On August 27, it will be 50 years since the legendary Mukesh achieved immortality. The iconic playback singer of films as varied as Sangam, Anari, Shor, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Himalay Ki God Mein, Saraswatichandra, Dil Hi To Hai, Anand and more died literally with his boots on during a concert in Detroit. What is more: he had left for that tour directly from the recording of the song, Chanchal sheetal nirmal komal, for Laxmikant-Pyarelal in Raj Kapoor’s Satyam Shivam Sundaram.
Grandson Neil Nitin Mukesh, born six years later, however, feels that he knows his grandfather from up close, and explains why. “My daadi, the late Saral Mukesh, brought him alive for me,” says Neil. “Honestly, I have never come across a woman more in love with her husband than her. She had such vivid memories of him that I never felt I did not meet Dadaji!”
He goes on, “My sister and I would love to spend every weekend with her, as she had the entire Raj Kapoor collection on videocassettes! As we were never allowed to watch TV at home, except for Ramayan and then Mahabharat on Sunday mornings, we would love going to her home every Friday and Saturday for a sleepover. Inevitably, we often chose the longest Raj Kapoor movie— Mera Naam Joker!”
Daadi would show the kids all the trophies—National award downwards—that Mukesh had won. “I would be awed by them all, because at that age, I could only think of prizes won for a sack race or similar in school!” grins Neil.
“My grandmother would say that Dadaji was singing the songs, and I would be puzzled why she was saying that because I was seeing Raj-uncle singing them on screen,” smiles Neil at the memory. “She explained that he was a ‘playback’ singer. Understanding dawned only when Yash (Chopra) uncle had signed me on to play Rishi Kapoor’s childhood in Vijay. We were shooting in Bengaluru and he came with a box of chocolates and explained that I had to “lip-synch” the song Akkad bakkad bambe bo. He said that someone else had sung it, but I only had to move my lips on screen. When we returned to Mumbai, I excitedly went and told daadi that I understood now what both my grandfather and father did!”
Neil adds that if his grandmother kept Mukesh alive through memories, his father Nitin Mukesh kept him alive for the close-knit family through his songs. Though trained in music, Nitin’s ambition had been to direct films, which is why he had assisted Hrishikesh Mukherjee for years. And Mukesh was to produce a film for his son, but that never happened.
Mukesh | Pic: Wikipedia
Says Neil, “After Dadaji’s sudden demise, dad had to take on the family reins and look after his mother and his younger siblings who were like his kids then. That’s when he decided to take music on as a profession. And till date, across the world, all of us get so much love from fans because of the admiration everyone has for Dadaji as singer and as a person. He has left behind a complete legacy of love.”
Neil has fond memories of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, whose affection for Mukesh translated generationally into love for his father and him. It was Lata who had suggested his name Neil (after Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon) as the newborn child was as fair as a foreigner.
“I can’t tell you how much they worshipped Dadaji!” he exclaims. The most memorable association Neil has of Asha is of her brushing away his professional laments at a dull stage in his career. “Did you know that your father, despite so much success, had no work for some years?” she told him. “He had a family to support, and yet maintained the same smile and calm grace until Time brought him back.”
For the world, Mukesh is a legend. And Neil knows why Dadaji became one.
Neil Nitin Mukesh’s Mukesh favourites
Suhani chandni raaten
Film: Mukti
Zindagi khwab hai
Film: Jagte Raho
Koi jab tumhara hriday tod de
Film: Purab Aur Pacchim
Taaron mein sajke
Film: Jal Bin Machhli
Nritya Bin Bijli
Suhana safar
Film: Madhumati
All songs of RK Films,
especially Ek din bik jayega
Film: Dharam Karam
