For me participating in the festivals initiated by Tanna is like taking a step in a different direction & facing new situation, which is slightly different from what I have been doing on MS. And I am enjoying it to the core.
Madan Mohan started his career much before I was born & composed music for films, which were made in the era when my father was young. Before I could understand the real music, Madan Mohan left us all.
As I grew, the knowledge of music grew simultaneously in me as I began to differentiate between ordinary music, good music & great music.
Mausam, Hanste Zakhm, Mera Saya, Heer Ranjha are some of the films I remember, which had music by Madan Mohan.
I would like mention one song from each of these film, which would be my tribute to the great music composer Madan Mohan.
Mausam:
Dil dhoondta hai, phir wohi fursat ke raat din - to compose one song in two different moods is not an easy task & the ease at which Madan Mohan has composed these versions speaks volume about his talent. This song has two versions, the first a bubbly romantic version picturised on Sanjeev Kumar & Sharmila Tagore. Second is the sad version picturised on Sanjeev Kumar. We cannot ignore the talented & under used Bhupender Singh who lent his voice to both the versions. Gulzar wrote this song & to say that he was at his best would be an understatement.
Hanste Zakhm:
Tum jo mil gaye ho, to ye lagta hai ke jahaan mil gaya - Kaifi Azmi's lyrics, Mohammed Rafi's magical voice & Madan Mohan's excellent composition make this song one of my all time favourite. The slow start & the sudden rise in music was a treat to listen. Listen to it please.
Mera Saya:
Aap ke pehlu aakar ro diye - The table beats used by Madan Mohan only adds to the value to this song. Mohammed Rafi makes you feel the pain of the man with his voice. The song was written by Raja Mehdi Hasan.
Heer Ranjha:
Ye duniya ye mehfil mere kaam ki nahin - Once again the combination of Madan Mohan, Kaifi Azmi & Mohammed Rafi created a gem among songs, which is still pleasing to ears.
But I personally feel Yash Chopra gave the best tribute to Madan Mohan by using his unused tunes in his film Veer Zaara, which was composed by Madan Mohan's son Sanjeev Kohli.
