Mukesh

Mukesh Chand Mathur (22 July 1923 – 27 August 1976), better known mononymously as Mukesh, was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to be one of the most popular and acclaimed playback singers of the Hindi film industry. Among the numerous nominations and awards he won, his song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from the film Rajnigandha won him the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

Mukesh was also popular as being the voice of actors Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Feroz Khan, Sunil Dutt and Dilip Kumar.

Early life Mukesh was born in Delhi in a Mathur Kayastha family on 22 July 1923. His parents were Zorawar Chand Mathur, an engineer, and Chandrani Mathur. He was the sixth in a family of ten children. The music teacher who came home to teach Mukesh's sister, Sundar Pyari, found a pupil in Mukesh, who would listen from the adjoining room. Mukesh left school after the 10th grade and worked briefly for the Department of Public Works. He experimented with voice recordings during his employment in Delhi and gradually developed his singing abilities and also his musical instrumental skills.

Singing career Mukesh's voice was first noticed by Motilal, a distant relative, when he sang at his sister's wedding. Motilal took him to Bombay (now Mumbai) and arranged for singing lessons by Pandit Jagannath Prasad. During this period Mukesh was offered a role as an actor-singer in a Hindi film, Nirdosh (1941). His first song was "Dil Hi Bujha Hua Ho To" as an actor-singer for Nirdosh written by Neelkanth Tiwari. His first hit song as a playback singer was "Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De" for actor Motilal in 1945 with the film Pehli Nazar with music composed by Anil Biswas and lyrics written by Aah Sitapuri.

Mukesh was such a fan of singer K. L. Saigal that in his early years of playback singing he used to imitate his idol. In fact, it is said that when K. L. Saigal first heard the song "Dil Jalta Hai...", he remarked, "That's strange, I don't recall singing that song". "Ek Pyaar ka Nagma hai" from Shor (1972), "Maine Tere Liye Hi Saat Rang Ke" from Anand (1971), "Sab Kuch Seekha Humne" from Anari (1959), "Jeena yahan marna yahan" and "Kehta hai Joker" from Mera Naam Joker (1970) are the most popular among his fans and followers.

In his career, Mukesh sung 110 songs for Raj Kapoor, 47 songs for Manoj Kumar and 20 songs for Dilip Kumar.

As an actor and producer Mukesh started his career as an actor singer in the film Nirdosh in 1941, with Nalini Jaywant as his heroine. His second film was Adab Arz in 1943. He played a guest role in Raj Kapoor's film Aah in 1953. He acted as a hero in the film Mashooka in 1953, opposite Suraiya and in the film Anurag (1956) (he was also the co-producer and composer in the film), opposite Usha Kiran and Mridula Rani. Mukesh also produced a film Malhar (1951) with hero Arjun & heroine Shammi with Darling Films.

Appreciation Mukesh was a favourite of renowned Indian spin-bowler Bhagwath Chandrasekhar. When the sound of a Mukesh song drifted to the pitch, Chandrasekhar's acknowledgement of the tribute would bring a roar from the crowd. Sunil Gavaskar wrote that sometimes he hummed a Mukesh tune on the field to inspire Chandra. Chandra's passion affected team-mates Kirmani, Gundappa Viswanath, and even some journalists.

Google commemorated Mukesh on his 93rd birthday anniversary in 2016.

Department of Post released a commemorative postage stamp on his 100th birth anniversary.

Personal life Mukesh married Saral Trivedi, daughter of Raichand Trivedi, a millionaire. With no proper house, an erratic income and what was then considered in India a supposedly "immoral" profession (singer in movies), the consent of Saral's father for this marriage could not be obtained and Mukesh and Saral were forced to elope. They got married in a temple in Kandivali on 22 July 1946, Mukesh's 23rd birthday, with the help of the actor Motilal and from the residence of R. D. Mathur. Everyone made dire predictions of unhappy days and divorce, but both weathered the lean days and celebrated their thirtieth wedding anniversary on 22 July 1976, four days before his departure for the USA. The couple had five children – Rita, the singer Nitin, Nalini (d. 1978), Mohnish and Namrata (Amrita). The actor Neil Nitin Mukesh is a grandson of Mukesh (son of Nitin). That morning, he got up early and went to take a shower. He came out short of breath and complaining of chest pains. He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead. The rest of the concert was completed by Lata Mangeshkar and his son Nitin Mukesh. His body was flown to India by Mangeshkar, where a grand funeral ceremony was held in the presence of several actors, with personalities of the Indian film industry and fans paying tribute. When news of his death reached his acquaintance and actor Raj Kapoor, he burst into tears, and remarked, "I have lost my voice," which is a testimony to the association of Mukesh's voice (in playback) to the immensely popular songs of Raj Kapoor's films.

After Mukesh's death, his newer, hitherto unreleased, songs were released in 1977 in films such as Dharam Veer, Amar Akbar Anthony, Khel Khiladi Ka, Darinda and Chandi Sona. 1978 also saw a considerable number of Mukesh songs in films such as Aahuti, Paramatma, Tumhari Kasam and Satyam Shivam Sundaram, where Mukesh sang his last film song Chanchal Sheetal Nirmal Komal for Raj Kapoor's younger brother, Shashi Kapoor. From 1980 onwards, Mukesh's voice was heard in many later released films such as Shaitan Mujarim, Premika, Patthar Se Takkar (1980), Sanjh Ki Bela, Maila Anchal (1981), Aarohi (1982), Chor Mandali (1983), Nirlaj (1985), Love and God (1986), Shubh Chintak (1989), and his last release Chand Grahan in 1997.

Awards

National Film Awards 1974 – National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from the film Rajnigandha

Filmfare Awards

Won Year Song Film Music director(s) Lyricist 1959 "Sab Kuch Seekha Humne" Anari Shankar Jaikishan Shailendra 1970 "Sabse Bada Naadan" Pehchan Shankar Jaikishan Varma Malik 1972"Jai Bolo Beimaan Ki"Be-Imaan Shankar Jaikishan Varma Malik 1976"" Khayyam Sahir Ludhianvi

Nominated Year Song Film Music director(s) Lyricist 1962 "Hothon Pe Sacchai Rehti Hai" Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai Shankar Jaikishan Shailendra 1965 "Dost Dost Na Raha" Sangam Shankar Jaikishan Shailendra 1968 "Sawan Ka Mahina" Milan Laxmikant Pyarelal Anand Bakshi 1971 "Bas Yehi Apradh" Pehchan Shankar Jaikishan Neeraj 1972 "Jane Kahan Gaye Woh Din" Mera Naam Joker Shankar Jaikishan Hasrat Jaipuri 1972 "Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye" Anand Salil Chowdhury Yogesh 1973 "Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hain" Shor Laxmikant Pyarelal Santosh Anand 1975 "Main Na Bhoolonga" Roti Kapada Aur Makaan Laxmikant–Pyarelal Santosh Anand 1977 "Ek Din Bik Jayega" Dharam Karam Rahul Dev Burman Majrooh Sultanpuri 1977 "Main Pal Do Pal Ka Sahayar Hoon" Khayyam Sahir Ludhianvi 1978 "Suhani Chandni Raatein" Mukti Rahul Dev Burman Anand Bakshi 1978 "Chanchal Shital Nirmal Komal" Satyam Shivam Sundaram Laxmikant–Pyarelal Anand Bakshi

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Winner 1967 – Best Male Playback Singer for Teesri Kasam 1968 – Best Male Playback Singer for Milan 1970 – Best Male Playback Singer for Saraswatichandra

Filmography

As an actor: As a producer: Malhar (1951)

As a singer (partial):