By A Correspondent

On January 15, 2010, Sydney Girl Sanghmitra made a quiet entry into Bollywood with the release of “Bhavnao Ko Samjho” in which she plays the lead role. The film has also entered Guinness Book of records for featuring 51 stand-up comedians. The story of the film revolves around Suman (Sanghmitra) who is the doting grand-daughter of a wealthy businessman and heiress to his property.

Sanghmitra has been appreciated by the critics for her scintillating performance in the movie and seems to have crossed the first hurdle in her journey to stardom. Her next film, Idiot Box is also due to be released soon in which she plays a pivotal role. Continue Reading

Sydney girl Sanghmitra Kumar’s Bollywood dreams are going to be realised soon with two of  her films “Idiot Box” and “Bhavnaon ko samjho” are being released back-to-back on 15th January, 2010 

“Bhavnaon ko samjho” is an out and out comedy in which there are 52 comedians, including the Producer and Director Sunil Pal, the Indian Laughter Challenge Champion and Johnny Lever. The second one “The Idiot Box” a rather mischevious and funny with the story based on the gimmicks of the TRPs. On the  eve of the music launch of ” Idiot box” Sanghmitra was interviewed by a film magazine in Mumbai:  Here are the excerpts from the interview.  Continue Reading

In the artistic world, it is said that even two minutes are enough for an artist to give a memorable performance. Kieran Foster, Aishveryaa Nidhi, Leanne Zaccar and Susan Stapleton had ten minutes between themselves to prove the point in Mandragora and take the play to glory at the Short+Sweet Sydney 2009, the Biggest Little Play Festival at the Newtown Theatre. David Sharpe’s intriguing and thrilling Mandragora edged out equally popular Bridgette Burton’s At the Threshold to earn the Judge’s Choice as the winner in the Week 1. The two plays were neck and neck the entire week with the final count giving it to Mandragora by just a single vote. Making her directorial debut, Lisa Eismen deftly extracted moving performances from Kieran Foster, Aishveryaa Nidhi, Leanne Zaccar and Susan Stapleton.

Mandragora, which in December was runners-up at Short + Sweet Melbourne 2008, with the Best Dramatic script, becomes the second play to be invited to participate in the Gala Final of Short + Sweet Sydney 2009 at the Seymour centre on February 20th and 21st. Mandragora was pushed all the way by At the Threshold, which took a very unusual look at the path to infidelity, featuring stunning performances by Roanna Dempsey and Andrew Doyle with Dempsey also directing it. In third place in the Judge’s Choice, in what was a very strong programme, was the haunting and at times disturbing Night Vision by S L Daniels, featuring a tour de force performance by Stef Dawson with detailed direction by Stephen Wallace. In an impressive double Mandragora also won the People’s Choice for the week, voted by audience members, with 20.75 of the votes received. Continue Reading

Legendary filmmaker Baldev Raj Chopra, better known as BR Chopra died on Wednesday at his residence in Mumbai following prolonged illness. He was 94.

Chopra was not keeping well for some time and the end came at 0830 hours at his residence in suburban Juhu.

Chopra, one of India’s most respected film personalities is survived by his filmmaker son Ravi Chopra and two daughters.

The eminent producer-director was the elder brother of filmmaker Yash Chopra. Continue Reading

A quiet family celebration was on the cards for his 66th birthday. Normally, it’s an open-house at Jalsa, the Bachchan residence in Juhu, with the scent of jasmine in the air. That wasn’t to be.

Amitabh Bachchan took ill around 12.30 pm on Saturday following abdominal pain. He was rushed to Nanavati Hospital, a brief drive away from his house. Abhishek was with his father in the ambulance with wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter Shweta Nanda  and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai following in a car.

Bachchan had been complaining of stomach pain since Friday evening. “The cause of pain is being investigated. Bachchan has undergone blood investigations and a CT scan of the abdomen. The reports will come on Sunday,” said Lilavati Hospital spokesperson Mohan Rajan.

