Enthralling and Captivating; Mukesh's Songs

There is no denying that music retains the capacity to captivate and encapsulate the audience into a trance. In the annals of cinematic history, one artist that remains etched into the minds forever is Mukesh. Here is a short account.

mukesh source: Hindustan times

With its overarching effect, music retains the power to not just transcend the listeners but also ground them. In the annals of the cinematic universe, songs were not just part of musical numbers that could further add to the storyline. Instead, they served as a recluse from the monotony of dialogue and create an ambience wherein the audiences could better receive the plot and story. Amongst the several titans that cast an enthralling aura over audiences, Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar remain the most memorable. However, another voice, one that became the identifying unit of the ‘Greatest Showman of India’ Raj Kapoor was Mukhesh.

Mukesh Chand Mathur or popularly known as Mukesh was born in 1923 to an engineer and found his muse and inspiration in K.L. Saigal. Mukesh is often recalled as a singer who could convey several emotions in his soulful voice. From his debut in ‘Dil hi bhuja hua ho’ in the film Nirdosh (1941), Mukesh slowly became the voice that people yearned to listen to. Undoubtedly, amongst the titans that ruled the hearts of many, Mukesh’s oeuvre lacked the finesse that made Rafi Sahab, Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar maestros. Even so, the capacity to limn melancholy and sorrow whilst singing lyrics of joy was something that only Mukesh could do.

Often referred to as the ‘voice’ of writer, filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor, Mukesh’s voice soon became the single most identifying factor that would further enhance Kapoor’s performance. From 'Mera Joota hai Japani' in Shree 420 to ‘Jaane kahan gaye woh Din’ in Mera Naam Joker and even the unforgettable ‘Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan’ in Mera Naam Joker, Mukesh laid the foundation for how singing could be conceived for years to come.

By flawlessly including a sense of sorrow, woe and angst through his voice, Mukesh inevitably became the source of yearning, love, pathos and sadness that one chased in several forms. By bringing simplistic lyrics and melodious tunes to life, Mukesh remained the singer that everyone loved.

Despite the success and career that launched him into unprecedented fame, his untimely demise ended up cutting short what could’ve further accelerated into a lifelong career. Mukesh’s swan song that he recorded for Lakshmikant-Pyarelal’s ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ (1976) was the final song the audience would relish.

Whilst at a concert in Detroit, USA, Mukesh passed away on 27th August 1976 after having sung for a live audience. It is famously known that Raj Kapoor had lamented the loss of his ‘voice’ at Mukesh’s funeral. The devastation that cast across the subcontinent soon turned into reverence for the great artist, one that continues to this very day.