FAMOUS MATHURS
(1923-1976)
The one singer in the Hindi film industry who is known for the pathos in
He was discovered by famous actor Motilal. That was the year 1940.
Mukesh's career had reached its peak. He worked with the all the
Apart from being a wonderful singer, he was also a very good human being. Kind and generous at heart. . He won the Filmfare
Awards four times for Sab kuch seekha humne (Anari), Gangaram ki samajh
mein na aaye (Pehchan), Jai bolo beimaan (Beimaan) and Kabhi kabhi
(Kabhi Kabhi).
Mukesh breathed his last on August 27, 1976, while on a tour of the US.
Today, even after 24 years after his death, the magic of his voice is
still alive.
his voice is Mukesh.Mukesh entered film industry, aspiring to become
an actor. He even acted in a few films but his voice won over his
histrionic skills, and he became a playback singer.Born in Delhi and one of
11 children. Mukesh was fond of music right from his childhood.
Motilal looked after the young boy while Mukesh trained under Pt
Jagannath Prasad. He started his career with Nirdosh in
1941 in which he sang and acted. But it was in 1945 that the
audience took note of him when he sang Dil jalta hai to jalne de
for Anil Biswas
in Pehli Nazar. Mukesh, who worshipped K L Saigal
, did a near
perfect take-off on his idol with this song.
famous music directors of his time and gave hits like Awara Hoon,
Zinda hoon is tarah, Mera joota hai japani, Jaane kahan gaye woh din,
O Jaane wale Ho Sake to Laut Ke Aana, Jot Se Jot Jagate Chalo,
Dost Dost Na Raha, Chal Ri Sajni ab kya soche, Chandan sa Badan, Sawan
Ka Maheena, Suhani Chandni Raaten, Koi Jab Tumahara Hrydey, Sab
Kuch Seekha Hamne, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti hai, Chand si
mehbooba and Kabhi Kabhi. Mukesh also rendered Tulsidas's
Ramcharitmanas.
Mukesh's voice became synonymous with Raj Kapoor
and he gave numerous hits for the latter.
(1910-1965)
'I don't act, I just live a role.' That was character actor Motilal's dictum
regarding acting. Acting for him meant merging his soul with that
of the character he played. Long before Balraj Sahni, Motilal,
in the thirties and forties, pioneered the shift from the theatricality
of the Saigals and the Surendras and the high voltage dramatics
of the Sohrab Modis and the Prithviraj Kapoors with his naturalistic,
uncluttered, easy acting style.
It made a difference that he came from a privileged background
and
therefore his aesthetic sense was in the right place. The aesthete in
him
was reflected in his choice of films and his acting style. For his
second
film, 'The Silver King' (1935), Motilal took pains to learn the art
of
fencing for his action scenes. However, it is also true that the Sagar
studio
to which he was attached, mostly turned out formula stuff, which
did
not warrant such dedication. But Motilal did become a star because
of
the social melodramas he starred in like 'Shaher Ki Ladki'
(1934),
'Dr Madhurika' and 'Kulvadhu.'
This suave, dapper gentleman actor moved in the best of circles with
rajahs and maharajahs. Sarojini Naidu attended his wedding in
1936.
Even in films, he worked for the best of directors. He did films
like
'Jagirdar,Hum Tum Aur Woh', and 'Taqdeer'for Mehboob Khan.
He shifted to Ranjit Studios with AR Kardar's Holi (1940). This move
marked his emergence as a major star. He also turned in a
remarkably
intelligent and moving performance as the abductor who is reformed
by love. It was a darkly shaded role, the type which Dev Anand
made
famous some years down the line.
His personal life took a turbulent turn when he broke
off with his wife
and started a relationship with actress Shobhna Samarth.
This bald pated
actor lived life in the fast lane. He enjoyed his drink,
gambling and races.
He lost all his money also at the races in the
fifties. This was the beginning
of his decline. As an actor, he now
switched to character roles. The most
famous of these was that of
Chunibabu in Bimal Roy's 'Devdas' and the
drunkard in Raj Kapoor's Jagte
Raho (1956). The Mukesh number of
Jagte Raho, 'Zindagi khwab hai,' seemed
to voice his own outlook on life.
Even the characters that he played in
these films, dissolute and desolate,
were quite like him.
Even though Dame Luck wasn't favouring him, Motilal the
actor was far
from down and out. He rendered two stunning performances as
a villain
in 'Anari' and 'Paighaam' (1959). Even though he had very little
money
left, he started his own film, the offbeat 'Chhoti Chhoti Baatein,'
where
he once again stunned all with his acting prowess as a middleaged,
potbellied man, who finds his married life torn asunder when he meets
his
soulmate. The film got completed but Motilal was finished by then.
All his
money had gone and even his health started failing. Offers dried
up too.
And the once arrogant actor who would turn away offers saying
'even my
coat will not work for this little,' died penniless. But till the
end, he
lived with his dignity intact. He never borrowed even a penny
from
friends. But what he left behind in terms of acting was a legacy,
which
others were to carry forward.
Sharan Rani Backliwal (Mathur), the legendary Sarod Maestro, is one of the greatest musicians of India. Born on 9th April, 1929, Sharan Rani is the first woman instrumentalist of India who has earned tremendous name in India and abroad. Sarod has become synonymous with her name and she is popularly called 'Sarod Rani' (Queen of Sarod) all over the world. She has been regularly performing on the concert stage for over six decades, receiving unprecedented critical acclaim.
Revered as a 'living legend', by three generations of musicians and
music lovers, she has become an institution in herself. Called the
'Cultural Ambassador of India', by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, she has been the
first musician to go from Indian to many countries, thus greatly
contributing towards introducing and popularizing Indian classical music
abroad, from 1959.
It is Anurag Mathur’s book -The Inscrutable Americans- that has created a record in Indian publishing history for not only being the most-sold Indian book but also for being the only book to feature on the bestseller list for 11 long years. The book was launched in 1991 and ever since it has doggedly stayed on the bestseller list, notwithstanding the media hype and success stories surrounding other books. The success of The Inscrutable Americans has baffled publishers and critics alike for the book defies their aphorisms for a bestseller. Mathur’s book has defied all market parameters. In short, the book came virtually unannounced into the world. But ever since then it has refused to budge from the readers’ imagination. Indeed, for Mathur has written three other books after The Inscrutable Americans, including the hilarious "Are all women leg spinners?" "Asked the Stephenian" and the recent, "Making the Minister Smile", but they have made no mark on the bestseller list nor in the literary world. "The story of The Inscrutable Americans is such that it sells", says the publishers. But no matter what he does Mathur will always be known as the author of that one phenomenal book The Inscrutable Americans.