The family, too, announced that this was a routine check-up. But from Nanavati Hospital in Juhu, Bachchan was taken to the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra.

The last time Bachchan was admitted to hospital was in December 2005. That time it was for inflammation and perforation of his intestines. Bachchan was operated on and discharged after about three weeks.

On Friday, the actor was shooting for Teen Patti, produced by Ambika Hinduja. He was to resume shooting on Monday. In 1984, he had suffered from a neuromuscular ailment while shooting for Mard. In 1982, he had suffered a near-fatal stomach injury while on the sets of Coolie in Bangalore.

“He will be in the hospital for 48 to 72 hours. There is slight improvement in his condition,” Abhishek said.

Zakir Hussain

 in an exclusive concert celebrating North Indian music for one night only on Sunday 9 November, Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

Globally revered as a tabla virtuoso of the highest standard, Zakir Hussain’s

contribution to both classical Indian music and cross-cultural music is unrivalled,

having collaborated with luminaries from Ravi Shankar to John McLaughlin, and

recognized internationally with a Grammy Award in 1992.

In this exclusive Sydney concert, featuring the traditional repertoire of North Indian

drumming on tabla in solo and duet, as well as collaborations exploring the

frontier between traditional and contemporary, folk and classical, Zakir Hussain will

demonstrate the outstanding dexterity and inspired improvisational abilities that

never fail to leave audiences spellbound wherever he performs.

The carefully selected repertoire offers musical excursions into the melodic (raga)

and rhythmic (tala) forms alongside the dazzling and athletic prowess of the

dancing drummers of Manipur.

A not-to-be-missed performance by a true percussion genius.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS: ZAKIR HUSSAIN

Venue: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House

Date: Sunday 9th November, 2008

Time: 8pm Prices: $49 – $125

Bookings: 9250 7777 or sydneyoperahouse.com

Zakir Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of

percussion and in the music world at large as an international

phenomenon.

A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and

exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure

in his own country, India, but earned him worldwide fame. His playing is

marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity,

founded in formidable knowledge and study. The favorite accompanist for

many of India’s greatest classical musicians and dancers, he has not let his

genius rest there.

Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music

movement, Zakir’s contribution to world music has been unique, with many

historic collaborations including Shakti, which he founded with John

McLaughlin and L. Shankar in the early 1970’s, the Diga Rhythm Band,

Making Music, Planet Drum with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam

with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland and recordings and performances with

artists as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto

Moreira, Giovanni Hidalgo, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Rennie Harris

and the Kodo drummers of Japan.

A child prodigy, Zakir was touring by the age of twelve, the gifted son of his

great father, tabla legend Ustad Allarakha. Zakir came to the United States

in 1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than

150 concert dates a year. He has composed and recorded many albums

and soundtracks, and has received widespread recognition as a composer

for his many ensembles and collaborations. He has composed soundtracks

for the films In Custody and The Mystic Masseur directed by Ismail

Merchant, Bertolucci’s Little Buddha, for which Zakir composed, performed

and acted as Indian music advisor, Vanaprastham (The Last Dance),

chosen to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, 1999, Saaz, and

Everybody Says I’m Fine.

Zakir received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for

the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996. He was commissioned to compose

music for Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, and to compose an original work for the

San Francisco Jazz Festival, both in 1998. He has received numerous grants

and awards, including participation in the Meet the Composer programs

funded by the Pew Memorial Trust and an Izzie (Isadora Duncan Award) for

his composition for Lines Ballet. In 2000, Zakir worked again with

choreographer Alonzo King, this time composing music for The Alvin Ailey

American Dance Theater. In 2002, his commissioned work for

choreographer Mark Morris’ “Kolam” premiered as part of Yo Yo Ma’s “Silk

Road Project” with Yo Yo and Zakir performing together live for the

performance. In September, 2006, Triple Concerto for Banjo, Bass and

Tabla, a piece co-composed by Zakir, Edgar Meyer and Bela Fleck, was

performed by the trio with the Nashville Symphony at the gala opening of

the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall in Nashville. Zakir reunited with

choreographer Alonzo King in 2007 for Lines Ballet’s 25th anniversary

celebration, creating acclaimed music for King’s new work, Rasa. Also in

2007, the government of India chose Zakir to compose an anthem to

celebrate India’s 60th year of independence. The song, “Jai Hind”, has

been recorded by an array of India’s finest classical vocalists and pop

singers.

