[A special interview with Mr. Manohar ‘Mohabbat’ Iyer.]
Manohar Iyer, also known as Manohar ‘Mohabbat’ Iyer, is a writer, producer, and actor, with a focus on Sufi themes and storytelling. He is known for his work on the film ‘Dua Qubool,’ where he is credited as the lyricist for the song ‘Dua Ka Rang Nahin Hai Koyi..’ and also plays the role of a Sufi-inspired character, Baba.
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Ajay Kanagat: Namaste Mr. Manohar Iyer.
Manohar Iyer: Namaste.
मेरी हर बात मेरे दिल से ही निकल्ती है,
लब तलक आते आतॆ यॆ नहीं बदलती है.
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Q 01: Could you share details about your early life, including where you were born, your family background, your education and job profile? What are the distinct qualities or special attributes that you feel set you apart from others?
A: “Nothing Great in the World has Ever Been Accomplished Without Passion”: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.
It is easy to be a face in the crowd; to get lost among millions; to go with the flow and follow the trends set by others. I will have none of it. I set out with my own set of idiosyncrasies, norms, rules and standards. And I succeeded in creating my own magical world to live in, embracing the quirks and passion that others might call ‘madness’ or ‘insanity’; the two traits encapsulating my name M(anohar) I(yer), where M stands for ‘Madness’ and I for ‘Insanity’.
FAMILY FABRIC
I was born on 14 August, 1955, in a traditional Tam~Brahm Iyer family in Bombay (now Mumbai) and my family roots trace back to Thrissur, Kerala. I am the youngest of the seven siblings: five brothers and two sisters, with three brothers having passed away. My father was a banker and mother, a devoted home maker. Though we siblings had diverse interests, music was the common thread, with my eldest sister and I sharing a particularly deep passion; she excelled in Carnatic music, while I was drawn to film music.
MAMMA’S MUNNA
I was all along a mamma’s boy with no moral faults or failings such as cigarette, paan, tambaku, beedi, gutkha, drugs, drinking and gambling, originating from the vice of curiosity. Occasionally, I took to some tipsy drinks but within limits and without getting dizzy or disoriented. As regards dietary habits, I am a ‘bhrashth’ Brahmin and a shuddh shakahaari; even veg items from mixed kitchens are a strict No No. Also, I am not into non veg jokes or cuss words; at the most, used an innocuous saala, to express my displeasure or frustration at anyone strongly pushing any unwelcome agenda on me. The more infamously famous swear words like ‘BC’ and ‘MC’ too were a strict No No, myself being an ‘ ‘MC’ i.e. ‘Mamma’s Chhokra’!
From my first breath till her last breath, I was with my AmmA, the first and final woMAn in my life:
Apni pehli saans se lekar, teri antim saans talak,
Tere saath raha, o maa; tera saath raha, o maa!
I grew up as a committed, disciplined and responsible youth. I was shy and reserved, but not the drag and dullard type; I was particular to the core, punctual to a fault and tried to be perfect in everything I did, but without making it oppressively boring and drab. Meticulousness was my mantra and even in the mundane, I revelled with a method to all my madness.
ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I graduated with B Com (Hons) from Hazarimal Somani College in 1975 and completed my post~graduation from Sydenham College in 1977. My academic record was nothing special or remarkable; just average marks, but a lot of heart.
I learned valuable lessons and gained wisdom from life. Life’s tests taught me more than any exam ever could, my scores far exceeding the academic scores.
OFFICE OPERATIONS
Like all young men from the middle class milieu are expected to choose a career that is professional and practical, safe and secure, I joined the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) in 1978 after completing my Masters in Commerce. I worked there for 16 years and spent my life’s most creative, energetic and precious years crunching number and compiling data, pushing paper and presenting reports. But this is not what I wanted to do.
All along my growing years, there was a secret desire to break free and enter the world of music and poetry in a truly fulfilling manner. I quit the job in 1994 when transferred to distant Guwahati, where chances of my musical dreams transcending into reality seemed as remote as the place.
This sums up my jaunty journey from my janam to job!
Q 02: What were the key influences that shaped you during your formative years? What fuelled your interest in Hindi films and film music?
A: I have fond memories of two influential icons or major mentors shaping my early years: The first one was my sweet HOME, from where I was initiated to the realm of Hindi films and film music. The second shaping stimuli was my OFFICE, where the professional environment helped me nurture my increasing passion for music and helped me grow.
HOME HAVEN
Fascination for Film Music
I grew up entranced by Hindi films and film songs of yore: the 40s, 50s, 60s. I fondly recall listening to the songs on our old Murphy radio and, standing in my balcony, drifting in to the tunes blasting from the saloon opposite my home. They were more than just catchy and melodious songs; the lyrical richness and poetic depth of these songs deepened my appreciation for music and poetry.
Despite the poor reception, I never missed the various radio programmes on Radio Ceylon such as ‘Aap Hi Ke Geet’, ‘Badalte Saathi’, ‘Ek aur Anek’, ‘Ek Hi Film Ke Geet’, ‘Saaz aur Awaaz’ and the most iconic and popular weekly countdown programme ‘Binaca Geet Mala’. The last time I remember listening to ‘Binaca Geet Mala’ was sometime in the late 70s. I patronised equally popular programmes on Vividh Bharati such as ‘Bela Ke Phool’, ‘Bhoole Bisre Geet’, ‘Chhaya Geet’, ‘Jayamala’, ‘Sangeet Sarita’.
Fascination for Films
The musical films of the 60s also fuelled my passion for films and film songs. Films like ‘Aman’, ‘Anjana’, ‘Ankhen’, ‘Aradhana’, ‘Brahmachari’, ‘Daadimaa’, ‘Devar’, ‘Do Raaste’, ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Ki’, ‘Guide’, ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’, ‘Jhuk Gaya Asmaan’, ‘Mere Hamdam Mere Dost’, ‘Mamta’, ‘Milan’, ‘Neel Kamal’, ‘Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare’, ‘Pathhar Ke Sanam’, ‘Phool aur Pathhar’, ‘Raja aur Runk’, ‘Saraswati Chandra’, ‘Suraj’ and many more are etched in my memory, bringing back a flood of nostalgic moments. These films were released between 1965 ~ 1969 when I was 10 to 15 years old.
Vivid memories flood my mind of films of the 70s, particularly films of Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Mumtaz, Rajesh Khanna and others.
MUSIC AND MOVIE MEMORABILIA
My passion for films and film music led to a collection of film related memorabilia. I have an extensive collection of LP and EP vinyl records, cassettes, song booklets, film posters, autobiographies, biographies and filmographies of legends, paper cuttings from the film weeklies and magazines like ‘Screen’, ‘Filmfare’, ‘Star and Style’ and ‘Madhuri’. These treasured possessions are priceless to me and I have been guarding them with my life. Holding on to them is a labour of love and parting with them is just unthinkable.
I had a vast collection of autographed photographs of the stars of the 60s, courtesy of heartfelt fan letters I sent their way. I lost many cherished photographs, including my degree certificates, during shifting homes. Even today, I remember their addresses: Ashok Kumar~Rampart Row, Dev Anand~Iris Park, Joy Mukerji~Grotto Villa, Rajendra Kumar~Dimple, Asha Parekh~Sudha, Mala Sinha~8 Turner Road, Meena Kumari~Landmark, Nanda~6 Perry Cross Road to name a few.
While my interest for Hindi films and film songs grew in my growing up years, I nurtured my cultural interests and blossomed during my stint at IDBI.
