No one can describe the legacy of Madan Mohan in words; only his work can reflect the genius of Madan Mohan. Here is a glimpse of “Jo Hamne Dastan Apni,” “Lag Ja Gale Ke Phir Ye Haseen” in Wo Kaun Thi, “Yun Hasraton ke dagh,” “Jaana Tha Humse Door,” and “Unko Yeh Shikayat Hai” from Adalat. “Do Dil Toote Do Dil Haare,” “Ye duniya ye mahfil” from Heer Ranjha, “Aap ki nazron ne sanmjha” from ‘Anpadh,’ ‘Aap Ke Pehlun Mein Aakar Ro Diye,” “Tu jahan jhan chalega” and “Jhumka Gira Re” from Mera Saaya, the all-time haunting “Meri Awaaz Suno” and “Tumhare Zulf Ke Saye” from Naunihal, “Teri Aankhon Ke Siva Duniya Mein” from Chiraag, “Kar chale ham fida,” “Ho ke majboor,” and “Main ye sochkar uske dar se utha tha” from Haqeeqat, “Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dwaare” from Dekh Kabira Roya, “Phir Wohi Saam,” “Main Teri Nazar Ka Suroor Hoon” and “Teri Aankh Ke Aansoo” from Jahan Ara, and “Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na” from Madhosh, “Ek Haseen Shaam Ko” from Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, “Main Nigahen Tere Chehere Se” from Aap Ki Parchaiyian, and many more.
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Willum Skeener
Madan Mohan was born as Madan Mohan Kohli on June 25, 1925, in Baghdad, where his father, “Rai Bahadur Chuni Lal Kohli,” was working as an accountant general. His family moved back to his home town, Chakwal, Jhelum, now in Pakistan, when Madan was five. It was the time when he stayed with his grandparents in Lahore for some time, where he started learning the basics of classical music from Kartar Singh, a local musician, for a little while. His musical education was left incomplete when his family moved to Bombay and his father started working with Himanshu Rai at Bombay Talkies.
In Bombay, Madan attended St. Mary’s School in Byculla, Mumbai. He also started performing in All India Radio’s children’s programmes. After completing his early education, he joined the Colonel Brown Cambridge School in Dehradun, a military school.
In 1943, he joined the Army as a second lieutenant during World War II. His love for music forced him to resign from the army in 1945 and join All India Radio’s Lucknow service as a programmer. This position allowed him to meet and work with prominent artists like Begum Akhtar, Roshnara Begum, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Talat Mahmood, and many others.
When Madan Mohan came back to Bomaby in 1947, he wanted to be an actor, but without using his father’s name, who was one of the most influential people of his era. He got the chance to record two ghazals: “Aane Laga Hai Koi Nazar Jalwa Gar Mujhe” and “Is Raaz Ko Duniya Jaanti Hai” by Behzad Lucknawi in 1947. He then recorded two more ghazals, “Wo Aaye To Mahfil Mein Ithlaate Huye Aaye” and “Duniya Mujhe Kahti Hai Ke Main Tujhko Bhoolaa Doon,” by Diwan Sharar.
In 1948, he was given a chance to sing with Lata Mangeshkar by Master Ghualam Hiader in “Shaheed.” The song was “Pinjre mein bulbul bole, mera chhota sa dil dole,” but his father, “Rai Bahadur Chunni Lal,” got the song removed from both the film and the records. Madan’s career as an actor was not significant; he acted in a few films like “Shaheed (1948),” “Parda,” “Ansoo (1953),” and “Munimji (1955).” He also sang in a few films like “Ankhen (1950), “Shabistan (1951),” “Dhoon (1953),” and “Fifty-Fifty (1956).”
When he was struggling to be an actor, Madan started assisting legendary composers Dada SD Burman (Do Bhai, 1947) and Shyam Sunder in films like “Actress (1948)” and “Nirdosh (1950).” His first film as an independent music director was “Ankhen (1950),” which turned out to be a hit with songs like “Preet lagaa ke maine ye phal paaya” by Mukesh, “Hum Ishq Mein Barbaad Hain” by Rafi, and “Mohabbat Karne Walon Ka” by Shamshad Begum.