The recipient of countless honors, Zakir has received the titles of Padma

Bhushan, in 2002, and Padma Shri, in 1988, becoming the youngest

Percussionist to be awarded these, given to civilians of merit, by the Indian

Government. In 1990, he was awarded the Indo-American Award in

recognition for his outstanding cultural contribution to relations between

the United States and India. In April, 1991, he was presented with the

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India, making him one

of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India’s governing

cultural institute. In 2006, he was the recipient of the prestigious Kalidas

Samman, an award for artists of exceptional achievement, from the

government of Madhya Pradesh. In 2007, readers’ polls from both Modern

Drummer and Drum! magazines named him Best World Music and Best

Worldbeat Drummer respectively.

In 1987, his first solo release, Making Music, was acclaimed as “one of the

most inspired East-West fusion albums ever recorded.” In 1992, Planet Drum,

an album co-created and produced by Zakir and Mickey Hart, was

awarded the first-ever Grammy® for Best World Music Album, the

Downbeat Critics’ Poll for Best World Beat Album and the NARM Indie Best

Seller Award for World Music Recording. Planet Drum, with Zakir as music

director, toured nationally in 1996 and 1997. The band has re-emerged as

Global Drum Project, touring extensively in 2007 and 2008.

In 1992, Zakir founded Moment! Records, which features original

collaborations in the field of contemporary world music, as well as live

concert performances by great masters of the classical music of India. The

label presents Zakir’s own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm

Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of Shakti

and a Masters of Percussion series. Moment Records’ 2006 release Golden

Strings of the Sarode with Aashish Khan and Zakir Hussain was nominated

for a Grammy® in the Best Traditional World Music category for that year.

Zakir is the recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the United

States’ most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts, presented

by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the United States Senate on

September 28, 1999. In 2005, he was named an Old Dominion Fellow by the

Humanities Council at Princeton University, where he resided for the 2005-

2006 semester as full professor in the music department, teaching a survey

course in Indian classical music and dance. In the spring of 2007, this course

Mitu Bhowmick-Lange opening Festival in Sydney

Aamir Khan-directed ‘Taare Zamin Par’ has been adjudged the best film and Kareena Kapoor bags the Best Performance award at the Sixth Australian Indian Film Festival  that kicked off in style in Sydney on Friday 29^th August 2008 at the Cinema Paris in the prestigious Fox Studios. The festival opened with the screening of ‘Taare Zamin Par’.

Mitu and Achala (L) of MG Distributions at Cinema Paris in Sydney

The festival was judged by the esteemed Australian critics from the Film Critics Circle of Australia Inc. Julie Rigg, well known commentator and broadcaster for Australia’s ABC Radio National, Peter Thompson, film critic and television presenter, Adrienne McKibbins, executive officer of the Film Critics Circle of Australia and Peter Crayford, film critic for the award winning journal “The Financial Times” were absolutely delighted to accept the challenge and judge the films, which will follow in the footsteps of last year’s esteemed winners… Best Film, Chak De! India Directed by Shimit Amin : Best performance: Akshaye Khanna.

 Unlike last year, the Australian Indian Film Festival (AIFF) had a quiet opening in the absence of any big stars or Bollywood personalities. Mitu Bhowmick-Lange, CEO of the Swish M G Distribution opened the festival with the announcement that her company has just opened an office in the US. She was in San Francisco and had just returned before the Sydney opening of the festival. She said the festival, now in its sixth year is fast becoming one of the most anticipated and high profile film festival in Australia. In fact, it has become the biggest foreign languages films festival in Australia.

