These Star Singers Were Also Modest

by J.V. Yakhmi

People who excel in their creative professions are usually modest. Mohammed Rafi was a very modest and unassuming person. And Mahendra Kapoor even more so. Once Rafi was a Chief Guest at Jai Hind College near Churchgate. Rafi took with him Mahendra Kapoor also, who was yet to become popular. At the college gate, girls swarmed around Rafi for autographs. After signing a few times, Rafi told MK: ‘बाकी तूँ ही करदे यार’ (Will you sign the remaining ones for me?).

Many years later, Mahendra Kapoor was Chief Guest at Annual Function of ‘Khatri Samaj’ at Hare Krishna Auditorium at Juhu. MK was requested to say a few words, and also sing a few lines for the audience. The ever-so-modest MK replied “एह तां मेरी अपनी बिरादरी ए, तुसी ना भी कहंदे तां भी मैं गांदा” (this is my clan, even if you had not asked me, I would have sung), and he sang ‘Neele Gagan ke Tale….’ with just a tabla-vaadak and a harmonium player for company.

Once Bhimsen Joshi was live on B&W Doordarshan. After completion of one part of his vocal-classical, he was seen wiping perspiration from his forehead as he uttered in Marathi: “थकलो रे बाबा थकलो मी”, meaning he was tired, and all this when he was still LIVE on TV!!

The ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali was singing on stage at Nehru Centre, Worli. After a few ghazals, he briefly introduced the theme of the next one to the packed audience, and stated modestly: “पर आप तो ये सब जानते ही हैं” (But you all know it anyway!).

Every organiser in the film industry knew that Mukesh needs a peti (harmonium) before him to sing comfortably. Once he came on stage at the large Shanmukhananda Hall Auditorium in Mumbai and began a duet with co-singer Aarti Mukherjee … ‘चल सन्यासी मंदिर में’. But he forgot the next line and started ‘टाँट टाँट टन टन टन टन’, as make-shift lyrics. Quickly, the organiser called out, ‘अरे पेटी लाओ’ (Bring the harmonium), and once it was kept before Mukesh, it became all smooth and superb, as expected.

Once when Talat Mehmood, the famous actor-singer, came on Shanmukhananda Hall stage and began singing ‘Phir Wahi Sham, Wahi Gham..’ from the film Jahan Ara (1964), a section of the audience, in no mood to listen to a song of misery, started hooting him. Unperturbed, he paused for a few seconds, and then lectured the full audience on valuing good music, good lyrics, and efforts made by singers and musicians who present it. He said, ‘It is serious business!’. That had a sobering effect on the audience, and he resumed that song, and presented three more songs before handing over the mic to the anchor.

Live stage shows of Kishore Kumar were very popular during 1972–75. In one such show, his elder brother, the famous actor Ashok Kumar, was requested to come on stage to bless Kishore. But the very sight of Ashok Kumar elicited a big clamour from the audience asking him to sing ‘Rail Gadi…’ from his 1968 film Ashirwad, which he did.

In late 70s, the anchor of an upcoming film-music orchestra performing at Shanmukhananda Hall requested Mehmood, sitting in the front row among audience, to say a few words of encouragement to the performers. But as soon as Mehmood came on stage, the audience was delirious and insisted on Mehmood singing ‘Hum Kaale hain to…’. But Mehmood was not game for it. The anchor then asked him to just utter those two magical words, the prelude to the same song, ‘Khyalon Mein’, as he had done in the popular film Gumnaam (1965), and Mehmood complied not once but several times, bringing the house down.

Amitabh has sung quite a few songs for Hindi films, such as ‘rang barse’ for Silsila (1981), and ‘mere angane mein’ for Laawaris (1981). But, many of his admirers believe that the very first film song he sung, ‘Mere Paas Aao, mere doston eik kissa suno’ for the film Mr. Natwarlal (1979), was also his best. Actually, it was more like story-telling to children, rhythmically, than a typical song. Amitabh with his baritone voice did full justice to the lyrics by Anand Bakshi, stating what happened when a lion appeared suddenly before him. Rekha, the actress was accompanying the children. The song allowed Amitabh ample scope for histrionics, even reciting Hanuman Chalisa to get over the fear, which made him climb a tree when the ‘imaginary’ lion appeared, and attacked Amitabh, eating him up, eventually! But, no it was just a story.