where's the Mukesh love?

[edit] Biography

Born Mukesh Chand Mathur in Punjab, in a small middle class family. Mukesh was the sixth in a family of ten children. Father Lala Zorawar Chand Mathur was an engineer. His mother was Chand Rani. 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. He had a younger brother Parmeshwari Das. Mukesh left school after the 10th standard and worked briefly for the Delhi Department of Public Works. Mukesh experimented with voice recordings during his employment in Delhi and gradually developed his singing abilities.

Mukesh got married in 1946 to Sarla Trivedi (1928 – 26 February 2008) in a temple in Kandiwali, at the residence of Mr. R. D. Mathur. Sarla was daughter of millionaire Gujarati Brahmins. With him having no proper house, an erratic in-come and a supposedly "immoral" profession. Thus Mukesh and Sarla eloped. 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, five days before his departure for the U.S.A. on 27 July 1976. The couple had five children as Rita, Nitin, Nalini(d. 1978), Mohnish (Taboo - nick name) and Namrata (Amrita).

Mukesh's voice was noticed by Motilal (a popular actor in Hindi films, also a distant relative of Mukesh) when he sang at his sister's wedding. Motilal took him to Bombay, let him stay with him and even arranged for singing lessons for him. During this period, Mukesh managed to bag a role in a Hindi film, Nirdosh (Innocent) (1941). His first song was dil hi bujha hua ho to as an actor singer for Nirdosh. He got his break as a playback singer in 1945 with the film Pehli Nazar (First Look). The first song he sang for a Hindi film was Dil Jalta Hai to Jalne De (If the heart burns, let it burn), which was incidentally picturised on Motilal.

Mukesh was such a big fan of 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 to Jalne De, he said "That's strange, I don't recall singing that song".

He is best known for the songs he sang as a playback singer for Raj Kapoor, a legendary actor/director of Bollywood in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1974, Mukesh received National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song Kain baar yoon bhi dekhaa hai from Rajnigandha (1974), and Filmfare Awards for the songs Sab Kuch Seekha in the movie Anari (1959), Ganga Ram Ki Samajh in Pehchaan (1970), Jai Bolo in Be Imaan (1972) and the title song of Kabhie Kabhie (1976).

Mukesh died of a heart attack on 27 August 1976 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, where he had gone for a concert. His body was carried back to India with Lata Mangeshkar, where a grand funeral ceremony took place as many famous actors, personalities of the Indian film industry, and fans paid tribute to the late singer. When the news of his death reached Raj Kapoor, he remarked, "I have lost my voice," which is a testimony to the timeless and unforgettable association of Mukesh's voice (in playback) to the immensely popular songs of Raj Kapoor's films.

After Mukesh's death, his newer unreleased songs released in 1977 with films like Dharam Veer, Amar Akbar Anthony, Khel Khiladi Ka, Darinda, and Chandi Sona. The year 1978 also featured a good number of Mukesh songs, films like Aahuti, Paramatma, Tumhari Kasam, and Satyam Shivam Sundaram, where Mukesh sang his last film song "Chanchal Sheetal Nirmal Komal." From 1980 onward, Mukesh's voice was heard in many late released films like 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 known release of Chand Grahan (1997).

1923 - 22 July - Birth in Delhi, then a part of Punjab (British India).

1940 - 1st Recording With H.M.V. Delhi

1946 - Wedding With Saral Mukesh (22 July)

1948 - Born 1st Daughter Reeta (24 April)

1950 - Born 1st Son Nitin (27 June)

1953 - Born 2nd Daughter Nalini (25 June)

1959 - 1st Filmfare Award for film " Anari "

1961 - Born 2nd Son Mohnish (4 November)

1962 - Concerts, London - England ( An Interview At BBC )

1966 - Born 3rd Daughter Namrata (24 April)

1967 - Mukesh-Shankar Jaikishan Concert, Nickerie, Surinam

1970 - Concert, Delhi

1970 - 2nd Filmfare Award for film " Pehchaan"

1972 - Concert, Africa

1972 - Concert, Londan

1972 - Interview, BBC.