“We tried to get the stars, especially Aamir Khan, but they were not available due to their pre-occupation with shootings,” Achala Dattar, Marketing Coordinator for Festivals of the Swish MG Distribution told The IS Times. It is likely that the awards function will be held somewhere in March 2009 when the stars are available, she said. 

A major shift in this year’s festival is that Swish has got the support of the Directorate of Festivals, Ministry of I & B, New Delhi and with it the original prints of great classics of Satyajit Ray and some of the brilliant works in the Regional film industry.

Hence, the film lovers in Australia are able to watch the retrospective of Satyajit  Ray’s films. With the sixth edition, the festival has expanded its scope to showcasing retrospective of works of great film-makers like Mani Ratnam and Raj Kapoor in the subsequent editions of the festivals, Achala revealed. The aim of the festival is to bring to the people of Australia the best of Indian films, she said.

 In the new format, the AIFF is presenting a series of superb regional films never before screened in Australia, plus the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the past years, which serve to make this year’s, programme a well rounded and true mirror of contemporary Indian cinema.

As the travelling festival continues to win fans nationally and Melbourne and Sydney kick off in fine style, we can look forward to perhaps, one of the most successful Indian Film Festivals to date a media release of the AIFF said.

The Australian Indian Film Festival (AIFF) is now in its sixth year and has become one of the Indian film indusries most prestigious events worldwide, says M G Distribution media release. This year’s festival begin at Cinema Paris on Friday 29th Aug. 2008

Every year our festival grows grander and richer with the support of our Advisory Board members being Mr. Ronnie Screwvala, Mr. Sanjev Kohli, Ms. Simi Garewal, Ms. Natalie Miller, Mr. Amit Khanna and Festival Patron Mr. Yash Chopra who are amongst the most influential people in the Indian film industry.

“We are thrilled to launch this year’s festival with the inspirational story of Ishaan in Taare Zameen Par, produced and directed by Aamir Khan- one of India’s most acclaimed actors.

This year we will present our most diverse programme of films in the history of the festival. With the support of the Directorate of Film Festivals, Minister of I & B, New Delhi, we showcasea selection of films from one of the world’s finest filmmakers Mr. Satyajit Ray. In addition we present a series of the most superb regional films never before screened in Australia plus the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the past year, indeed making this year’s programme a very well rounded true mirror of Indian cinema, ” the release said.

The regional films include:

AMI, IYASIN AR AMAR MADHUBALA (The Voyeurs)- Bengali

DHARM – Hindi

KADA BELADINGALU- Kannada

RATHRI MAZHA- Malayalam

TINGYA- Marathi

We give below Maan’s interview  he gave to Sanghmitra and printed in The Indian Sub-continent Times’s April 2004 issue. 

Meet Gurdas Maan, the human being. He is a different personality off stage. More humble with no airs of a super star. When everybody thought that after the hectic night of dance and music, Maan would be resting in his plush hotel room, the organizers sprang a surprise early next morning with a call at the IST office to say that the legendary singer has taken some time off out of his busy schedule for the media before leaving for Melbourne. The IST representative Sanghmitra responded to the short notice.

Q)                   How do you find Sydney?

Gurdas Maan: I have been to Sydney before, this is the third time I am coming here but it feels good to be back.

Q)How was the show last night?

GM The show was excellent. It got better and better with every song. There is a saying that after every action — there is equal reaction and this is exactly what happened last night. Sydneyites’ response to my songs was fabulous and so was my response to them and that encouraged me to perform better and better with every song. The crowd enjoyed listening and I also enjoyed singing..

Q) When you got the offer to perform in Australia again, what was your reaction? What were your expectations from the people living here?

GM It was overwhelming! I think people living outside of India are more successful in keeping our culture alive. Living in a small community in a foreign land keeps you more and more in contact with each other and more close to each other.

Q) What are your views on India and Pakistan? Would you like to perform in Pakistan if given a chance?

