Mahendra Kapoor (9 January 1934 – 27 September 2008) was one of the greatest playback singerss of Hindi film industry. In a long and illustrious career of over four decades he sung thousands of songs, which are still admired by music lovers.
Mahendra Kapoor was born in Amritsar, but soon moved to Bombay. From an early age, he was inspired by the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi and considered him his mentor. Apart from Rafi, he also learned classical music from Pt. Hussanlal, Pt. Jagannath Bua, Ustad Niaz Ahmed Khan, Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan and Pt. Tusidaas Sharma.
After winning the Metro Murphy All-India singing competition, he debuted as a playback singer in V. Shantaram’s Navrang in 1958, singing Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi, under the musical direction of C. Ramchandra.
Initially he sing exactly like Rafi and termed as Rafi Clone, his song “Jane kya Dhoondhti rahti hain” in Shola aur Shabnam is exactly in Rafi sahab’s style and voice, On advice from Rafi, He changed his style and start using his real voice which was very high, this voice later become his signature.
Some of Kapoor’s most notable songs were the ones he performed in B.R. Chopra’s films (Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah, Waqt, Hamraaz, Dhund, Nikaah and Awam (film) and TV series Mahabharat; and for Manoj Kumar (Upkaar, Purab Aur Paschim).
Mahendra Kapoor had a long association with B. R. Chopra movies and Manoj Kumar. After his famous tussle with Rafi Saab BR Chopra used Mahendra Kapoor’s voice extensivly in his films like Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Dharmputra(1961), Gumrah (1963), Waqt(1965), Hamraaz (1967), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Dastaan (1972)Insaf Ka Tarazu(1980), Nikaah(1982), Tawaif(1985), Dahleez (1986) and his Epic TV series Mahabharata.
On September 27, 2008, Kapoor died following a cardiac failure at his home in Mumbai, aged 74.
He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