OFFICE OASIS
My first and forever posting in IDBI gave me new friends, newer exposures and newest enterprises. Shedding my shyness and self~consciousness, I started participating in the music, dance, debate and elocution and other activities that sparked my creativity and passion. At one point of time, I even headed the cultural organisation, shouldering responsibilities of planning and organising events and coordinating and interacting with corresponding heads of other financial institutions.
IDBI provided the perfect platform for me to develop my inner potentials and unlock my true self with an imperceptible inner restlessness, allowing me to blossom and grow.
The frequent get-togethers, meet ups, parties, picnics, short excursions, long outings also went a long way in the melding and merging of minds and cementing ties. The urge to grow intellectually helped me participate in the events organised by the ‘Hindi Samiti’ and ‘Bazm~e~Urdu’ and make poetic contributions to the in house journal ‘Vayam’.
My personality is a paradox. These activities and indulgences starkly contrast with my otherwise introverted, mindful, shy and self~conscious nature, which often makes me come across as socially awkward and inept. But even as a loner in the crowd, I remain unfazed by others’ gazes, unperturbed by public scrutiny and judgement and untroubled by social anxiety.
SHORT SUMMARY
The conservative and protective upbringing at home, combined with my sweet sixteen years in IDBI laid the foundation for my future pursuits. Thereafter, the tuneful twenty plus years in my music organisation ‘Keep Alive’ added more building blocks that helped me construct a strong professional identity, defining ‘who and what I am’ now to the external world. These reflective recollections and memorable memories have helped put a halt to the creepy feeling that the years are passing by faster and quicker for this ‘lone ranger!’
Tanha dil, Tanha hasti, Tanha jawani hai,
Mukhtasar mein bas yahi meri kahani hai!
(My heart is alone, my existence is in isolation, my youth is in solitude, This, in brief, is the story of my life!)
Q 03: You had a distinguished education and a stable career as a bank officer. What gave you the courage to leave that security and pursue musical shows?
A: Life is inherently risky. While many risks are worth taking, there is one risk that one should avoid taking at all costs: ‘risk of doing nothing’! I took a big risk by leaving IDBI and turned it into a stepping stone for success.
When I left IDBI, my designation was ‘Industrial Finance Officer’ and I was due for an elevation to the post of ‘Deputy Manager’. Honestly, these titles didn’t matter much to me since I didn’t plan to stay till retirement. I would often joke with my friends that I would leave the job by 45 or when I was transferred out of Bombay, ‘whichever was earlier’, a phrase that I would often read in the office legal documents. True to my word, when I was transferred to Guwahati at 38, I bid adieu to a secure job with a handsome salary, a palatial flat at Juhu plus other perks and without any feeling of regret or remorse.
Two reasons made the decision easy: one, I was not money minded and status conscious, and two, I was unmarried which gave me freedom to choose.
‘Single hai to Sukoon hai’, as being single brings its own peace.
Kitna haseen zindagi ka ek ek pal hai,
Rug rug mein khoon ki jagah, sukoon aaj kal hai!
(Life’s every moment is breathtakingly beautiful,
These days, peace and tranquillity flow through my veins, replacing blood!)
Q 04: How did you embark on your journey as a lyricist, and how many songs have you written? Besides, professional writing, do you write for your own pleasure?
A:
PENNING FOR PERSONAL PLEASURE
As I mentioned before, all along my growing years, there was a secret desire to break free and enter the world of music and poetry. Influenced and inspired by the songs of yore, I dabbled in poetry writing from the age of 15 but with no intention of making it a profession. My passion grew to the level where I would listen to a song and write fresh lyrics to them, a creative indulgence that still fascinates me today.
My first poem delved into the philosophy of life in lucid Hindi, the opening lines of which went as:
Phoolon ko chaahte ho, toh kaliyon ko na todo,
Sukh ka jeevan chaaho toh, dukh se munh na modo!
The poem garnered widespread appreciation in college and office including from my Executive Director, whose heartfelt comment I have still preserved.
PROFESSIONAL PENMANSHIP
Life unfolded with surprises, His divine design guiding me forward at every step! My passion for writing unexpectedly became my profession.
After leaving IDBI, I embarked on a new journey with nothing but confidence, determination and faith in myself and my writing talent. A serendipitous meeting with music director duo Amar~Utpal led to my first break as a lyricist, writing lyrics for films like ‘Aaja Meri Jaan’ and ‘Kasam Teri Kasam’, both released in 1993, when I was making a switch over from finance to films.
I wrote songs for a few more films like ‘Ashaant’, ‘Main Tera Aashiq’, ‘Hanste Khelte’, ‘Fareb’, ‘Dhaal’, ‘Bombay Boys’, ‘Shaadi Karke Phans Gaya’, ‘Shikhar’ to name a few but they never gave me the satisfaction I craved for.
My songs in these films were sung by popular singers of the time such as Anuradha Paudwal, Chitra, KK, Kavita Krishnamurty, Kumar Sanu, Mano, Sadhana Sargam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Udit Narayan and Vinay Mandke.
I also wrote songs for a number of private albums for artistes ranging from Anaida and Mehnaz to Sharon Prabhakar and Usha Uthup to Alka Yagnik and Asha Bhosle; from Jojo, Sairam Iyer and Vikas Bhalla to Baba Sehgal and Bali Brahmabhat to Shaan and Sonu Nigam. I also wrote a special song dedicated to the doctors who selflessly served humanity during the lockdown’s trying times; the song was composed by the legendary maestro Ilaiyaraja.
TAMILIAN TAG
I earned money from my writing but it didn’t bring me satisfaction. The industry seemed to pigeonhole me based on where I was from (the Southern part), how I presented myself (in T shirt and jeans) and what I spoke (mostly English). The composers never took me seriously, nor did I take them seriously. They wanted me to write featherweight and light hearted stuff and I yearned to write something deeper, meaningful and poetic. It felt like a mismatch and the frustration led me to give up lyrics writing without any regret.
POETIC PURSUITS
I continue to write for personal pleasure on varied themes. Initially, I wrote under the takhallus or pseudonym ‘Mahnoor’ and thereafter, adopted the more romantic ‘Mohabbat’, embodying my boundless love for one and all. Manohar ‘Mohabbat’ Iyer is how I am known today.
Mujhe dekho saraapa main mohabbat hi mohabbat hoon,
Kabhi na khatm hogi jo khuda ki woh inaayat hoon!
(Look at me; from top to toe, I am imbued in the essence of love, just pure love, Endless and eternal, I am the divine gift of the Almighty!)
A beautiful bird, a delicate flower, a panoramic scenery, a poignant quote, an attractive name inspired me to write. Most of my poems are experiential and self~reflective: poems marked by intense emotions of agony and angst, helplessness and humiliation, pain and pathos fuelled by betrayal, deceit, heartbreak, infidelity, selfishness as highlighted by the following couplet:
Duniya ne jo sila mujhe diya hai ‘mohabbat’,
Aahon mein, aansuon mein pesh hai woh zalaalat!
(Whatever pain and humiliation the world has subjected me to, They are reflected in my sighs and tears!)
These lines echo the sentiments of my favourite poet Sahir Ludhianvi:
Duniya ne tajurbaat~o~havaadis ki shakl mein,
Jo kuch mujhe diya hai, woh lauta raha hoon main!
DUA QUBOOL DITTIES
I got ample scope to prove my talent and write to my heart’s content in my film ‘Dua Qubool’, a Muslim social starring the legendary actress Farida Jalal and several semi known and new actors. The film is replete with six songs in chaste Urdu: an invocation song; a qaseeda i.e. an ode to the power and potency of prayer; a soulful qawwali exploring human quest for divine connection; a nazm on the glory of Ramzan: a poignant lullaby and a marsiya (an elegy).
