Madan Mohan

Started composing career as assistant to C. Ramchandra

Madan was known to be an extremely talented cook. On occasions when he had composed an excellent tune (to his mind), he would prepare celebratory meals for his family; he himself would go purchasing vegetables/meat/spices through the bazaars (according to his son, he took the same care with his dishes as with his songs). His family/friends claim that his food was of the same excellent quality as his music was. Regular guests to these feasts were Lata Mangeshkar , Chetan Anand and his wife Priya Anand, and Kaifi Azmi.

Madan was fond of all kinds of cuisine, but especially Chinese cooking. He was one of the earliest Indians to be a regular patron at the Nankings/Fredericks/Shanghai restaurants, all at Colaba at that time.

Mohan possessed a Grundig 2 tape recorder and later an Akai 4 tape recorder. These were (in the 1960s) the most sophisticated tape recording equipment, and he considered them his most cherished possessions and handled with loving care.

He kept two dogs: an Alsatian named Sugar and a collie named Romeo. He was so devoted to them that when they fell ill and died he was utterly devastated. He never took any more pets, and he forbade his children from doing so as he didnt want them to experience the loss and pain that he went through.

The sitar was his favourite musical instrument, but despite using it so well in his songs, he had not learnt to play it. It was only in the early 1970 that he began formally learning the sitar from musician Ustad Shamim Ahmed.

Originally, Madan planned on being an actor. Unfortunately, his first film as a hero got shelved after completing almost 8-9 reels of shooting, and his subsequent efforts at acting were no less a flop. However, he made appearances in the films Shaheed , Aansoo and Munimji .

On his second birthday, Madan was gifted a small drum by his parents. That same day the Iraq Police Band was marching down the streets outside his house. Madan took his little drum, joined the band and started marching with the musicians. When his absence was discovered, his parents set out on a vigorous search and after two hours tracked him down at the police depot.

Once, a young Madan brought to the A.I.R. (Bombay) studio a nine-year-old girl to audition for a radio programme. He told the executive that the girl could sing well, but when she was in front of an audience, she broke down sobbing. Madan wiped her tears and took her away. The next week, he brought the girl back with him and this time, she sang well and got a standing ovation. The girl was a young Suraiya , who would go on to become a landmark singer in Bollywood.

One day, at the A.I.R. (Bombay) studio, he met a boy who was the center of attraction; they became good friends and participated in many programmes. The boy was a young Raj Kapoor.

Even while he was in the Army, he would follow his musicians heart, and would organize small programmes to entertain his troops.

Madan originally wanted to do music composition after leaving school. At his fathers insistence, however, he underwent a year at Colonel Browns Military High School in Dehradun. He later joined the army in 1943 as a Second Lieutenant/artillery man, and was stationed in Bangalore for two years (till the end of World War II). He considered his service in the army as a fruitful period of his life as he learned personal traits like courtesy, endurance, discipline, physical fitness and punctuality.

Madans father was Rai Bahadur Chunilal Kohli, who worked as an accountant with the Iraqi Police in Baghdad, and later founded Bombay Talkies, the first major Bollywood studio.

He had a younger brother, Prakash Kohli, who also had a career in the film industry.

A few months before he passed away, he had a near-fatal accident: his car skidded off the Western Ghats and was fully destroyed. He narrowly escaped by jumping out of the car. Even though he was in a state of shock, and suffered minor bruises, he took a taxi to Bombay and went straight to the studio for the scheduled recording.

Madan inherited his love and talent of music from his mother, Bhagwanti Devi, who was a poet and great admirer of music. Her father, Hakim Yograj, was a famous doctor in Chakwal (a town in the Jhelum district of Pakistani Punjab) who was also a music connoisseur.

He owned a Studebaker automobile, custom-painted (in white and blue) to his specifications, and which he always drove and maintained with care. He called it his "baby.".

He was a remarkable sports enthusiast, developing interest in boxing, billiards, football, cricket and swimming. He attended any major sporting event whenever possible, sitting at the ringside to get a full view of the action. He also developed good friendships with the top sportsmen of the time.

His father, Rai Bahadur Chunilal Kohli, had no confidence in his sons ability. However, one day, Madan invited him to a preview of a completed Aankhen . Afterwards, he didnt say a word until he was about to leave: "Son, you have proved that you not only know music, but have musical feelings. I am convinced that you have chosen the right career. I shall pray for your success." Two months later, Rai Bahadur passed away - he claimed that while he never regretted anything in life, in those few moments he expressed a genuine regret for not giving his son a chance in one of his own productions.

When Madan arrived in Bombay to make a mark on his own, he initially shared rooms with various friends, including producer Ramanand Sagar , Sajjan , O.P. Dutta and Chandrashekhar.

His sisters daughter is actress Anju Mahendru.

Son Sameer Kohli born in 1961.

Son Sanjeev Kohli born in 1956.

Daughter Sangeeta Kohli born in 1954.

Grandson is Akshay Kohli ( Son of Sanjeev Kohli).

Though knowledge of the principles and basic rules of music is,essential, it is not necessary to learn music in a conventional way, at,the feet of a master. I believe that music can be learned by the ear,provided one has the desire to learn. Music, much more than any other,art, can never be hammered into reluctant pupils or doled out in daily,tuition classes. The opportunity of working with stalwarts of classical,music gave me a closer knowledge and understanding of music. Very,subtly but insidiously, music strengthened its grip on me. Without,quite knowing when or how, my ears began to echo with the rich melodies,I heard everyday. And that was how I actually learnt music.

Working at a stretch, day after day, is not my way of working. I need at,least an interval of two months to abandon the mood of one film and,take up another.

In a film where three minutes is all the time given to a song, the,foremost requirement of a song is only one thing; it should be capable,of capturing the interest of the listeners in a short period and,sustaining it in the years to follow.

The mysteries of the mind, the interpretations of dreams and the,monumental probing into certain aspects of my thoughts provoked me to,concentrate on film music. Music was in my blood. Nothing could curb it,from coming out. Destiny decided that I part with my musical gift to,music lovers.

It is usually very difficult for a music director to get unusual song,situations and one is quite thrilled and inspired for better,composition when a novel song situation turns out to be a novel,situation.

A song gets a very big push from a genuine situation and even an average,song correctly placed and picturised has chances of becoming very,popular. If the song situation is good, then the people too who are,seeing the film feel the necessity of the song and become emotionally,attached to it.

The situation for a song should inspire the music director to compose,original tunes. If the song situation is good, any music director whose,compositions are usually of a good standard will be able to do full,justice to it and turn in a tune which has every chance of becoming a,hit. Basically I am an emotional man and any song with an emotional,approach inspires and spurs me to do something great.

Wadia. He was extremely happy with it and the song went on to become,very popular. It was "Mere Yaad Mein Tum Tum Na.

About his early years in Bollywood: At one time, I was doing so badly,that I had to starve for five days at a stretch. But not for once did I,think of going to my people for help.

Here every film is made with all the entertaining ingredients, music,being the major one, whereas it is not so in the case of films made in,other countries. Seventy percent success of our films depends solely on,the merits of the musical score. But it is still very exciting to be a,music director.

One must remember that a sad song, once it gets popular, has more,chances of surviving and remaining popular for a long time than a light,song. A light song, even the most popular one, hardly lasts for a year,while a sad song survives for decades. .