Mukesh (singer)

Mukesh Chand Mathur (22 July 1923 – 27 August 1976), better known mononymously as Mukesh, was an Indian playback singer.

Mukesh is considered to be one of the most popular and acclaimed playback singers of the Hindi film industry.

Mukesh was born in Delhi in a Mathur Kayastha family on 22 July 1923.

His parents were Zorawar Chand Mathur, an engineer, and Chandrani Mathur.

He was the sixth in a family of ten children.

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.

During this period Mukesh was offered a role as an actor-singer in a Hindi film, Nirdosh (1941).

His first song was "Dil Hi Bujha Hua Ho To" as an actor-singer for Nirdosh written by Neelkanth Tiwari.

His first hit song as a playback singer was "Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De" for actor Motilal in 1945 with the film Pehli Nazar with music composed by Anil Biswas and lyrics written by Aah Sitapuri.

Mukesh was such a fan of singer 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...", he remarked, "That's strange, I don't recall singing that song".

Mukesh created his own singing style with the help of music director Naushad Ali, who helped Mukesh to come out of his Saigal style and create his own style.

Naushad gave him songs for the film Andaz.

Initially Mukesh was the ghost voice of Dilip Kumar in this movie and Mohammed Rafi sang for Raj Kapoor.

He delivered many Hits for Naushad in films like: Anokhi Ada (1948), Mela (1948), Andaz (1949).

Other composers who used Mukesh voice for great Dilip Kumar in hit songs like "Jeevan Sapna toot gaya" were Anil Biswas in Anokha Pyar, Ye Mera Diwanapan hai, Shankar–Jaikishan in Yahudi and Suhana Safar and Dil Tadap Tadap ke, Salil Choudhary in Madhumati.

However, later Dilip Kumar choose Rafi as his ghost voice and Mukesh became the ghost voice of Raj Kapoor.

Mukesh recorded highest number of songs for Shankar–Jaikishan, that is 133 songs followed by Kalyanji Anandji ie 99 songs.

Out of 4 Filmfare Awards, Mukesh won 3 awards for Shankar–Jaikishan songs.

Bedard Zamana Kya Jane (1958) composed by Kalyanji alone as Kalyanji Virji Shah, and "Main hoon mast madari..."

Madari (1959) as the first Kalyanji-Anandji-Mukesh combo, to "Chahe aaj mujhe napasand karo" Darinda 1977, the K-A, Mukesh combination gave numerous popular songs like "Chhalia mera naam...", "Mere toote hue dil se...", "Dum dum diga diga" Chalia (1959), "Mujhko iss raat ki tanhai mein..."

Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960), "Hum chhod chale hain mehfil ko..."

(Ji Chahta Hai), "Humne tumko pyar kiya hai jitna..."

(Dulha Dulhan), "Chal mere dil lehraake chal..."

Ishara and "Dheere se chalo..."

Johar Mehmood in Goa, "Main to ek khwab hoon..."

and "Chand si mehbooba ho..."

The comparatively fewer songs sung by him in the 1970s can be attributed to his failing health due to his worsening heart problem.

Mukesh sang many songs for Kalyanji Anandji music director duo.

Mukesh sang more songs with the K-A duo after Shankar–Jaikishan.

From "Naina hai jadoo bhare..."

Amongst the numerous nominations and awards he won, his song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from the film Rajnigandha (1973) won him the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

Mukesh was also popular as being the voice of actors Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Feroz Khan, Sunil Dutt and Dilip Kumar.

In 1974, Mukesh received National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from Rajnigandha (1974), and Filmfare Awards for the songs "Sab Kuch Seekha Humne" in the movie Anari (1959), "Sabse Bada Naadan Wahi Hai" in Pehchaan (1970), "Jai Bolo Beimaan Ki" in Beimaan (1972) (all the three songs composed by Shankar–Jaikishan) and "Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein", the title song of film Kabhie Kabhie (1976) (composed by Khayyam).

A total of around 1,300 songs were sung by him.

This number is less than those sung by some of his contemporaries, but the fact is that Mukesh emphasised on quality rather than quantity.

Mukesh left school after the 10th grade and worked briefly for the Department of Public Works.

He experimented with voice recordings during his employment in Delhi and gradually developed his singing abilities and also his musical instrumental skills.

Mukesh's voice was first noticed by Motilal, a distant relative, when he sang at his sister's wedding.

Motilal took him to Bombay (now Mumbai) and arranged for singing lessons by Pandit Jagannath Prasad.