CREATIVE COLLECTION
I have written over 400 songs, blending Urdu’s elegance and Hindi’s warmth, with a brief prelude to each song in English that provides context and depth, making the lyrics more relatable and understandable for the readers. Eensha Krishna, I will be releasing a collection of my poems titled ‘ZariyA’.
Incidentally, on my 60th birthday, I brought out an audio album titled ‘ZariyA’, an exquisite ensemble of nine poignant romantic ghazals in the youthful voices of the singers who sang for my music organisation ‘Keep Alive’:
Aankh se ik ashk ka qatrah baha, dariya bana,
Bekanaron ko kanara paane ka zariya bana!
(A drop of tear from my eye flowed and became a river,
For the helpless ones, it became a shore, a ‘means’ to attain their goals!)
Q 05: As a South Indian, how did you develop such flawless Urdu and Hindi skills, and what sparked your passion for these languages? You must be having a good collection of books of Hindi and Urdu poets.
A:
INITIAL INFLUENCE
Flaws make us human, perfecting them is a quest. I am still in the quest of perfecting my Hindi and Urdu. In my early teens, I passed the ‘Prathmik’, ‘Prarambhik’, ‘Pravesh’ and ‘Parichay’ examinations in Hindi conducted by the Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, which helped me understand the basic nuances of the language.
LYRICAL LUMINARIES
Vintage Hindi films songs had a greater bearing. I was highly impressed and influenced by the writings of great lyrical luminaries such as Anand Bakshi, Hasrat Jaipuri, Indivar, Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Pradeep, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shailendra, Shakeel Badayuni, to name a few. Their songs taught me the power of words, taking me from a mere word to a world of wisdom. Listening to their multihued songs and appreciation of the diverse emotions, philosophy and profound thought behind their writings helped me analyse and interpret the deeper meanings. I can go on and on about these writers and their PEN~chants. If miracles unfold, I would build a humble sanctuary or shrine in honour of these legends who have impacted me more than words can express.
URDU UNIVERSE
To be honest, I am not sure when I developed a fascination and passion for Urdu and when I started writing in Urduised Hindi; probably in my early or mid~30s. Also, I have never attended or participated in a mushaira, or made a concerted effort to master the grammar, intricacies and nuances of the Urdu language. Alhamdulillah, words just flow effortlessly with His divine grace.
I have a vast collection of books of renowned Persian and Urdu poets ranging from Amir Khusro to ‘Mir’, ‘Sauda’ and ‘Dard’ to ‘Ghalib’, ‘Zauq’, ‘Momin’, ‘Zafar’ and ‘Daag’ to ‘Iqbal’, ‘Josh’ and ‘Firaq’ to ‘Jigar’, ‘Josh’ and ‘Faiz’ and many others including mainstream film lyricists and poets. I also have books of Indian saint~poets like Kabir and Meera, Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram. Their writings have profoundly influenced my understanding and passion for the language and poetry and inspired my own humble writing.
Talking about my ‘flawless’ Urdu:
Teri nafraton ko pyar ki khushboo bana deta,
Gar mere bas mein hota, tujhe Urdu sikha deta!
(I would transform your hatred into the fragrance of love,
If it were in my power, I would teach you Urdu i.e. the language of my heart (love)!
Q 06: You successfully ran a music organisation with an interesting and imperative name ‘Keep Alive’. What prompted the name and why you chose to honour the forgotten composers when others focused on the more popular names?
A: As my passion for music grew and sensitivities evolved, I felt that the trends in the 80s and 90s were drifting away from our musical as well as cultural roots. We were losing touch with the vintage classics and failing to appreciate the beauty and value of those pristine and priceless song gems.
I found that music lovers remembered only a few popular names such as Naushad, S D Burman, Shankar~Jaikishan, O.P.Nayyar of the yesteryears or composers like Kalyanji~Anandji, R.D.Burman, Laxmikant~Pyarelal of the later years. Pioneering composers like R.C.Boral, Anil Biswas, Saraswati Devi, Khemchand Prakash, Ghulam Haider and many others who followed like C Ramchandra, Ghulam Mohammed, Husanlal~Bhagatram, Madan Mohan, Roshan, Khayyam, Jaidev had already faded or were fading into obscurity.
I felt a void and the need to shed some light on them. And thus ‘Keep Alive’ came into being in 1997, emphasising and stressing the need to perpetuate the musical works of the forgotten maestros and keep their memories alive.
Several other reasons justified the formation of ‘Keep Alive’ and its name; one of them being an amusing incident at a reputed channel. That particular channel asked me to devise a format for a series of maestro~wise music~based programmes honouring the legends. For demonstration purpose, I had prepared a segment~wise screenplay on Anil Biswas and his songs.
Just as I began my narration, one of them cut me ‘Why not R D Burman and forth?’ My heart sank. I told them R.D.Burman was no doubt a giant but he was the last of the legends. Beginning the series with him and going ahead would be a disservice and insult to the seniors who laid the foundation and to others who followed them. I emphasised that without remembering and recognising their contribution, the programme would lack substance and I wasn’t willing to be a part of something that didn’t do justice to the legends.
I left asking, ‘If not prestigious channels like you, who will keep their melodious memories alive?’ I went back thinking, ‘if they can’t, I can!’
That strange incident was the final nail in the coffin, prompting me to give birth to ‘Keep Alive’ for REINTRODUCING the forgotten legends, REVIVING their forgotten songs and RELIVING the distant era.
I am proud and fulfilled to have been able to remember and pay tribute to these legends through the ‘Keep Alive’ and its offsprings ‘Manohar Monologues’, ‘Raag Pravaah’, ‘Iyer Antakshari’, thereby doing my part to keep the legends and their legacy alive.
Q 07: Could you throw some light on ‘Keep Alive’ and its offsprings, the number of years they ran and the kind of events presented? More importantly, how did you succeed in inviting prominent figures from film industry to grace the events?
A:
ORIGIN AND OBJECTIVES OF KEEP ALIVE
The changing trends in the 80s and 90s inspired some solemn thought and a string of serious discussions and deliberations with like~minded musically inclined friends which eventually led to the formation of ‘Keep Alive’.
Since its birth on 14 August, 1997, it has been the sole and sincere endeavour of ‘Keep Alive’ to resurrect the golden mellifluous past, perpetuate the great musical works of the legendary maestros and keep their melodious memories alive in the hearts and minds of music lovers.
TUNEFUL TRIBUTES
In the 20 active years of its functioning, ‘Keep Alive’ organised LIVE MUSICAL TRIBUTES in honour of the following legends:
Maestros: Anil Biswas, C Ramchandra, Chitragupta, Ghulam Haider, Ghulam Mohammed, Hemant Kumar, Husanlal~Bhagatram, Jaidev, Khayyam, Khemchand Prakash, Madan Mohan, Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, Pankaj Mullick, R C Boral, Ravi, Roshan, S D Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Shankar~Jaikishan, Shyam Sundar, Vasant Desai and several unsung and underrated composers like G S Kohli, Iqbal Qureshi, S Mohinder, Sardar Malik to name a few;
Lyricists and Poets: Asad Bhopali, Jan Nisar Akhtar, Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Pradeep, Qamar Jalalabadi, Raja Mehndi Ali Khan, Rajinder Krishan, S H Bihari, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shailendra and Shakeel Badayuni;
Singing Stars: Ashok Kumar, K L Saigal, Surendranath and a motley of other prominent vintage voices like Amirbai Karnataki, Khurshid, Noorjahan, Rajkumari, Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalawali of the pre independence era;
Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Shamshad Begum and Talat Mahmood;
Actors: Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Guru Dutt, Madhubala, Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor.
