Manna Dey Birth Anniversary: When The Legendary Singer Said Sometimes He Wanted To Quit Film Industry

Manna Dey was always considered for classical songs when in fact he could sing every genre of song equally well. In an interview in 1997, Manna-da said, “When I'm asked to sing a song for a particular situation, I get totally involved with the song. Mr Sachin Dev Burman chose me to sing Poocho Na Kaise in the film Meri Surat Teri Aankhen he told me to forget that I was Manna Dey and to sing for Ashok Kumar. I did my very best. I love to take on challenges.”


All the other songs in Meri Surat Teri Aankhen were sung by Rafi while the most challenging number went to Manna Dey. He was invariably called for classical numbers. “I've always been a good student of classical music. The little knowledge that I have has been used in my singing. But classical singers are always dreaded by the masses, so I wanted to make it as a popular singer. Many times I had to sing shoulder-to-shoulder with Rafi. I accepted that he was a great singer. If I didn't put in that extra something, I had very little chance to compete.”

Manna-da sang some very popular numbers for Raj Kapoor like Aaja Sanam, Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi, Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala and Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo. “The fact that Raj Kapoor chose me to sing a few songs for him was in itself a very big boost for my career. My father or uncles never raised their voices in front of me. Those values were instilled into my songs. Whatever I put into my songs, I learnt from my family. My uncle, the renowned singer K C Dey, who trained me, was a very hard taskmaster. Ours was a joint family. I was born in the same house as my kaka. We used to have night-long music performances. Woh sur jo kaan mein padaa, that was a great learning experience. My first uncle used to earn the money, my second uncle used to take decisions and my father used to implement those decisions.”


He added, “Kabhi miljul ke batata aur bhat bhi kha lete hain toh khush rehte hain. I wouldn't exchange my family for anything. I was speaking to a music director. He said, 'Manna Dey was too much of a gentleman to become a success in Mumbai.' I keep myself away from the industry. Certain things never appealed to me. For instance, the drinking. I don't drink. Secondly, the gossiping. My uncle's doctrine always played in my mind. He said, 'If you don't deserve it, don't desire it.'When I started singing, there were quite a few stalwarts all around me -- Mohammed Rafi, Talat Mehmood, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar and Hemant Kumar. There were only a limited number of songs in films. If a hero wanted Mr Rafi to sing for him, naturally it had to be him. Then if it was Dilip Kumar, who is a soft-spoken man, he naturally wanted Talat Mehmood. Raj Kapoor wanted only Mukesh. All of them had beautiful voices. Now you tell me, where did I stand a chance? I was given to sing songs like my uncle, in a stentorian voice.I think they branded me a character singer. In Bimalda's Do Bigha Zameen, I sang a popular song Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke for Balraj Sahni. But in that film, he looked emaciated, down-and-out. So that became my image. My song Chali Radhe Rani became popular. But it was filmed on a beggar, so they branded me a side singer. I used to weep about this. A young man like me had to sing only one type of songs! I don't know how their minds work in this film industry. Unless a singer is taken in hand by a capable composer, a new singer has no chance. Rafisaab had talent, but Naushad took him under his wings and groomed him.”


In that historic interview Manna-da also spoke feelingly about Lataji. “Even Lata Mangeshkar wouldn't have been what she is without the confidence shown in her abilities by Sajjad Husain, Ghulam Haider and Naushad. But when Lata was coming up, the other lady singers like Zohrabai Ambewali and Shamshad Begum didn't have her sophistication. Lata has a very rare talent. I wouldn't say she has been taught music. Woh sun sun ke bani hai. She learnt by listening to Noor Jehan and Geeta Dutt. But Lata polished all the weaknesses in Geeta's throat.”


Manna Dey often considered quitting the film industry. “Believe me, I've thought about it many times. At one point, I made up my mind to leave the film industry. I didn't have a godfather and I didn't believe in asking for work. Yeh sab mujhse hota nahin tha. The turning point in my life was my marriage. Even though my wife was a Keralite, she could sing Rabindra sangeet beautifully. After marriage, we would sing together at home. We continued to sing together at concerts abroad, but after we had our children, she said she wanted to stay home.”


Mannda-da remembered one incident where V Shantaram insisted that he sing a song. But the music director wanted to sing it himself. “I told him to go ahead and sing it because his voice suited the song. But Shantaramji was adamant. The music director had modified the tune to suit my voice. Shantaramji argued that if it's difficult for the singer to sing, the listeners can't sing it either. In the evening, I narrated this incident to my would-be wife. She argued that if the tune was difficult, shouldn't I have made an effort to sing it? She was absolutely right. I had a kind of defeatist attitude towards my profession. Years back, once when I was in Calcutta, I got a call from Raj Kapoor's office informing me that I was to attend his daughter's wedding. I refused. Even Rajsaab called me, which was a big happening.


But how could I abandon all my recordings in Calcutta? This kind of attitude did a lot of damage to my career. I feel, apart from a few composers like Sachin Dev Burman and Madan Mohan, the rest could hardly sign even their names. I was the only singer who made notations before recording a song. I taught that to Lata and Asha, but they never made good use of it. I used to work on the songs beforehand. When I came for recordings, I could sing the number after only one rehearsal. I've always been a perfectionist. I took utmost care over every song that I sang so that even today, people want to listen to them.”


Manna-da also became Mehmood’s voice. “Yes, that aspect of my singing was due mainly to Padosan. Earlier, S D Burman had made me sing for Mehmood in Ziddi (Pyar Ki Aag Mein Tan Badan Jal Gaya).He trusted me with his songs. I believe, to be genuinely humorous, one has to be a little educated. Without education, you end up with the sense of humour of a rickshaw-wallah. I won't take names, but there were those singers who indulged in such things, and the crowds would rave over them. But when I introduced some polished humour into our songs, I was criticised for it. Once Rafi Saab and I were recording a song together, and I was practising my own style of humour. When Rafi stepped in with his lines, Chitragupta said to me, 'Mannada aap bade mazey mein gaa rahe the. Jab Rafi saab ne entry li, toh woh sab aapka bilkul pheeka pad gaya.'I was shocked. Chitragupta was an educated man and I used to like him. I told him, 'Your brand of comedy doesn't suit me. Next time you have a duet with Rafi, you sing it yourself. 'The one who was really outspoken was C Ramachandra. He could never stand the most popular male voice, you know who I mean. Once Rafi and I went down to Madras to record a duet. The song situations in their films were so bizarre, Rafi was singing for Hanuman and I was singing for Ravan. C Ramachandra corrected Rafisaab and he became red in the face. I asked Anna (Ramachandra), 'How could you do this?' He replied, 'How could I not do this? My song was being spoilt.' C Ramachandra always knew what he wanted. I am not too sure today’s composers know what they want.”