I met Madan Mohan for the first time when he called me to sing for the film Ilzam (1954). The song was Ye Jag Rain Baseraa Bande. Next, I was to sing another beautiful classical number for him, Tum Mere Swamee for the film Chhote Babu (1957). Both songs met with reasonably good response, but our association did not find much prominence in public perception. It was only after singing Kaun Aayaa Mere Man Ke Dwaare for Dekh Kabira Roya (1957) that my association with Madanji got into sharp focus. That song clicked like crazy. And it gave a huge boost to my career. Of course, all credit for it goes to Madanji since he could inspire me to sing as was required.

While recording these songs, I realized that Madanji not only had a profound knowledge of our rich heritage, but also about the intricacies of classical music. Oddly enough, he had not learnt classical music in a real sense. During his Lucknow A.I.R. days, he was exposed to the music and singing of some great exponents of classical music and I guess, by listening to them, he was influenced. And yet, with all the influence, his style of composing was unique and distinctly his own. He rarely designed any song based purely on a classical raga. He always preferred to mix or blend two or three ragas and produce a tune of his own. Because of this exceptional skill, his songs proved unfailingly soulful, melodious and timeless.

I remember another distinctive quality about him. Madanji did not have much of a singing voice, but he could easily make us understand what he wanted. He used to sing his compositions on a harmonium and portray each and every nuance he expected us to render... almost as though he was teaching the song to us. His singing style was peculiar. I can say that it was only Madanji who could manage to sing the way he did. Likewise, I can say, nobody could compose tunes the way he did. I remember one song Jab Dil Mein Nheen Hai Khot To Phir Kyoon Darataa Hai from Bank Manager (1959). Just listen to that composition and you cannot help feeling that the lyrics could be tuned in no other way. He inevitably had the tune fitted perfectly to the expression of lyrics.

Madanji used to like my style of singing very much. Whenever he had the opportunity of using my voice, he would call me. After recoding Kaun Aayaa Mere Man Ke Dwaare, he told me, Manna, I want you to sing Jaijaiwanti Raga in its original form. He then gave me the outline of one bandish from the raga, which he had probably heard from somewhere. He said there is situation in a film where the hero performs a riyaaz of classical bandish. I thought that this would be a small piece and so I agreed to it. When I did a rehearsal, he liked the effect so much that he encouraged me to sing it fully. Because of this encouragement and the freedom he had given me, I sang from my heart. It came out very well. In the film however, it was used in bits and pieces interspread with dialogues of various characters. Madanji insisted it be released as a full fledged song on the disc.

During those days, all playback artistes had their distinctive styles of singing. Madanji's composition style was suited more to the singing style of Mohammed Rafi than me. Rafi in turn, rendered many of his numbers beautifully and immortalized them. I have always cried whenever I hear that song Ye Duniya Ye Mahfil Mere Kaam Ke Naheen from the film Heer Ranjha (1970). How could there be a better rendition than what Rafi did? The way Madanji used to make Rafi sing, no other singer could.

When Madanji called me to sing Har Taraf Ab Yahee Afsaane Hai for Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973), I felt he was committing a mistake. I told him that the song was more suited to Rafi's voice. So why not call him to sing it? Madanji said he needed a different kind of rendition for the song. The man singing the song on screen is a military officer, who is highly educated and sophisticated in his behaviour. Yet, he is also a soft and romantic person in real life. "I want to highlight the sophistication in his thinking and behaviour through your singing.". Madanji said "I do not want any mannerism in the song". I could get what he was driving at. I rendered the song exactly the way he wanted. Incidentally, Uttam Singh had played a solo violin piece in it, which really elevated the song to ethereal heights.

Today, when I look back, I realize how much hard work we had put in to come out with those immortal melodies which youngsters enjoy. We had very primitive studios at that time with mediocre recording facilities. We use to record the song on one or at the most two mikes, live, with full orchestra. Nowadays, I really wonder how we did it. In spite of all the handicaps, the recordists of that time were so knowledgeable they could produce the best recording results.

Coming back to Madanji, I would like to share the memory of another masterpiece song composed by him for me. That was Bhar Aaee Gayaa Andhiyaaraa from the film Bawarchi (1972). It was a complicated song. Only Hrishida (director Hrishikesh Mukherjee) can conceive such song situation. Inspired by the song situation, Madanji did a great job. It is not easy to record a song with so many singers around. But Madanji was master craftsman. He balanced the song so well that nobody felt the strain of singing. On the contrary, we enjoyed the experience. One rarely gets an opportunity to sing such numbers.

I did another memorable song with Madanji Dil Ki Rahen (1973). It was Zindagee Ke Gham Bhulaane Ke Liye, Sharaab Kaa Sahaaraa Maine Le Liyaa. The lyrics written were very close to his heart. It was like describing one's own story. This song was also more suited to Rafi's style of singing. So again I asked him the same question. "Why did you call me instead of calling Rafi?" Here he said: "Manna, when I heard you singing Ae Mere Pyaare Watan in Kabuliwala (1961) I thought of making a song on a similar line in future. Today I have the opportunity. The song situation in the film demands that kind of singing. So I called you and I want you to sing it the way you had sung Ae Mere Pyaare Watan". He had composed it soulfully and it really inspired me to give my best to the song. He was very fond of that song. Whenever anybody requested him to sing a song in a party, he used to sing this song invariably.

I recall yet another unique song Madanji gifted me. It was Mere Dil Pe Kyaa Kyaa Guzaree Hai from the film Ek Mutthi Aasaan (1973). His song had the flavour of Punjabi folk. There was one interesting incident related to the song. Nowadays one of my daughters stays in California, U.S.A.. Every year, at least once, I go to her place and stay there for one or two months. On one such trip, I encountered a gentleman residing in the vicinity. He came to me and said, I am from Punjab and I like your song from Ek Mutthi Aasmaan very much. Please do me a favour and sing few lines for me. I happily obliged him. Good work gets noticed.

Madanji always composed good songs. I never found any of his songs mediocre or below par. How could our industry ignore a person of his stature? He was a great composer and I am very much influenced by his music. Many a times, I cry when I think of him - how he has been neglected by our industry people without reason. His untimely death has caused a great loss to all of us. Now, we are deprived of the great compositions which only he was capable of creating. I really miss him.

(This article excerpted from the book "Madan Mohan - Ultimate Melodies" by Vishwas Nerurkar)