GM People living in Pakistan and people living in India are not different at all. We all are same people, we eat the same kind of food, and our lifestyle is the same. I would love to perform in Pakistan; I am waiting for that chance.

 Q) It is said that behind every successful man there is a woman? Who is behind your success?

GM                  There are heaps of women behind my success! (Laughs) No, I am serious, there are so many women behind my success — my daadi who loves me a lot, my mother, my wife and all my fans that include women too.

Q) Maan Saheb, you are an excellent singer, who did you learn singing from?

GM Thank you very much. God gave me this voice but also along with it gave me responsibility to serve people. I used to listen to other singers and that is how I used to sing songs as a hobby with my friends. “Main to yoon hi shauk shauk mein dafli bajata tha, phir logon ne dafli mere gale mein baandh di aur paaon mein ghunguroo daal diye!” (Laughs)

Every artist in the world needs blessings from a guru and after singing for a while I was blessed by Pandit Atma Prakashji and later on I learnt sarangi from Sultan Khan Saheb. 

Q) How do you bring such deep truths of life in your songs?

GM Experiences! Life is full of experiences. Everyday we experience something or the other and when I put these experiences in a song they become Folk Songs or Lok Geet and when I sing them, the audience react by saying that this is my song…this is what I have been through.

When I go back to India from here I will take experiences from here. Whatever happened last night at the show is an experience and soon they would be converted into a song.

Q) These days ‘Punjabi’ songs are very popular in Hindi Films. What do you think is the reason behind this and what influence does it have?

GM  It has a very negative influence I would say. These days anything to do

Punjabis is a joke. The moment a person says Punjabi, the first thing that comes in mind is “Balle Balle”.

We have made films in Punjabi, one was “Zindagi Khoobsurat” and the other was “Shidat-e-mohabbat” and Manoj Punj was the director for both.

So now two other movies “Des hua Pardes” and “Political Asylum” are under production with the same director and for which we contacted Juhi Chawla. We told her that one movie is going to be in Punjabi and the other in Hindi, Juhi replied that the project is good but it shouldn’t become a mockery. So this is the negative influence of Punjabi songs in Hindi films that instead of promoting Punjabi culture it is making fun of it.

Q)                    Any message for the people of Sydney?

GM I would like to thank all those people who came last night for my show, the kids who danced to all my numbers, people who sat there and listened to each and every word of my songs and enjoyed the beat, the families who specially came with their children so that they could learn more about our culture, all the people who were dancing — they obeyed me when I told them to have control on themselves, this shows their respect towards me, and all my fans. Above all my producers, who gave me another chance to perform in Sydney. Thank you to all! God bless you.

      Lata Mangeshkar was once asked which music director she had liked to work with ‘besides’ Madan Mohan. It appeared difficult for her to answer because Madan Mohan’s name was taken off the question. It is said that it was Madan Mohan who could bring out the best in Lata. He would keep on rehearsing till he got what he wanted in Lata’s voice. Lata and Madan Mohan made each other famous.

On 14th July 2008, it was Madan Mohan’s 33rd death anniversary.

Yash Chopra had some of the maestro’s unused compositions and he re-recorded them under the aegis of the composer’s son, Sanjeev Kohli for his film Veer-Zaara .

It is a thumping testimony to Madan Mohan Kohli’s genius that a filmmaker with Chopra’s knack for second-guessing the audience feels his music is still relevant, decades after his heyday. Recent revisits to the past like Dil Vil Pyar Vyar and Jhankaar Beats have paid homage to R D Burman, but never has the entire score of an A-list film been derived from a deceased composer’s virgin works.

What is piquantly ironic, however, is the thought that during his lifetime (he died aged just 51 in 1975) Madan Mohan never got the multiple awards or the commercial frontline that his talent so richly deserved.