PROGRESSIVE PROGRAMMES
‘Keep Alive’ also organised a number of unique as well as innovative programmes with intellectually stimulating content and progressive intent like:
BaaQalam
With the Pen.. from a Word to World of Wisdom: A four part lyrical tribute dedicated to the revered Saints~n~Savants, Peers~n~Paighambars, Poets~n~Philosophers of the country as well as renowned Persian and Urdu poets of the Mughal era and later, whose psalms and hymns, philosophy and poetry or their transliteration occasionally found a niche in Hindi films.
Bauls of Bengal
A tuneful tribute to some of the leading Hindi film maestros from the East and West Bengal, echoing the ethos of the Bangla bounty via Hindi film songs based on Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Baul, Bhatiali, Kirtan and Choir.
Bhairav to Bhairavi
A journey through the Realm of Ragas: a classic collage of classical songs from Hindi films based on popular ragas and traditional bandishes encircling the dawn to dusk on to a newer dawn.
Carnival of Chords
A musical jashn and jamboree exulting and exhilarating with vibrant Chorus~Choir~Claps based songs.
Faces of the Aces
A four part tuneful tribute to the leading lady luminaries: Asha Parekh, Geeta Bali, Helen, Kamini Kaushal, Nalini Jawyant, Madhubala, Mala Sinha, Meena Kumari, Mumtaz, Nargis, Nimmi, Nutan, Sadhana, Saira Banu, Sharmila Tagore, Vyjayantimala and Waheeda Rehman, who captured and enraptured movie goers n music lovers with their grace, gaiety and glamour, lovely looks and lively lilts.
Historical Harmonies
A Song in the History ~ A History in a Song: a journey to the opulent era of kings and queens, badshahs and begums, recreating the aura and ambience from the annals of history, laced with factual and fictional aspects of history.
Khumar of the Kumars
A melodic ‘hangover forever’ revisiting the musical maikhanas of Kumars such as Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Rajkumar, Rajendra Kumar, Manoj Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar and other lesser known Kumars with their own intoxicating impact.
LAya TAal of My Life
A four part musical tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, unearthing and unveiling some of her rare and popular classic song gems from films of the first two decades (1948~1969).
Lok Dhun~Lok Dhadkan
A feast of folk~based Hindi film songs to integrate the diverse cultures. emotions and humanity though various form of folklore: Baul and Bhatiali, Lavani and Nautanki, Bihu and Baisakhi, Kajri and Saawani, Garba and Bhavai, Giddha and Bhangda, Heer and Maand, Hori~Dhamar and Malhar.
Mangal Ho~Mubarak Ho
A cascade of vibrant Hindi film songs expressing the jubilant and joyous spirit of fiestas and festivals like: Baisakhi, Basant Panchami, Christmas, Deepawali, Eid, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Krishna Jayanti, Makara Sankaranti, Navaratri, Raksha Bandhan, Shivaratri and to integrate the diverse customs, cultures, rituals and traditions and thread them together.
Moghal Mousiqui
A journey to the Mughal Era, recapturing and recreating the elan and elegance of the majestic era, through lyrical and musical genres such as – Ghazals ~ Mujras ~ Qawalis ~ Khayal ~ Dadra ~ Thumri that flourished in and around the era.
Monsoon Melodies
A drizzle~n~downpour of Sawan Serenades, Malhar Melodies and Rimjhim Ragas with reference to the feast, fast and festivities of human emotions against the backdrop of their socio-economic existence.
Naad~n~Nritya
A classic collage of mystical music and divine dances connecting humanity to divinity.
Sau Saal of Cinema
A four part celebration to commemorate the Centenary of Indian Cinema and dedicated to the premier, path breaking and trend setting film studios, companies, filmmakers and directors with a ‘direction’ and distinction.
Sureeli Sakhiyan
A peep into the psyche and wondrous world of women through a wide ensemble of seasonal and ceremonial, romantic and ritualistic Female Duets, letting loose the girlish imp and innocence and duly liberating the flirtatious feminine form and feeling.
Wine Divine
A bizarre blend of soulful serenades and sinful sizzlers portraying love in its spiritual and physical form and the final sublimation of love, transcending the gross on to the subtle; the material on to the metaphysical.
Through these unique and unconventional programmes, ‘Keep Alive’ turned ‘Many a Tune and Tone into a Milestone’!
PROMINENT PERSONALITIES PRESENT:
The following legends and films and music related personalities added glory to ‘Keep Alive’ by personally gracing the events with their esteemed presence:
Maestros: Anil Biswas, Kalyanji, Naushad, O P Nayyar, Khayyam, Ravi of yesteryears and Anand~Milind, Anu Malik, Manohari Singh, Mohinderjit Singh, Rajesh Roshan, Ravindra Jain and Uttam Singh of the later years;
Lyricists and Poets: Hasrat Jaipuri, Pradeep, Prem Dhawan, Qamar Jalalabadi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shaili Shailendra;
Singers: Ira Roshan, Manna Dey, Meena Kapoor of yesteryears and Bhupendra, Chhaya Ganguly, Dilraj Kaur, Neena Mehta, Pankaj Udaas, Rajendra Mehta, Sudesh Bhosle, Suresh Wadkar of the later years;
Actors: Chandrashekhar, Dilip Kumar, Nadira, Shauqat Azmi, Sitara Devi, Sushila Rani Patel of yesteryears and Anju Mahendru, Farooq Sheikh, Leena Chandavarkar, Rakesh Roshan, Randhir Kapoor, Raza Murad, Rima Lagu, Tanvi Azmi and Hrithik Roshan of the later years;
Filmmakers: Arun Dutt, Devi Dutt, John Mathew, N N Sippy, Subhash Ghai, Vijay Anand, Vikas Desai, Yash Chopra;
Others: Baba Azmi (Cinematographer); Ashok Sharma and Zarin Sharma (musicians); Ameen Sayani, Bunny Reuben, Gopal Sharma, Manohar Mahajan (Radio Broadcasts); Ali Peter John, Isaac Mujawar, Neela Upadhyay, Nalin Shah, Raju Bharatan and V Gangadhar (Journalists); Sanjeev Kohli and V K Dubey (A & R); Shyam Shroff (Film Distributor).
Gaining access to many of these legends and film personalities may have been difficult but earning their trust and getting them to grace the events wasn’t. With all humility, I must say that they were immediately drawn by my honesty and sincerity, genuine passion for vintage music and my in~depth knowledge and understanding of their extensive repertoire of songs. My association with several legends and their family members continued even after the events, fostering lasting bonds.
MOMENTOUS MOMENT
My humble contribution to ‘keep alive’ the Golden Era of Hindi Film Music was acknowledged by these legends and / or their family members through letters of appreciation which I have preserved.
I reached the meridian when I myself was felicitated at the hands of the legendary maestro Naushad for my ‘sincere and selfless contribution to
‘Keep Vintage Music Alive’; the felicitation was at a function organised by Smt. Sushila Rani Patel, actress~singer~wife of eminent veteran journalist Baburaorao Patel, Editor, Film India (later named as Mother India).
CURTAINS DOWN
After an interminable and illustrious journey of Twenty Years, in August 2017, the curtains finally fell on the much patronised and popular ‘Keep Alive’, marking the end of an era to the dismay and disappointment of music lovers!
