Hindi Film Music has finished says legendry saxophone player Manahari Singh

Rajendra Bora

Jaipur. Name of Manahari Singh, who played saxophone and other instruments in more than 15,000 film songs, rings nostalgic bells in the ears of Hindustani Film Music (HMF) buffs. The maestro, around eighty and on dialysis, still plays the wind instrument with gusto transporting the audience to the golden era of film music of the last century.

The old wizard is, however, “angry” over today’s film music scenario. “ Bada Gussa Aata Hai. Every thing has turned into ashes. Film music industry has finished. The ambience and atmosphere created by music directors, lyricist and singers of bygone era have vanished. There is a kind of bestiality pervading the contemporary film music”, commented soft spoken and humble Manahari Da while talking to members of ‘Suryatra’, a local group of cine-music buffs here on Sunday.

The musician, who played for legendary music directors like S.D.Burman, Shankar Jaikishen, Kalyanji Anandji, Madan Mohan, O.P.Nayyar and R.D.Burman, felt that the music being created these days had no match to the golden era of film music. “You can’t create human feelings with electronic key boards”, he said quoting a remark of music director late Anil Biswas that on today’s music you can tap your feet but this can’t move your heart. Therefore, Manohari da said, old film music will never die. It will continue to grip the listeners in generations to come.

Noted music director Salil Chaudhary brought Manahari Da to Mumbai from Kolkata and Dada got his first brak as saxophonist with S. D. Burman in ‘Sitaron Se Aage’ (1958). He went on to work as Dada Burman’s arranger through ‘Teen Deviyan, ‘Guide’ till ‘Tere Mere Sapne’. His piece on saxophone in songs like 'Gaata Rahe Mera Dil' and 'Din Dhal Jaye' in 'Guide' and 'Ye Duniya Usi Ki Zamana Usi ka' (Kashmir Ki Kali) are still raved by film music connoisseurs. Manogari Da’s added a bewitching touch to the song ‘Tumhe Yaad Hoga’ in Satta Bazar.

When asked to name a song where his wizardry was exploited to the hilt he hummed Laxmikant Pyarelal composed song ‘Main Aaya Hoon Lekar Jaam Haathon Men’ in Dev Anand-Hema Malini starrer ‘Ameer Gareeb’ saying it is the song where my saxophone has been exploited to the extreme.

Manohari Da, who composed music independently and with his colleague Vasu Chatterjee in a few hindi films besides giving music for some of his native Nepali films, felt Shankar-Jaikishen with their huge orchestra were a trend-setter for whom he remembered playing saxophone in a number of songs like ‘Gaa Mere Man Gaa’ in Laajwanti.

Sharing nostalgic memories of the past with ‘Suryatra’ members he said he worked with old stalwarts of Kolkata like Pankaj Mullick, R. C Boral, and Kamal Dasgupta before shifting to Mumbai and also worked with new age composers Jatir and Lalit. I also played with young Anand Palwankar group who play music with key board.

These days I can’t move out much as for three days in a week I have to be on dialysis machine. I have stopped playing for film songs. However, I do perform on stage whenever some enthusiastic people insist and call me.

When senior ‘Suryatra’ members M. D. Soni, a film historian and Arun Agrawal, a passionate collector of cine stuffs, asked him if he ever worked with any music director connected with Rajasthan he fondly remembers Daan Singh for whose super hit song ‘Ye tere Pyar Ka Gam” in ‘My Love’ he played clarinet.


(The piece appeared in Jaipur Live supplement of The Hindustan Times on May11,2009)