1972 - 3rd Filmfare Award for film " Be-Iman "

1973 - Concert, Mauritius

1974 - National Award for film " Rajni Gandha "

1974 - Concert At Kalamandir Auditorium, Calcutta (19 July)

1975 - Concert At Kalamandir Auditorium, Calcutta (23 October)

1976 - U. S. A. - Canada Tour With Lata Mangeshkar & Nitin Mukesh

1976 - 27 August, Death Detroit

1976 - 4th Filmfare Award for film " Kabhi Kabhee " ( After Death )

[edit] Awards

Winner

[edit] National Film Awards

• 1974 - National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Kain baar yoon bhi dekhaa hai song in the film Rajnigandha

[edit] Filmfare Awards

Winner

1959 - Filmfare Best Male Playback Award for Subkuchh seekha humne song in the film Anari 1970 - Filmfare Best Male Playback Award for Sabse bada naadan song in the film Pehchan 1972 - Filmfare Best Male Playback Award for Jai bolo beiman ki song in the film Beimaan
• 1976 - Filmfare Best Male Playback Award for Kabhi khabhi mere dil mein song in the film Kabhi Kabhie

Nominated

1961 - Hothon Pe Sacchai song in the film Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai 1964 - Dost Dost Na Raha song in the film Sangam 1967 - Sawan Ka Mahina song in the film Milan 1970 - Bas Yehi Apradh Main Har Baar Karta Hoon song in the film Pehchan 1972 - Ek Pyar Ka Nagma song in the film Shor 1974 - Main Na Bhoolunga song in the film Roti Kapda Aur Makaan 1976 - Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar song in the film Kabhie Kabhie 1976 - Ek Din Bik Jayega, Maati Ke Mol song in the film Dharam Karam 1977 - Suhani Chandni Raten song in the film Mukti
• 1978 - Chanchal Sheetal song in the film Satyam Shivam Sundaram

[edit] Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards

Winner

1967 - Best Male Playback Singer for Teesri Kasam [1] 1968 - Best Male Playback Singer for Milan [2]
• 1970 - Best Male Playback Singer for Saraswatichandra [3]

[edit] Filmography

Pehli Nazar (First Look) (1945) Mela (The Fair) (1948) Aag (Fire) (1948) Andaz (1949) Awaara (1951) Shree 420 (1955) Parvarish (Upbringing) (1958) Anari (Fool) (1959) Sangam (1964) Mera Naam Joker (1970)
• Dharam Karam (1975)

[edit] Memorable songs

Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne from Pehli Nazar (1945) first movie song of Mukesh, where he imitated Saigal, & he did it so well that the song became a super hit. Tu Kahe Agar from Andaz (1949) by pawan kumar singh Zinda Hoon Main Is Tarah from Aag (1948) Khayalon Mein Kisi Ke (with Geeta Dutt) from Bawre Nain (1950) Awaara Hoon from Awaara (1951) Mera Joota Hai Japaani from Shree 420 (1955) Zindagi Khwab Hai from Jaagte Raho (1956) Suhana Safar from Madhumati (1958) music by Salil Chowdhury Yeh Meraa Deewanaapan Hai from Yahudi (1958) music by Shankar-Jaikishan. Dilip Kumar was hesitant in having anyone other than Rafi sing for him, but when he heard this song in Mukesh's voice he was left speechless. Kisi Ki Muskuraahaton Pe Ho Nisaar from Anari (1959) Saranga Teri Yaad Mein from Saranga (1960) music by Sardar Malik. One of numerous Mukesh hit songs in an otherwise forgotten soundtrack/movie. O Janewale Ho Sake To Laut Ke Aanaa from Bandini (1963) Dost Dost Naa Rahaa from Sangam (1964) Sawan Ka Mahina (with Lata Mangeshkar) from Milan (1967) Jaane Kahaan Gaye Wo Din from Mera Naam Joker (1970) Kahin Door Jab Din from Anand (1970) (music scored by Salil Chowdhury) Ek Din Bik Jaayega from Dharam Karam (1975) Main Pal Do Pal Kaa Shaayar Hoon Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Me Khayaal Aataa Haifrom Kabhi Kabhie (1976)
• Chanchal sheetal nirmal komal from Satyam Shivan Sundaram(1978)