NEWER BEGINNINGS
But, some seeming ENDings ensue Newer BEGINnings! To quote Dr. Allama Iqbal:
Jahaan mein ahl~e~ imaan surat~e~khurshid jeete hain,
Yahaan doobe wahaan ubhre, wahaan doobe yahaan ubhre!
In this world, the pure and pious, the sincere and straight forward live their life like the Sun. No one can suppress and stamp them out; if someone tries to suppress them here, they emerge or rise triumphantly elsewhere. In other words, it is not easy to eliminate a man with a mission!
In keeping with the crux of the couplet, ‘Keep Alive’ bounced back in a different avtaar and with a disparate method to madness through its offspring: ‘Manohar Monologues’ and ‘Raag Pravaah’.
MANOHAR MONOLOGUES
A series of ‘Dhwani n Drishya’ i.e. Audio~Visual programmes were organised through which the life and career, songs and scenes of a particular legend sprang to life on the wide screen; the visuals interspersed with my ‘monologues’ i.e. trivia and anecdotes related to the legend.
Some of the intellectually stimulating and soul satisfying ‘Manohar Monologues’ include those on:
- Dadasaheb Phalke and his silent era films and films of other eminent film Companies of the era;
- Premier and path breaking film studios of the nascent talkies viz. Bombay Talkies, New Theatres, Prabhat and Sagar Movietone;
- Filmmaker S Mukerji and his iconic film studios Filmistan and Filmalaya;
- Actors such as Ashok Kumar, Balraj Sahni, Guru Dutt and Shammi Kapoor;
- Lyricists such as Sahir Ludhianvi and Shailendra;
- Musical Marvels of the Forties;
- Making of Musical Marvels like ‘Shehnai’, ‘Andaz’, ‘Barsaat’, ‘Mahal’, ‘Sargam’, ‘Albela’, ‘Awara’, Baazi’, ‘Aan’, and ‘Baiju Bawra’.
RAAG PRAVAAH
A series of raag based programmes were curated, presenting traditional bandishes of the various ragas vis~a~vis film songs based on those ragas, thereby transmitting the raag pravaah i.e. flow of melody and emotions from intellectual understanding to sensual experience, sensibilities to sensitivities, head to heart and mind to matter.
The wide ensemble of ragas included: Bageshri, Bhairav, Bhairavi, Bhimpalasi, Bhoop, Bihag, Charukesi, Darbari, Des, Jaijaiwanti, Kaafi, Kalavati, Kedar, Malhar, Malkauns, Pilu, Puryadhanshri, Shivaranjani, Todi and Yaman.
CONCLUSION
To quote Lord Tennyson:
“The old order changeth, yielding place to new, and God fulfils himself in many ways, Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.”
Nothing remains constant; change is inevitable and natural part of life; newer things emerge to take place of the old. In the changed avtaar, the ‘Keep Alive’ legacy was carried forward with the same josh n junoon, zeal and zest and my dream to live in my own world of magic turned out be yet another reality. As my cousin observed, ‘while others dream of living their passion, I have been living my dream with passion!’
Q 08: Has the film industry overlooked the artistes of the past and failed to adequately preserve their cinematic and musical contribution? What message would you like to share with the film industry and the general public on this issue?
A: To quote Thomas F Healy, US Army General:
“Don’t strew me with roses after I’m dead. When Death claims the light of my brow no flowers of life will cheer me: instead you may give me my roses now!”
Naushad sahab echoed the same when he once told me that artistes should be honoured in their lifetime. And he made it a point to grace every event where he was honoured or invited. For the record, he has graced the ‘Keep Alive’ events six times and I have had the privilege of visiting him several times.
IGNORED BY INDUSTRY?
I started answering your well sequenced ‘Kasturi Kuestionnaire’ with a self~assertive statement ‘It is easy to be a crowd in the face, to get lost among the millions, to go with the flow and follow the trends set by others. I will have none of it..’.
Now while I answer this sensitive question ‘if the industry had overlooked these legendary artistes and about its alleged apathy towards legends of yore and failure to preserve and perpetuate their legacy’, I would say: ‘I am just a small voice in the same crowd’ and proceed to answer your queries with a couple of questions: ‘Am I truly qualified to comment on the industry, it’s apathy and failure? Do I have the stature to pass my judgement on the big wigs of the industry? Have I achieved enough to be a spokesperson?..’
Honestly, without sounding diplomatic, I say: I am just a small voice in the crowd, a small fish in the ocean, a small dot in the picture, a small note in the symphony… And in my own small space, I try to create ripples through my humble musical tributes. So, I would rather be a rippling silent admirer than a roaring vocal commentator.
PROUD PRIVILEGE
On my part, I certainly had the proud privilege of reintroducing several forgotten legends to the music lovers. When ushered to the stage and felicitated, their faces lit up with joy, a feeling which I shared. Who wouldn’t want to turn back time and relive those golden moments and melodies of an era as distant as a dream, as remote as a reality?
My genuine reverence and love for them and their songs made me invite and honour them personally and they readily consented to grace my events. I am proud that I succeeded in personally felicitating many of them.
VOICE IN WILDERNESS
Undoubtedly, we have distanced ourselves from the melodious past and forgotten the legends. As Shailendra poignantly put it, we shed two drops of tears and forgot all about them.
Char aansoo koyi ro diya,
Pherke munh koyi chal diya!
From time to time, many legends have left us; ‘Bichhde sabhi baari baari’, rather ‘bhaari bhaari’. And as the saying goes, ‘out of sight is out of mind’.
So, the least WE (including the industry) can do collectively or individually is remember them on dates significant to them (birth or death anniversaries), pen a few lines in their memory, mark the day with a simple soirée or professionally organised gathering playing or singing their songs and offer prayers for their eternal peace.
I don’t know about others, but I did it devotedly and religiously and am still continuing to do it in my own humble ways.
Q 10: Can you share about the heart attack you experienced on stage while presenting Sahir Ludhianvi’s programme and how you were given a second chance at life?
A:
SAHIR AND SHY~IYER
Legendary poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi had always fascinated me not only for his unique art and craft of poesy which crossed the curves and contours of conventional poetry but also for other infinite reasons. The more and more details started unravelling about his poetry, persona and personality, the more I started finding shades of him in MI~self. Both come across as Mamma’s Munnas, Bachelor of Hearts and Married to Art, Independent yet In Dependence, Predictably Unpredictable, Progressive in Content and Intent, PALs of the PAL (पल) and Poets but with a phenomenal contrast:
Sahir to aakhir Sahir hain, Shairon mein bade maahir hain;
Hum bhi shairon mein hain magar, Woh pehle aur hum phir hain!
PULSE~ATING PAL (पल)
Sahir had always believed in the fragility of life and the ephemeral human existence and relationship. Like him, even I lived in the PRESENT, in the MOMENT validating the quotes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘With the past I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now’.
Sahir’s own version was:
Aage bhi jaane na tu,
Peechhe bhi jaane na tu,
Jo bhi hai bas yahi ik pal hai!
I(yer) was living the pulsating ‘pal’ (पल) on 20 October, 2019, presenting an audio~visual: ‘Sahir: The Sarkash Shair’ and had started the programme with a harsh and home truth written by him:
Maut kitni bhi sangdil ho magar, zindagi se to mehrbaan hogi,
Hum na honge to gham kise hoga, khatm gham ki har dastaan hogi
And within twenty minutes, I found my world crumbling down and my ‘dastaan’ (story) coming to an end. Sahir had just begun to possess my psyche when suddenly, I started slurring and stammering; I battled for breath and finally fainted. When I regained my consciousness after almost half an hour, I found myself in a nearest hospital. Getting diagnosed as having suffered a massive heart attack, the necessary medical aid and assistance followed suit in no time.
