For my timepass, I choose, classical as well as film music both being my favorites. I used to browse to learn about composers, lyricists, and singers. It is, indeed, a very rewarding pastime for me, many times. 

I must be thankful to Vividh Bharati and for those days when every film song would be played with the name of the ‘Geetkar’ (lyricist) and ‘Sangeetkar’ (music director) along with the singers. Today, I don’t think that system exists in radio though I am not the right person to comment about it as I am a novice as far as the present-day film music is concerned. 

I wrote a week back about Roshan’s music and his popular melodies. I couldn’t but look into the other popular but lesser known (to me) music composer Madan Mohan. He had been greatly acclaimed and I am also enticed by many of his musical scores. 

The best example can be an all-time hit and favorite ‘Lag ja Gale’ from ‘Woh Kaun Thi’. I also loved many of his songs even with very little attention to Madan Mohan’s name. Yet, when today I went through his life history of short span I cannot but wonder about the number of haunting melodies he had scored. As usual, though his interest was in music, Madan Mohan had to trek a testing path to end up with music crossing several stages and barriers. 

I just want to share some of his memorable melodies here. If you are interested, please listen to them. He had worked with several lyricists though his favorite was Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Here is part of my favorite list. 

There are many more. I cannot just keep adding them. The struggles, the break, the ascend, and the descent are all recorded precisely. One cannot but wonder how something called ‘FATE’ plays such a powerful role in every stage of any human’s life irrespective of looks, talents, name, or fame. Just two examples from Madan Mohan’s career. 

His 1964 Filmfare Award nomination for Best Music Director for ‘Who Kaun Thi’ faced a tightly contested race as both Madan Mohan and Shankar-Jaikishan (Sangam) lost to a relative newcomers Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo who scored for ‘Dosti’. 

It is said that Madan Mohan’s constant struggle took a toll on his life, and he seemed to have become an alcoholic. ‘The Ghazal ka Shehzada’ died of cirrhosis of the liver on 14 July 1975 at the age of 51. His pallbearers were Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Rajendra Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan.

*‘Teri ankhon ke siva’ Chirag Majrooh Sultanpuri Lata Mangeshkar 1969 
*‘Lag ja gale’ and ‘Jo humne dastan apni sunayee’ Woh Kaun Thi  Raja Mehdi Ali Khan Lata 1964
*‘Jumka gira re’ Mera Saaya Raja Mehdi Ali Khan Asha Bhosle 1966
 *‘Dil doond the hai’ Mausam Gulzar Lata, Bhupendar 1975
*‘Do pal rukha’  and ‘Janam Dek lo’ Veer Zara Javed Akhtar Sonu Nigam, Lata: Udit Narayan 2004