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EntertainmentPosted at: May 1 2025 7:59PM


Manna Dey - the king of melody whose popularity remains intact

Mumbai, May 1 (UNI) Manna Dey is immortalised in the annals of Indian cinema as the melodious voice that popularised classical music among the cine buffs, while simultaneously enthralling the public with his inimitable range that included romantic chart-toppers, peppy numbers and evergreen qawwalis.
Thursday marks the 106th birth anniversary of the singing legend whose songs continue to mesmerised the people over 11 and a half years after his death.
Born on May 1, 1919 in Kolkata, Prabodh Chandra Dey, affectionately known as Manna Dey, was groomed in an intellectually rich and culturally vibrant household. Though his father harboured aspirations of seeing him pursue a career in law, Dey was irresistibly inclined to the world of music. He received his initial training in classical music from his uncle, the noted musician and composer K C Dey.
A memorable anecdote from his early years brings out the talent that Dey was bestowed with, During a 'riyaz' (practice) session involving Ustad Badal Khan and his uncle, the maestro was drawn by the sweet tunes of a boy singing nearby, Ustadji couldn't help but ask his uncle who was humming the songs. When Manna Dey shyly claimed he was singing just for fun, Ustadji took no time to understand his potential and asked his uncle to groom him as a singer.
Dey moved to Mumbai in the 1940s alongside his uncle to fulfil his dreams in the field of music. He formally debuted as a playback singer in 1943 with the film "Tamannna", where he performed a duet alongside Suraiya.
Prior to this, he had contributed as a part of the chorus in the film "Ram Rajya", a film that holds a rare distinction of being the only one viewed by Mahatma Gandhi.
Over the decades, Dey evolved into one of Hindi cinema's most versatile vocalists. It was the visionary composer duo Shankar-Jaikishan who truly recognised Manna Dey's rare blend of classical prowess and cinematic adaptability and made him sing songs in different styles.Dey crooned romantic numbers 'Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum' as also musically intricate classical 'ragas' like 'Ketaki Gulab Juhi'. Ironically, Dey was initially reluctant to sing the latter, fearing its demanding classical elements.
Over a luminious career spanning over five decades, Manna Dey recorded a staggering 3,047 songs in 16 Indian languages, including Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Chhattisgarhi, Hindi and his mother tongue Bengali.
He attained his musical zenith during the mid-1950s to the 1970s.
He also shared the microphone with virtually every legendary singer of his era from Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhonsle to Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, bringing a distinctive richness to each duet. He entered the realm of ghazals in the 1950s and dabbled in Western-infused melodies, all while upholding the dignity of classical aesthetics.
A gifted composer as well, he co-created music for films like "Shri Ganesh Janma" (1951) and "Vishwamitra" (1952), showcasing his versatility beyond the microphone. Even in the twilight of his career, Dey's voice continued to move people across generations.
He retained his relevance and managed to touch the pulse of the contemporary youth with the hauntingly nostalgic Bengali song "Coffee Houser Sei Adda Ta" (1983), which continues to charm music lovers,
For his outstanding contributions to Indian music, Manna Dey received several prestigious accolades from the Government of India. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1971, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2007.
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