‘Death’, cold and cruel as it may seem, had a warm heart and was more than kind to give me a ‘wake up’ call. Call it an atypical act of ‘kind cruelty’,
‘Death’ knocked at my door and left with a sort of warning to slow down, to be thoughtful of my health and to love and respect my life.
Seeking inspiration from the shair Sahir, this Shy~Iyer poetically gives an account of the ‘Hearty Haadsa’:
The nightmarish ‘hearty’ experience helped me reinvent and reorganise myself and bounce back with a zanier zeal, zest, zing, zeest (life’s dynamism) and zindagani (life). Having got a second chance at life, my unsolicited advice is to live life to the hilt, live every moment joyfully as aptly said by Sahir:
Na jaane kaunsa pal maut ki amaanat ho,
Har ek pal ko khushi se gale lagaake jiyo!
(One never knows which moment might be death’s messenger, Embrace each moment with joy and live life to the full throttle!)
The ‘Hearty Haadsa’ on the sonorous Sunday 20 October 2019 will remain entrenched in my mind forever!
Q 11: You have made quite a fascinating journey from finance to film music events to filmmaking. Kindly share details about your film ‘Dua Qubool’, the inspiration behind making the film and the challenges you encountered during its making.
A:
STEPPING INTO SERENDIPITY
Life rarely unfolds according to our plans. Instead, life’s journey is often shaped by unexpected events, enigmas and experiences. Embracing this uncertainty can be liberating and fulfilling, allowing us to adapt, grow and discover new paths.
As George Bernard Shaw put it:
“Life isn’t about finding yourself; Life is about creating yourself!”
There is nothing more addictive in life than reinventing yourself and allowing yourself to be different every day. With music taking a backseat, I dared to take a big and bold step of entering the realm of filmmaking and multitasking as an actor~writer~producer~director! The sudden shift from a salaried job to stage events to cinema, from arranging events at office to anchoring in ‘Keep Alive’ to acting in my film was accidental and by a fortunate stroke of serendipity.
DASTAAN~E~DUA
My fascination for the three letter pure and pristine sounding nomenclature ‘Dua’ gave rise to a story idea which germinated in December 2018. Set against the backdrop of a Muslim family, the story revolved around a grandmother and her unwavering attachment and unconditional love for her errant and aberrant grandson Dua, who has runaway from home, never to return again!
DUA’s DELIGHTFUL DRAFTS
The script was written with two legendary actresses in mind: Durga Khote (though she is no more) and Farida Jalal. Well aware of my limitations, the project was envisaged on a modest scale as a short film with semi known and fresh faces, less characters, more monologues, one or two songs, a small team of crew members and a conservative budget. The film was titled ‘Dua’.
The script underwent several changes and a narration of the final script was given to a select crowd in June 2019. I was making a simple and sensitive Muslim social avoiding any controversial or inflammatory content. Despite this, many people expressed displeasure, possibly due to the current divisive and discordant atmosphere. I took them quietly in my stride and this was just a tumultuous beginning to a thrilling end.
DUA TO DUA QUBOOL
I have grown up with the belief that art and music had no religion and I went ahead undaunted. The writer in me began to get ambitious. As I developed the story, I increased the scenes, inducted more characters, revised the dialogues and screenplay and added more songs. Concurrently, the film grew in dimension and magnitude, the length of the film got extended, crew members increased more than two fold and the budget also escalated four fold (and went on escalating). The film’s title also changed from the pure and pristine ‘Dua’ to the positive sounding ‘Dua Qubool’.
HURDLES AND HEARTACHES
With great excitement and enthusiasm, I planned to start my dream project in January~February 2020. But, even before we could make a humble beginning, I was beset with an unanticipated ‘heart’ache and ‘heart’break. Thereafter, a series of hurdles and heartbreaks followed, till finally my labour of love ‘Dua’ found its fitting ‘Qubooliyat’ in March 2022.
HURDLE 01: HEARTY HAADSA
I fell at the first hurdle when I suffered a massive heart attack in October 2019, the ‘Hearty Haadsa’ almost silencing the rhythm of my life. An angioplasty was done and I was advised rest for four months which put the film on hold. Yet, I remained proactive, pushing the project ahead with the same passion.
HURDLE 02: LOCKDOWN LIMITATIONS
Soon I gathered myself and the film was rescheduled to start in and around the holy month of Ramzan in April 2020. All of a sudden, the entire world came in the grip of the corona virus pandemic; the first phase of lockdown and government restrictions were announced in March 2020, putting again a halt to the film for an indefinite period. In the available time, the inner writer’s passion drove me to refine the script further and tighten it.
HURDLE 03: PERFORMER PULLOUT
By end of December 2020, when the situation seemed to be improving and the film was gathering momentum to start, tragedy struck again. The husband of the protagonist, who was to originally play the grandmother, was struck down by the dreadful disease cancer and she backed out of the project. The film came to a standstill for the third time. But, I was not one to lose heart and hope.
HOPE HERALDS: FARIDA JALAL FILLS IN
In January 2021, I met the legendary actress Farida Jalal with the hope of signing her to play the role of the grandmother. She was in her usual animated, cheerful, lively, spirited, warm self in which we have seen her in over 200 films in an illustrious career spanning 55 years. I felt truly blessed when she agreed to do the film even without listening to the script which fuelled the hope and strengthened the confidence. The original script was written with her in mind and serendipity smiled when she eventually stepped in and played the coveted role of the grand old grandmother Mahjabeen.
HURDLE 04: LOCKDOWN LIMITATIONS
The film, now headed by the seasoned actress, was all set to start in the holy month of Ramzan in April 2021. Unfortunately, once again due to the second phase of the more dreadful corona virus pandemic, lockdowns and government restrictions, the shoot schedule had to be postponed.
HURDLE 05: CARETAKER COLLAPSES
Amidst several adversities and uncertainties, we planned to shoot the film in May~June 2021. But this time, the film had to be deferred for a different reason. The caretaker of the bungalow in Gorai, where 80 per cent of the drama unfolds, succumbed to the virus leaving behind his widow and two young sons. The bungalow owner requested me to postpone the shoot to post monsoon. In a way it was for good as the lockdown and restrictions continued erratically.
CREW CHANGEOVER
In the intervening period, several actors and many crew members changed, adding to my stress. The script narration and reading session with Faridaji and other actors had to be redone in October 2021. After completing the pre~production work including costumes trial and recee, the film was finally set to start with renewed energy and enthusiasm in November 2021.
HURDLE 06: FARIDAji’s FORCED BREAK
Soon after the script reading, Faridaji developed acute slipped disc problems and was advised complete rest for two months. The film shoot was suspended till January 2022. Once again with a lot of apprehensions and certain loose ends, the shoot started in January 2022 only to come to an abrupt halt after two days; her slipped disc problem resurfacing. I also underwent an eye surgery.
DOWN BUT NOT DONE
I was totally disoriented, heartbroken and off track; mentally and emotionally agitated, physically down, financially drained out all of which provoked me to write disturbing and despair filled poems. Soon I composed myself and looked forward to a new dawn in the not too distant future.
BUDGET BLUES
I had already sold my 3bhk flat in a prime locality and put all the money into the film. As the dates kept getting extended, the budget also escalated and I had to resort to external funding. I borrowed money from my nephews and nieces, friends and well~wishers and several music loving members of ‘Keep Alive’. Mindless I may seem, adamant I may sound, I was just determined to complete my dream project at any cost. It was a do or die situation!
