kahan gaye woh din.

Mukesh’s emotional voice articulated the sentiments of every hero Mukesh lent his voice to. His songs touched the soul and moved the mind. His voice was a divine gift he utilised to soothe the people.

The biggest triumph of Mukesh was the recording of eight volumes of the immortal the Tulsi Ramayan. He had gone on record to say that he enjoyed singing Tulsi Ramayan more than any other genre of music. Any one passing by his residence in Mumbai cannot miss the Mukesh Chowk where the Mukesh Ramayan is played every morning.

Generosity and benevolence were second nature to Mukesh. When struggling composers came to him he gladly sang their songs free.

Mukesh never hurt or harmed any one. When Kalyanji-Anandji insisted on dubbing a duet Aap se hum ko bichde hue ek zamana beet gaya. Mukesh refused saying that the new singer Manhar had done a fine job.

Mukesh was a fun loving person by nature. He was fond of drinks and would often say to his friends "Sharaab? din mein kabhi mat chhuo, raat ko kabhi chodo mat". He was warm and friendly and completely unaffected by the glitter and glamour of Bollywood.

Just a few days before Mukesh went abroad with Lata Mangeshkar on a concert, he had been advised by his friend Talat Mehmood not to go to the USA as he had already suffered more than one heart attack. With a smile on his lips Mukesh said, "Death is inevitable. It can come any time at home or abroad".

On August 24, 1976, Mukesh complained of cold and sore throat during a performance in Montreal, Canada. On August 27,1976, hardly ten minutes before a concert, Mukesh suffered a fatal heart attack.