Madan went on to give outstanding music to many films such as Adaa (1951), Madhosh (1951), Aashiana (1952), Anjaam (1952), Khoobsurat (1952), Nirmohi (1952), Baaghi (1953), Chacha Choudhary (1953), Dhoon (1953), Ilzaam (1954), Mastana (1954), Ehsaan (1954), Railway Platform (1955), Bhai-Bhai (1956), Fifty Fifty (1956), Mem Sahib (1956), Pocket Maar (1956), Beti (1957), Chhote Babu (1957), Dekh Kabhira Roya (1957), Gateway of India (1957), Samundar (1957), Sheroo (1957), and Aakhri Dao (1958).
Some of his famous songs in these films include “Jise Dil Mein Basaana Chaaha Tha” in Ada, “Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na Aansoo Bahana” in Madhosh, “Main Paagal Mera Manva Paagal” and “Mera Qarar Le Ja Mujhe Beqarar Kar Ja” in Ashiana, “Hamare Baad Ab Mehfil Mein Afsane Bayan Honge” in Baaghi, “Badi Barbadiyan Lekar Meri Duniya Mein Pyar Aaya” in Dhoon, “
Basti Basti Parbat Parbat Gaata Jaaye Banjara” and “Chand Maddham Hai Aasman Chup Hai” in Railway Platform, “Ae Dil Mujhe Bata De,” in Bhai Bhai, Chal Diya Dil Mera Tod Ke,” “Humse Aaya Na Gaya,” “Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dware,” in Dekh kabira Roya, and many more.
Madan Mohan’s compositions, characterised by their melodious and skilled arrangements, quickly garnered attention. He is particularly remembered for his ghazals. Collaborations with legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, and Talat Mahmood produced some of the most enduring classics of Hindi cinema.
In 1958, he collaborated with Rajendra Kishan to compose one of the best music albums in music history, “Adaalat,” starring Pradeep Kumar and Nargis. The film has songs like “Yun Hasraton ke dagh,” “Jaana Tha Humse Door,” and “Unko Yeh Shikayat Hai,” which remain some of the finest ghazals of Indian cinema.
Rajendra Kishan and Madan Mohan also worked together in films like Dekh Kabira Roya (1957), Gateway of India (1957), Jailor (1958), Khazanchi (1958), Jahan Ara (1964), Man-Mauji (1962), and Dastak (1970), where the song “Baiyan Na Dharo” showcased the fusion of classical music with cinematic requirements, earning Madan Mohan the National Film Award for Best Music Direction.
Apart from Rajendra Kishan, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan was one of Madan Mohan’s frequent collaborators, with whom he worked on numerous films. Their partnership produced timeless classics such as “Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha,” “Hai Isi Mein Pyar Ki Aabroo,” “Woh Dekho, Jala Ghar Kisi Ka” from “Anpadh (1962),” “Lag Jaa Gale,” “Jo Humne Dastan Apni sunai, Aap Kyun Roye?” and “Naina Barse Rimjhim” from ‘Woh Kaun Thi?’ and “Jhumka Gira Re,” “Aap Ke Pahloo Mein, “Mera Saaya Saath,” “Nainon Me Badra Chhaye” and “Nainon Wali Ne” ion Mera Saya (1967).
The synergy between Khan’s evocative lyrics and Madan Mohan’s soulful compositions created songs that have transcended time. Some other films where they worked together include Ada, Madhosh, Neela Aakash, Aap Ki Parchhaiyan, Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Anita, Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai, and Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah.
Another significant collaboration was with the poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi. Together, they worked on the film Haqeeqat (1964), where Madan Mohan’s composition for the songs like “Ho ke Majboor Mujhe,” “Ab Tumhare Hawaale Watan,” “Zara Si Aahat Hoti Hai,” “Masti Mein Chhedke Tarana Koi Dil Ka,” and “Main Ye Soch Kar Uske Dar Se Utha Tha” perfectly captured the poignant essence of Azmi’s words.