FILM ON FLOORS
Finally, after all the ups and downs, the film went on floors in mid~March 2022 at the bungalow in Gorai. A new problem cropped up; the shoot had to be wrapped up before 31 March 2022 as the property was changing hands. Ergo, there were mild pressures from the otherwise extremely congenial and cooperative bungalow owner to stick to the deadline. And racing against time, the film was completed by end March 2022, adhering to the tight schedule. A Divine Force brought the project to a successful completion.
TRIED BUT NOT TIRED
Undoubtedly, the three years period was quite harrowing, unnerving and unsettling. Meek and weak that I am characteristically, I was literally thrown off balance and exhausted emotionally, physically and financially and found it difficult to keep pace with the circadian rhythm.
But, I am not one to be bogged down by disappointments and failures, hurdles and obstacles, stumbling blocks and spanners in the works. I look at them as impetus and incentives, each one preparing and strengthening me for the next. I may fall and fail, but I am not one to give up easily; not one to yield readily to an unwelcome demand; not one to live without dreams and hopes, future and illusions. I may appear to be emotionally broken hearted, crestfallen and dispirited, physically down and debilitated, financially drained out and bankrupt, but I am not one to retire, relinquish or renounce and call it a day; not one to resign to fate and take drastic steps if pushed to the wall.
I live life in the present to the full throttle with the undying spirit of hope and achievement. Ergo, any long day of despair and disillusionment is not for long.
To quote Faiz Ahmed Faiz:
Dil naumeed toh nahin, nakaam hi toh hai,
Lambi hai gham ki shaam magar, shaam hi to hai!
(The heart has not despaired and lost hope, it’s just unsuccessful and grieving. The dusk of gloom may be long, but it’s just a dusk; this too shall pass!)
Hope is where the Heart is! Hope keeps us going; hope keeps us alive!
TUMULTUOUS BEGINNINGS ~ THRILLING ENDINGS
After three years in different stages of making, I found my dream project
‘Dua Qubool’ finally beginning to breathe, emerging to exist, rising to register. Truly, every tumultuous beginning has a thrilling end. The film is now poised for an early release and promises to appeal to the heads and hearts, senses and sensibilities of the audience! I recently released the film’s official trailer, two songs and two dialogues promo on youTube and the response has been quite overwhelming. It has fuelled new hope in me and boosted my confidence.
From day one, ruled by the heart and not head, I have maintained that I wanted to make ‘a’ film the way I felt. I didn’t focus on the outcome; whether my passion would meet with a positive response or not, my labour of love would be a success or not, whether my expensive hobby would recover the investments or not, whether my dream project would win accolades and awards or not. It was about the fascinating journey, not the desired destination!
After pouring blood, sweat and tears, creative energy and countless hours of hard work and, never the least, a hefty budget running to a couple of crores, the film’s fate hangs in balance. It might turn out to be good, moderate or even bad, it may be a hit, average or a total miss. To quote a few from the close inner circle, ‘Dua Qubool’ is a ‘dark horse’ contender, a ‘slow burner’ that may steadily gain fire, a potential ‘sleeper hit’, phrases that have been echoing on my mind over the last one year. Fingers crossed. But, under all circumstances, it is to remain my film and I have all reasons to feel proud at least for the risks taken if not for the results.
‘Dua Qubool’ will be released under my banner ‘aaRDee Moving Images’; where R stands for Rajam, my AmmA and D for Dharmarajan, my AppA.
‘Moving Images’ was the name originally given to Cinema, the letter M and I also indicating Manohar and Iyer respectively. Dadasaheb Phalke is hailed as the Father of Indian Cinema and I have dedicated ‘Dua Qubool’ to the vision and mission of Dadasaheb Phalke.
Defying conventions and embracing passion, I made ‘Dua Qubool’ at this age and stage of my life, for which (t)His ingenuous ‘INSAAN’ is deemed ‘INSANE’, but my perceived ‘INSANITY’ is nothing but ‘INSANIYAT’!
Q 12: You have dedicated ‘Dua Qubool’ to Dadasaheb Phalke, who is a forgotten name today. You have also written an extensive write up on him. Is there any specific reason for your deep rooted passion for him and his pioneering efforts?
A: I have the highest reverence for Dadasaheb Govind Phalke, fondly addressed as Dadasaheb Phalke, who came to be hailed as the Father of Indian Cinema. I am sharing extracts from my exhaustive write up on Dadasaheb Phalke, offering insights into his life and career marked by struggles and sacrifices and these aspects have inspired my deepest awe and admiration for the one man institution with a passion and mission.
PIONEERING PASSION OF PHALKE
As we all know, the year 1913 marked a turning point in the realm of film making and entertainment in India, thanks to the vision and versatility, confidence and conviction of the enterprising Dadasaheb Phalke.
Dadasaheb Phalke was in his early 40s when he embarked on the trodden path of his less successful predecessors or contemporaries. His remarkable journey, marked by struggles, sacrifices and success, symbolises the spirit of unflinching hope and unwavering determination, with a never give up attitude. His unrelenting passion and imperceptible restlessness displayed sparks of a genius in the making. He was a truss of multitalent: printer, painter, playwright, photographer, magician, make-up artiste, costume designer all rolled in one, helping him in his passion and pursuit of filmmaking.
Dadasaheb Phalke left no stone unturned to transcend his dream into a reality. Despite the warning of people to give up his dream, he went ahead brimming with confidence, enthusiasm, knowledge and zeal backed by his versatility and wife. He borrowed money from a friend and pledged his insurance policy to raise funds to pursue his dream. He went to England in early 1912 to study the art and craft of film making and film technology and returned with the best equipment and machinery that the funds could buy.
RAJA HARISHCHANDRA
Dadasaheb Phalke then started the film ‘Raja Harishchandra’, based on a story from the great Indian epic Mahabharata. He made the film under the banner Phalke Films. He shot a few scenes with his wife and children and showed the prints to a financier to raise funds; he had nothing left to offer as security and finally, mortgaged his wife’s jewellery.
He cast Dattatreya Damodar Dabke as Raja Harishchandra but getting a female actor to play Taramati, the queen’s role, posed a formidable problem as girls from respectable families were sceptical about entering the ‘ill reputed’ showbiz world. Even girls from the red light areas were reluctant and some of them backed out at the last moment. Finally, as in the English plays, Phalke almost tempted an effeminate looking youth, who worked as a cook in a restaurant in Grant Road for Rs. 10 per month, Anna Salunkhe to play the character of Taramati. Phalke offered him much more to shave off his moustache and get into the queen’s garb and he succeeded!
With finance arranged and cast finalised, half the battle was won. But the real hurdle awaited Dadasaheb Phalke. Singlehandedly, he trained his actors and technicians and supervised the erection of sets, besides directing, photographing, developing, printing and finally editing the film. Of course, during the entire shooting, his wife Saraswati bai stood like a sturdy rock.
Dadasaheb Phalke almost ruined his health and risked his eyesight only to give a visage to his vision! ‘Raja Harishchandra’ was released successfully in Bombay’s Coronation Theatre on May 3, 1913, heralding the Silent Era in films and the ‘sounds of silence’ dominated for almost two decades.
