It was a hot & sultry summer day in 1968,69 or 70...I really can't remember! What I remember, and still have visuals of the moment frozen in my memories, is that my non-music, non-literature type father was resting on the bed and was singing 'phool gendawa na maaro, lagat karejawa mein chot' tapping his bulged tummy for a rhythm back-up. I am sure, to me it was all a very jarring site which had more humour and comedy than any musical sense. However, it was hilarious and amusing to see my father singing something and that too with so much of dedication. I couldn't abstain from asking details of the piece. he got up and sat attentively to explain as if it was going to be a lesson on some Vedic mantras or a Buddhist sermon. Actually, it was not; it was his love for this singer whom he considered way above his contemporaries in skill and calibre of singing. I heard about Manna Dey and his singing for the first time on a serious note from my father that day. it's not amusing that I immediately cycled to one of my friends' house who had a Garrard Radiogram and a good collection of LP records - thanks to his family being in love with music & art. Courtesy my friend, I heard this song of a comic lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi (sounded so weird for this gifted poet who wrote pieces of very high class poetry and lyrics), so skillfully yet effortlessly, sung by Manna Dey! Soon, I fell for this voice and gave up on listening to Mukesh (my favourite those days) and Md. Rafi for quite sometime. Manna Dey's singing had made such a deep impact on me!
I remember him lending his voice to the versatile, villain Pran making his maiden tryst with a character role in 'Upkaar'....and the song "qasame, waade, pyaar, wafa sab, baatein hain baaton ka kya, koyi kisi ka nahin ye jhute naate hain naaton ka kya" fills the character with heavenly presence. Is it a coincidence that Pran preceded him in Heaven (I don't know if there's any other option in the ethereal cosmos)?
I remember Manna Dey reminiscing on behalf of all those who miss the 'Coffee house' and its energizing 'adda'(coffee houser oi adda ta aar aaj nei) in the same spirit as I die to copy him as a bathroom singer singing Kaifi Azmi's golden words "har taraf ab yahi afsane hain, hum teri aankhon ke diwaane hain". Yes, actually true Manna Dey!....hum to sahi mein aapki aawaz ke deewane hain!
Being the voice of Mehmood (the unmatched hero of comedy & comic elements of Bollywood), it was only perhaps Manna Dey who could match the energetic Kishor Kumar in 'Padosan', competing with more complicated classical pieces with same comic mood (try listening the full song -'ek chatur naar...'). Be it the master showman of bollywood Raj Kapoor, stars like Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna, Dharmendra, Raj Kumar or music composers of myriad genres, Manna Dey fitted like a well tailored ready made suit, but never could become a costume of ceremonies. Recipient of Padma Shree, Padma Bhusan and even most prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award, Manna Dey ruled hearts of all age and group, but could not become the number one singer, for, he was never allowed to become a voice of a star; not that he hankered for it or missed it ever. We surely miss him though!...and feel as lost as he sounded in his rendition of the song 'sur na sadhe kya gaun main...'
May you be the envy of heavenly gandharvas & Kinnaris!...RIP!
