The Magic Of Manna Dey

Fans will mark Manna Dey’s 100th birth anniversary this year. Hemchhaya De looks back at the legend’s rise to success and body of work

- Hemchhaya De

In the mid-60s, RD Burman (RD), who was composing music for Mehmood’s Bhoot Bungla (1965), came up with a peppy number, Aao twist karen, for Manna Dey to lend his voice to. When the film’s producer, Usman, declared he had someone else in mind, it did not go down well with RD. In his memoir, Memories Come Alive, Dey recalls RD telling the producer, “I have composed the song for Manna-da,…and nobody else can sing it like him. If you want to include the song in your film, only Manna-da will sing it. Otherwise, I wash my hands of this business.”

Dey was brought on board, and the rest, as they say, is history. A few years later, RD, Dey, and Mehmood joined hands yet again, to weave a similar magic in Padosan (1968). This time, Dey sang for Mehmood, who played a music teacher well-versed in Indian classical music. Who can possibly forget Dey’s on-screen musical duel with Kishore Kumar in Ek chatur naar?

Two different songs, two different genres— while Aao twist karen was regarded as the first Indian rap song by Dey himself, Ek chatur naar displayed the acclaimed singer’s command over the complexities of Indian classical music in its complete glory. These instances, time and again, underscore the range and versatility of the legendary singer, one of the most revered members of the pantheon of Bollywood’s all-time greats.

The big break

Prabodh Chandra Dey was born to Mahamaya and Purna Chandra Dey on May 1, 1919. He was lovingly called Mana, a name he tweaked to Manna in the early ’40s. A boy of varied interests, the young Manna was hooked on to sports, besides academics and music. He also learnt wrestling from the then world-famous, Gobar Guha. However, music seemed to be his calling.