Another significant collaboration between Madan Mohan and Kaifi is “Naunihal,” which has songs like “Meri Aawaz Suno Pyar ka Raaz Suno” and “Tumhari Zulf Ke Saye Me Shaam Kar Lunga,” “Ghar Ka Chirag,” “Heer Raanjha,” which has songs like “Milo Na Tum To,” “Do Dil Toote Do Dil Hare,” “Yeh Duniya, Yeh Mehfil,” and “Nache Ang Ve,” and “Hanste Zakhm,” which has “Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho,” “Aaj Socha To Aansoo,” “Betaab Dil Ki Tamanna,” and “Yeh Mana Meri Jaan.”
Sahir Ludhianvi, a prominent Urdu poet, collaborated with Madan Mohan on several projects. Their work includes the film “Ghazal,” “‘Chirag,” where the song “Teri Aankhon Ke Siva” is a fine example of how Ludhianvi’s poetic flair was matched by Madan Mohan’s musical genius.
Some other notable films of Madan Mohan include Sanjog (1961), Sharabi (1964), Suhagan (1964), Naya Kanoon (1965), Rishte Naate (1965), Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966), Parwana (1971), Bawarchi (1972), Koshish (1972), Sultana Daku (1972), Mausam (1975), Laila Majnu (1976), and Veer-Zaara.
Some of his other famous songs include “Wafaon Ke Badle Jafaa Kar Rahe Hain (Jailer),” “Bhooli Hui Yaadon Mujhe Itna Na Sataao” and “Woh Bhooli Daastan” (Sanjog), “Zaroorat Hai Zaroorat Hai (Manmauji),” “Agar Mujhse Mohabbat Hai” (Aap Ki Parchhaiyan), “Meri Mehboob Kahin Aur Mila Kar Mujhse” and “Rang Aur Noor Ki Baraat Kise Pesh Karoon” (Gahzal), “Ae Sanam Aaj Yeh Kasam Khayen,” “Main Teri Nazar Ka Suroor Hoon,” “Phir Wohi Sham Wohi Gham,” and “Teri Aankh Ke Aansoo Pee Jaoon” (Jahan Ara), “Tu Mere Samne Hai (Suhagan),” “Aakhri Geet Mohabbat Ka Suna Loon,” “Aapko Pyar Chhupane Ki Buri Aadat Hai,” and “Tere Paas Aa Ke Mera Waqt” (Neela Aakash), “Ek Hasin Shaam Ko Dil Mera Kho Gaya (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki),” “Yun Rutho Naa Haseena” (Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare), “Na Tum Bewafa Ho Na Hum Bewafa Hain (Ek Kali Muskayee),” “Hum Hain Mata-E-Koocha-O-Bazar Ki Tarah (Dastak),” “Simti Si Sharmai Si (Parwana),” “Bhor Aayi Gaya Aandhiyara (Bawarchi),” “Har Taraf Ab Yahi Afsane Hain (Hindustan Ki Kasam),” “Rasm-E-Ulfat Ko Nibhayen (Dil Ki Rahen),” “Chhadi Re Chhadi,” “Dil Dhoondhta Hai,” “Ruke Ruke Se Qadam” (Mausam), and “Barbaad-E-Mohabbat Ki Dua,” “Husn Hazir Hai Mohabbat Ki” and “Is Reshmi Paazeb Ki Jhankar” (Laila Majnu)
In January 1953, Madan Mohan married Sheila Dhingra, the niece of the freedom fighter Madan Lal Dhingra. Madan Mohan’s untimely demise on July 14, 1975, left a void in the music industry. However, his son, Sanjeev Kohli, ensured that his father’s legacy lived on by recreating his compositions for Yash Chopra’s “Veer-Zaara” in 2004, nearly three decades after his death. This act not only paid homage to Madan Mohan’s timeless music but also introduced it to a new generation.
The songs of Veer Zaara like “Tere Liye,” “Main Yahaan Hoon,” “Do Pal,” “Yeh Hum Aa Gaye Hain Kahaan,” and “Aaya Tere Dar Par” are now considered modern classics.