MORE MOVIE MAGICS
The film elicited a frenzied response and Dadasaheb Phalke made several other silent films mostly based on epics and legends, films like ‘Mohini Bhasmasur’, ‘Satyavan Savitri’ and ‘Lanka Dahan’. In 1917, the Hindustan Cinema Film Company was formed as a partnership company with Phalke as its working partner and a few others as managing and financial partners. Under the new banner, he directed films like ‘Shree Krishna Janam’, ‘Kaliya Mardan’, ‘Kansa Vadha’, ‘Shree Rama Janma’, ‘Pundalik’ to name a few. With his innovative skills, trick photography, special effects and all the visual appeal, his films attracted huge audience and he met with more success.
SPRAWLING STUDIO
Dadasaheb Phalke established a sprawling model studio at Nashik with a retinue of technicians and artistes on its payroll, most of them living there. It had arrangements and facilities for indoor and outdoor games, gymnasium for body building, fencing, fighting and riding with a coach to train the artistes. There was also a garden, farm, library, reading room, a common canteen and even a miniature zoo. Phalke presided over it like a benevolent patriarch.
However, differences in the matter of running the studio and the type of films to be made cropped up between him and his other partners and he quit the company in 1919 only to join again in 1921. He made ‘Sant Tukaram’ and a string of successful films in the next ten years till the advent of sound in 1931.
DISILLUSIONED DADA
But by then, he was a changed man, much older but not worldly wise and practical, his heart still ruling his head. He was tired of his ongoing battles with the financiers and his partners, disillusioned and disgusted with the changing scenario and crass commercialisation of art, constrained by several other factors which were not congenial to his artistic and creative temperament.
TALKIE TIMES
With the arrival of sound, Dadasaheb Phalke couldn’t adapt to changing tastes, emerging trends and new techniques. The last silent film he made was
‘Setu Bandhan’ in 1932. With a vain attempt at synchronising sound and relying mainly on visual appeals, the film failed to attract audiences. In 1937, he directed his first and last talkie film ‘Gangavataran’ for Kolhapur Cinetone and the film met with the same fate.
FORGOTTEN FOOTPRINTS
In 1938, under the leadership of Chandulal Shah of Ranjit Movietone, the film industry celebrated the Silver Jubilee of Indian Cinema. Among the innumerable and illustrious guests was Dadasaheb Phalke, then in his late sixties, totally unnoticed and unrecognized. He had struggled and sacrificed his life for films; he had made a hundred silent films; he had a sprawling studio with all in~house facilities and which he ruled like a patriarch; the advent of sound, the changing times and trends affected his kind of films; he was a legend who was no more in the reckoning; he was relegated to the annals of history and had become a forgotten name even when he was alive; he had lost everything that he owned and was reduced to penury; age and ailments had made him almost unrecognisable!
Legendary filmmaker V Shantaram noticed him and ushered him respectfully to the stage and ‘introduced’ him to the then movie moghals who were present on stage and who owed every bit of their achievement and success to this man Dadasaheb Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema, the ‘Dawn’ of Indian Cinema, who had single handedly and virtually shaped the future of Indian Cinema!
The year 1938 will be remembered for this dishonourable and outrageous act to the ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of Indian Cinema.
DEDICATION TO DADASAHEB
Dadasaheb Phalke died an embittered man and in penury on 16 February, 1944 at the age of 74. In appreciation and recognition of his pioneering effort, the Government of India instituted in 1969 the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in his name; the prestigious award is given away every year to film personalities for achieving excellence and their significant contribution to Indian Cinema.
But, the Man with a Mission and Method to his Madness called Movies, in whose name the award is given, is an unforgivably forgotten name today!
KEEP ALIVE’s CONTRIBUTION
Dadasaheb Phalke was forgotten in the 30s itself and relegated to the pages of Indian Cinema’s history. But in 2013, to commemorate the centenary of Indian cinema and celebrate Dadasaheb Phalke’s pioneering efforts, I organised, through my banner ‘Keep Alive’, a series of musical events paying humble tribute to the contribution of pioneering and path breaking film studios and film makers like Prabhat, New Theatres, Bombay Talkies, Sagar Movietone, Ranjit Movietone, Minerva Pictures, Prakash Pictures, Pancholi Productions, Kardar Productions, Rajkamal Kalamandir, Mehboob Productions, Filmistan, Bimal Roy Productions, Navketan, R K Films, B R Films and Guru Dutt Films, featuring all time popular songs from their iconic films.
As Dadasaheb Phalke’s films were of the silent era, obviously with no sound, no dialogues, no songs, my musical tribute to the above studios and filmmakers was, in essence and spirit, a tribute to him. These studios and filmmakers were his successors carrying forward his vision and mission in a new vatar.
Remember the lines from Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’:
Ye mera geet, jeevan sangeet, Kal bhi koyi dohraayega;
Jag ko hansaane behroopiya, Roop badal phir aayega!
These lines echo and resonate the foresight and vision of Dadasaheb Phalke, highlighting his incalculable impact on Indian cinema.
In 2013, I also wrote an exhaustive write up on Dadasaheb Phalke covering his mission, passion and determination, struggles, sacrifices and success which received widespread appreciation. Particularly impressed was Dr. Kiran Phalke, the grandson of Dadasaheb Phalke, who expressed surprise at my in depth knowledge of his grandfather’s works and was gracious enough to share some rare photographs of his grandfather including a rare interview of 1927~28.
In a further effort at perpetuating his memories and keeping his cinematic contribution alive, I presented a ‘Manohar Monologue’ (Audio~Visual event) in 2017, featuring some of his prominent silent films and other notable films from the era (1913 ~ 1931).
DUA QUBOOL DEDICATED TO DADASAHEB
My awe and admiration for Dadasaheb Phalke and his pioneering efforts and undying spirit inspired me to dedicate my first feature film ‘Dua Qubool’, to his passion and mission. The film is due for an early release.
Humbling as it may be, I see shades of his madness and insanity, struggles and sacrifices and a few other traits in myself, though I have a long way to go to be anywhere near his status, stature and success. Lest I become a forgotten name like him, I would like to be remembered for my humble contributions to keep vintage music alive and to Indian Cinema. Alas, time is unforgiving:
Waqt ki dhoop mein yaadein bhi pighal jaati hain,
Log mujhe bhi bhula denge fasaane ki tarah!
(Memories melt in the sun of time, People will forget me too, like a fleeting tale)
Q 13: After, ‘Dua Qubool’, what next?
A: Every day brings a new dawn, a fresh start, a new hope and a new challenge. I am waiting to seize them with zanier zeal, zest and zing.
I will turn 70 in August 2025 and I am still going strong, My spirit remains unbound, where I belong:
Abhi meri jawani hai, abhi mera zamana hai,
Abhi meri adaaon mein mizaaj~e~ashiqaana hai;
Abhi dil ki surahi se zamaane ko pilaana hai,
Abhi meri mohabbat ko naya kuch rang laana hai.
Mujhe mehfooz rakhna tum, ki main rab ki amaanat hoon,
Kabhi na khatm hogi jo, khuda ki whoh inaayat hoon!
I have six to seven scripts written and ready in different stages which can be made into short films or feature films. I am now just waiting for ‘Dua Qubool’ to see the noor~e~haque, the divine light of the day. I have planned the release of the film on my 70th birthday on 14 August, 2025 and I now leave everything in God’s hands and eventually hope to see God’s hands in everything!!
Everything that I mentioned in all the answers is nothing but truth straight from the heart. After all:
Meri har baat mere dil se hi nikalti hai,
Lab talak aate aate, ye nahin badalti hai!
~
Ajay Kanagat: Thank you Mr. Manohar Ji, for taking out your valuable time and answering our questions.
Manohar Iyer: Welcome.
