Mukesh

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Mukesh Chand Mathur, Mukesh for short, was born in 1923 in Delhi, the sixth of ten children. His father was an engineer. He listened in on his sister's singing lessons and left school after the tenth grade. He worked briefly at the Public Works Department and meanwhile experimented with recordings of his voice. At his sister's wedding his voice caught the attention of his distant cousin, the actor Motilal, who took him to Bombay and arranged singing lessons for him. In 1941 he sang his first song, as an actor and singer, in the film Nirdosh. His first hit as a playback singer came in 1945.

Music and breakthrough

At first he imitated his idol K. L. Saigal. The composer Naushad Ali helped him find a style of his own. He then sang for Dilip Kumar, until the latter chose Mohammed Rafi, and became the voice of Raj Kapoor. He sang most for the duo Shankar Jaikishan, 133 songs, followed by Kalyanji Anandji with 99. Of his four Filmfare Awards he won three for songs by Shankar Jaikishan. In 1974 he received the National Film Award for Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai from Rajnigandha.

Influence

Mukesh was one of the most popular voices of Hindi cinema and was also heard as the voice of Manoj Kumar, Feroz Khan and Sunil Dutt. He died in 1976. His name belongs to the golden age of Hindi film music, in which playback singers were the voice of the screen.

Listening

• 
  Awara Hoon · Mukesh, 1951

Discography

Studio albums

• 1974Shor/Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (soundtrack)
• 1979Tulsi Ramayan, Volume 3
• 1998Tulsi Ramayan Vol 4
• ?Anuraag (soundtrack)
• ?The Ultimate 3
• ?Tulsi Ramaya

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• The Dream Factory: Film Reel 6^NL Reader

Mentioned in other articles

• Golden age of Hindi film music GenrePlayback singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh record the songs, and the actors lip-sync.