{"id":7179,"date":"2023-05-10T00:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T18:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=7179"},"modified":"2023-05-11T12:24:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T06:54:38","slug":"pankaj-mullick-the-doyen-of-film-and-non-film-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/pankaj-mullick-the-doyen-of-film-and-non-film-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Pankaj Mullick: The Doyen of Film and Non-Film Music"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pankaj

Pankaj Mullick<\/p><\/div>\n

With the film Alam Ara<\/em>, sound was\u00a0 first ushered into cinema theatres in 1931. In the decade following the transformation of movies into “Talkies”, the number of music directors for Hindi films could quite literally be counted on the fingers of one’s hand. Think of Saraswati Devi (Khorshed Minocher-Homji), Jaddan Bai (mother of actor Nargis),\u00a0Ghulam Haidar from Punjab and Pankaj Mullick, KC Dey and RC Boral, all from Bengal.\u00a0It was these few who set the tone and pattern of music and songs in Hindi films.<\/p>\n

Saraswati Devi is known for composing Koi humdum na raha<\/em> (Jeevan Naiya<\/em>, 1936) and Ek chatur naar kar kar shringar<\/em> (Jhoola,<\/em> 1941) both songs sung by Ashok Kumar in the films. These songs were later improvised and sung by Kishore Kumar in Jhumroo<\/em> (1961) and by Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar in Padosan, <\/em>respectively.\u00a0Ghulam Haidar composed\u00a0excellent music for films like Khazanchi<\/em> with the very popular\u00a0Saawan ke nazaarein hain<\/em>, aha, aha<\/em>, where actor Ramola leads her friends on a cycling trip (a la Nutan in Ban ke panchi gaaye pyar ka taraana<\/em> in Anari,<\/em> 1959).\u00a0 \u00a0But, for sheer class and output, Pankaj Mullick was head and shoulders above anyone else of that era. He was unmatched and outstanding. He led, and others followed.<\/p>\n

Pankaj Mullick was well established as a singer, actor, writer, playwright, and a teacher of music in Calcutta, long before the 1940s. His 25-year-long association with the Calcutta-based New Theatres studio set many trends in filmmaking and music. Mullick had simultaneously composed music and also sung for many Hindi and Bengali films produced under other banners, maintaining a hectic but highly successful career in composing, singing and in many other activities related to the Arts. He had a deep and mellifluous voice which enhanced one’s listening experience when he sang emotional songs of love and sadness. With nearly 5,000 songs and compositions to his credit along with nearly 150 films, Pankaj Mullick\u2019s contribution to the world of Indian films and Indian popular music is awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n

\"Daktar\"<\/a>

Ahindra Choudhury and Pankaj Mullick in Daktar \/ Doctor<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Pankaj Kumar Mullick, popular as ‘Pankaj \u00a0Mullick’, was born on 10th<\/sup> May 1905.\u00a0His contribution to music, Rabindra Sangeet in particular, Bengali and Hindi film music, and other genres of songs such as kirtan, bhajan, folk songs, patriotic songs, devotional songs, as a composer and singer is as immense and incalculable as it is musically inestimable. He taught many aspiring musicians for several decades through regular programs on AIR, teaching Tagore songs, Nazrul songs (Kazi Nazrul Islam, known as the national poet of Bangladesh, was a poet, writer, and musician and is regarded as one of the greatest poets in Bengali literature) and songs by other composers. Pankaj Mullick’s musical bond with Bangladesh was close and very dear to him as he was associated with East Bengal long before it became an independent nation.<\/p>\n

My fascination for Pankaj Mullick began in the 1930s<\/strong><\/p>\n

My personal exposure to Pankaj Mullick’s music began in the late 1930s.\u00a0As a young boy not even ten yet and only a few years after songs made their advent into films in 1931, I had already seen many films for which Pankaj Mullick was the music director, singer and actor. I remember coming away impressed and awestruck by his music and singing.<\/p>\n

