- Mahendra Kapoor
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Mahendra Kapoor 
Mahendra KapoorBackground information Born January 9, 1934 Origin Amritsar, India Died September 27, 2008 Genres Playback singing Occupations Playback Singer Instruments Vocalist Years active 1956–1999 Mahendra Kapoor (January 9, 1934, Amritsar, Punjab, India - September 27, 2008, Mumbai, India) was an Indian playback singer.
In a career spanning five decades, his repertoire extended to 25,000 songs in various regional languages,[1] including memorable hits like ‘Chalo ek baar phir se Ajnabi ban jayen hum dono’ Gumrah, ‘Neele gagan ke taale’ Hamraaz, and in various language, but he became synonymous with patriotic songs, with ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti', in Manoj Kumar’s film Upkaar [2] In 1972, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
Contents
Biography
Mahendra Kapoor was born in Amritsar, but soon moved to Mumbai. At an early age he was inspired by singer Mohammed Rafi but soon he started learning classical music under many well known classical singers like Pt.Hussanlal, Pt. Jagannath Bua, Ustad Niaz Ahmed Khan, Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan, Pt.Tulsidaas Sharma. He created a style of his own and won the Metro Murphy All-India singing competition, which led to his debut as a playback singer in V. Shantaram’s Navrang in 1958, singing Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi, under the musical direction of C. Ramchandra.[1]
There is an interesting story associated with the recording of the debut song by Kapoor. He was singing "Adha Hai Chandrama" with Asha Bhonsle in the recording box, but due to some chord problem the music director could not hear his voice. He entered the box and asked Kapoor why he was not singing. Then Asha ji explained that he was singing brilliantly. The chord was then checked and the problem was solved, otherwise he would have lost his singing career.[3]
He sang many hit songs of yesteryears, and the most notable ones being those for B.R. Chopra's Films (Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah, Waqt, Hamraaz, Dhund etc.) and for Legendary Actor/Director Manoj Kumar (Upkaar, Purab Aur Paschim etc.)
Mahendra Kapoor is well known as The Vibrant Voice of India. Just like Pavarotti, Mahendra too had a very large vocal range with a beautiful vocal timber. He was the first Indian Playback Singer to record music in English[citation needed]. He sang 'Oh Saly please Help me.. & I am Feeling Blue" both which were an amazing feat for an Indian singer to do. He was asked by the famous "Boney M" group to sing their songs in Hindi with Musarat from Pakistan & they recorded the EverHit Pop Album M-3. Some of the songs are "Chori Chori Chalo!![4] (Original, Hoorray! Hoorray! by Boney M), "O' Meri Champe Ki Daali" etc
Mahendra Kapoor also got a chance to sing a duet with his idol and guru Mohammed Rafi. The song was "Kaisi Haseen Aaj Baharon Ki Raat" from the 1967 film "Aadmi". the song was originally recorded as a duet with Rafi and Talat Mehmood, but Manoj Kumar, one of the lead star refused to use Talat's voice for him. So, the song was re-recorded with Kapoor replacing Talat. It is a unique song with Talat and Rafi in the original song and Mahendra Kapoor and Rafi in the Movie version of the song[5]. Also the only duet with these two legends Rafi and Mahendra Kapoor.
He has sung in almost every language in India, and has sung & covered almost every verity of songs such as Patriotic, Romantic, Bhajans, Qawwalis, Naats, & the TV Serial “MAHABHARAT” title song has been the umpteenth feather in his already crowned cap. He sang the highest number of songs in Gujrati, Punjabi & Marathi movies. In Marathi he was very popular for being the voice of Dada Kondke in all his movies. In spite of being associated with Dada Kondke's colloquial style his singing for Marathi movies was not limited to Dada Kondke's movies only. His son Rohan Kapoor is an actor/Singer. He Acted in a few films in the 1980s such as Yash Chopra's Faasle (1985) and Love 86 (1986), Prakash Mehra's Imandaar and later did stage shows along with his father & is a well trained singer. He cut several Albums in India & UK.