Some of those memorable songs are:<\/p>\n

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    1. Sundar nari, pritam pyari<\/em><\/a> (Manzil<\/em>, 1936 \/ R C Boral \/ Arzoo Lakhnavi \/Pankaj Mullick)<\/li>\n
    2. Sharaabi soch na kar matwale<\/em><\/a> (Mukti<\/em>, 1937 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Prem \/ Pankaj Mullick, Kalyani<\/li>\n
    3. Kaun desh hai jana, babu<\/em><\/a> (Mukti<\/em>, 1937 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Arzoo Lakhnavi \/ Pankaj Mullick)<\/li>\n
    4. Saanwariya, man bhaya re<\/em><\/a> (Mukti<\/em>, 1937 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Prem \/ Kanan Devi)<\/li>\n
    5. Barkha ki raat aayi manwa<\/em><\/a> (Adhikaar<\/em>,\u00a01937 \/ Timir Baran \/ Arzoo Lucknowi, Rashid Gorakhpuri \/ Pankaj Mullick)<\/li>\n
    6. Duniya rang rangeli Baba<\/em><\/a> (Dhartimata,<\/em>1939 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Pt Sudarshan \/ KC Dey, Uma Shashi and K L Saigal<\/li>\n
    7. Main man ki baat bataaoon<\/em><\/a> (Dhartimata,<\/em>1939 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Pt Sudarshan \/ Uma Shashi, K. L. Saigal).<\/li>\n
    8. Piya milan ko jana<\/em><\/a> (Kapal Kundala<\/em>, 1939 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Pankaj Mullick). One of the most famous of his songs.<\/li>\n
    9. Karun kya aas niraas bhayi<\/em><\/a> (Dushman<\/em>, 1939 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Aarzoo Lucknowi \/ K L Saigal) \u2013 a motivating song, in which Saigal despairingly begins with Karun kya aas niraas bhayi<\/em> in the first stanza, and goes on to end on a positive note, full of hope with Kaho na aas niraas bhayi<\/em> in the 3rd<\/li>\n
    10. So ja rajkumari<\/em><\/a> (Zindagi<\/em>, 1940 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Kidar Sharma \/ K L Saigal) \u2014 with Ramchandra’s Dheere se aaja ri ankhiyan mein<\/em> in Albela<\/em> (1941) this was the most popular lori in Hindi films in the 40s<\/li>\n
    11. Main kya jaanu kya jaadu hai, jaadu hai, jaadu hai\u00a0<\/em><\/a>(Zindagi,\u00a0<\/em>1940) Pankaj Mullick \/ Kidar Sharma \/ KL Saigal<\/li>\n
    12. Madbhari\u2026rut jawaan hai<\/em><\/a> (Nartaki<\/em>, 1940 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Aarzoo Lucknowi \/ Pankaj Mullick) \u2014 a delightfully melodious song using barely a couple of instruments, in which one is given a ‘jhalak’ into Mullick’s composing genius, with an extended\u00a0instrumental prelude followed by Mullick taking off with “Madhbharee…..eeeee\u00a0 \u00a0 eeeee,\u00a0 rut jawan hai”.<\/em><\/li>\n
    13. Yeh kaun aaj aaya savere savere<\/em><\/a> (Nartaki<\/em>, 1940 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Aarzoo Lucknowi \/ Pankaj Mullick) A song remarkable for its ‘classical’ base and adroit use of the harmonium and the piano accordion)<\/li>\n
    14. Chale pawan ki chaal\u00a0<\/em><\/a>(Doctor,<\/em>\u00a01940 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Pradeep \/ Pankaj Mullick) \u2014 the first ever ‘Ghoda-gadi’ song)<\/li>\n
    15. Aayi bahaar aaj<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/ Mehak rahi phulwari<\/a> \/\u00a0 Guzar gaya woh zamana, kaisa<\/a> \/ Kab tak niraash ki, andhiyari<\/a><\/em> (all songs from Doctor<\/em>,\u00a01940 \/ Pankaj Mullick \/ Pradeep \/ Pankaj Mullick, Bharati)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n