On September 27, 2008, he died following a cardiac failure, he is survived by his wife, three daughters and Actor / Singer son Rohan Kapoor alias Ruhan Kapoor.[6]
Notable songs
- Neele Gagan Ke Tale - Hamraaz (1967)
- Chalo Ek Baar - Gumrah (1963)
- Kisi Pathar Ki Moorat Se - Hamraaz (1967)
- Lakhon Hain Yahan Dilwale - Kismat (1968)
- Mere Desh Ki Dharti - Upkar (1967)
- Iktara Bole - Yaadgar (1970)
- Aur Nahin Bas Aur Nahin - Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974)
- Bharat Ka Rahnewala Hoon - Purab Aur Paschim (1970)
- Fakira Chal Chala Chal - Fakira (1975)
- Badal Jaye Agar Mali - Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966)
- Mera Pyar Woh Hai - Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi (1965)
- Tum Agar Saat Dene Ka Wada Karo - Hamraaz (1967)
- Ab ke Baras - Kranti (1981)
- Tere Pyaar Ka Aasra - Dhool Ka Phool (1959)
- Na muh chupa ke jiyo na sar jhuka ke jiyo - Hamraaz (1967)
- Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon - Bahadur Shah Zafar
- Ti Yete Aneeka Jate..Yetana kadhi kalya aneete
- He Chincheche zad dise maj chinar vrukshapari
- Ratris khel chale ya gudh chandanyacha, sampel na kadhihi ha khel savalyancha
- Abol Zalis ka saajani..
- Saang kadhi kalanar tula..
- Sur tech chhedita..
- Madhu ithe ana chandra tithe..
- Swapnaat pahile je te roop hech hote..
- Nako menaka nako urvashi.. and many more..(This is excluding Dada Kondake film hits.)
Awards
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
- 1968 Won - "Mere Desh Ki Dharti" - Upkar
- Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer
- 1964 Won - "Chalo Ek Bar" - Gumrah
- 1968 Won - "Neele Gagan Ke Tale" - Hamraaz
- 1968 Nominated - "Mere Desh Ki Dharti" - Upkar
- 1975 Won - "Aur Nahi Bus Aur Nahi" - Roti Kapda Aur Makaan
- 1977 Nominated - "Sunke Teri Pukar" - Fakira
References
- ^ a b Mere desh ki dharti' will always be with us Times of India, 28 September 2008.
- ^ PM condoles Mahendra Kapoor's death Press Trust of India.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aww1MCyyqwI
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNsscrkFdJI&feature=related
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFuo1wrfOOI
- ^ Singer Mahendra Kapoor dies of heart attack Indian Express, September 28, 2008.
External links
- Mahendra Kapoor at the Internet Movie Database
- Pay tribute and know more about Mahendra Kapoor
Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer 1959–1960 No Award (1959) · Mukesh (1960)
1961–1980 Mohammed Rafi (1961) · Mohammed Rafi (1962) · No Award (1963) · Mahendra Kapoor (1964) · Mohammed Rafi (1965) · No Award (1966) · Mohammed Rafi (1967) · Mahendra Kapoor (1968) · Mohammed Rafi (1969) · Kishore Kumar (1970) · Mukesh (1971) · Manna Dey (1972) · Mukesh (1973) · Narendra Chanchal (1974) · Mahendra Kapoor (1975) · Kishore Kumar (1976) · Mukesh (1977) · Mohammed Rafi (1978) · Kishore Kumar (1979) · K. J. Yesudas (1980)
1981–2000 Kishore Kumar (1981) · Amit Kumar (1982) · Kishore Kumar (1983) · Kishore Kumar (1984) · Kishore Kumar (1985) · Kishore Kumar (1986) · No Award (1987) · No Award (1988) · Udit Narayan (1989) · S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (1990) · Kumar Sanu (1991) · Kumar Sanu (1992) · Kumar Sanu (1993) · Kumar Sanu (1994) · Kumar Sanu (1995) · Udit Narayan (1996) · Udit Narayan (1997) · Abhijeet (1998) · Sukhwinder Singh (1999) · Udit Narayan (2000)
2001–present Lucky Ali (2001) · Udit Narayan (2002) · Sonu Nigam (2003) · Sonu Nigam (2004) · Kunal Ganjawala (2005) · Himesh Reshammiya (2006) · Shaan and Kailash Kher (2007) · Shaan (2008) · Sukhwinder Singh (2009) · Mohit Chauhan (2010) · Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (2011)
Categories:- 1934 births
- 2008 deaths
- Indian film singers
- Indian male singers
- Filmfare Awards winners
- People from Amritsar
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
- Deaths from heart failure
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