 Mohan was born to privilege as the son of Rai Bahadur Chunilal who helped helm the affairs of such famous studios as Bombay Talkies and Filmistan. But the Rai Bahadur sent him to Army. But the musically inclined Madan left Army and went to Lucknow to be in the company of greats like Ustaad Faiyaaz Khan, Talat Mehmood and Shamshad Begum. Soon he came to Bombay and assisted a few music directors like SD Burman. He began his career by composing with Devendra Goel’s debut directorial venture, Aankhen (1950) starring Bharat Bhushan, Shekhar and Nalini Jaywant.

The film was a success, Meena Kapoor’s song Mori atarwa pe kaga bole, mora jiya dole was very popular (there was no Lata Mangeshkar on this soundtrack) and subsequently, a fair amount of work came Madan Mohan’s way.

Among Madan Mohan’s early 1950s films was a trio of films starring his childhood friend, Raj Kapoor: Aashiana, Dhun and Paapi. But despite gems like Mera qarar leja, Main pagal mera manwa pagal and Badi barbadiyan lekar, Madan Mohan’s work failed to create much impact.

It was with the Ashok Kumar-Kishore Kumar tandem, Bhai Bhai (1956) that the young composer tasted a modicum of success. The score had Kishore’s typical Mera naam Abdul Rehman, Lata’s Kadar jaane na but the most successful was Geeta Dutt’s Aye dil mujhe bata de picturised on seductress Shyama who entices Ashok Kumar away from the homely charms of wife Nirupa Roy.

Unfortunately for Madan, though he became well-known for his felicity in weaving many a gossamer melody like Chaand madhyam (Railway Platform), Aaja kahin se aaja (Samundar), Do ghadi woh jo paas aa baithe (Gateway Of India) and Hamsafar saath apna chhod chale (Aakhri Dao), the films were not commercial blockbusters.

To Madan Mohan’s consternation, he found that the topmost heroes and banners had already settled into comfortable grooves with their favourite composers (Raj Kapoor-Shankar Jaikishen, Dilip Kumar-Naushad, Dev Anand-S D Burman) leaving little room for a newcomer, however talented, to elbow his way in.

He may have missed out on providing the music for any of the golden age classics, but two outstanding Madan Mohan scores – Dekh Kabira Roya (1957) and Adalat (1958) – established that whatever may be the rat race positioning, Madan Mohan had to be noted as a special prodigy.

The special rapport with Lata

The legendary jugalbandi between Madan Mohan and his eternal muse Lata Mangeshkar began early in his career – with 1951’s plaintive Preetam meri duniya mein do din to rahe hote from Ada.

Madan Mohan had this special ability to highlight the tenderness in Lata’s voice, which even his elaborate orchestrations could never subdue.

And while they have justifiably earned a reputation for highly emotional scorchers, not all their together numbers were lugubrious litanies.

Lata could sound upbeat in Bahana’s Jaa re badra bairi jaa, seductive in Sanjog’s Chala hai kahan, jaunty in Neela Akash’s Aapko pyar chhupane ki buri aadat hai and perky in Mera Saaya’s Nainowali ne and be as easy on the ears as she was in the sombre numbers like Chacha Zindabad’s Bairan neend na aaye, Jahan Ara’s Woh chup rahe mere dil ke daag jalte hai or Ek Kali Muskayee’s Na tum bewafaa ho.

Hitting a high note

By the turn of the sixties, Madan Mohan had acquired a reputation as a composer with class. His successful streak began after his Anpadh (1962) songs like Aapki nazron ne samjha (picturised on Mala Sinha) and Jiya le gayo re mora sanwariya (picturised on Bindu) became the rage.

Significantly, Anpadh’s ghazals, Aapki nazron ne samjha and Hai issi mein pyar ki aabroo gave Madan Mohan the sobriquet of King of Ghazals. He had already laid the foundation with Adalat some years earlier through songs like Yun hasraton ke daag, Unko yeh shikayat hai ke ham and the goosebump-evoking Jaana tha hamse door bahane bana diye.

Further commercial success came the composer’s way with two Sadhana-Raj Khosla mystery thrillers — Woh Kaun Thi (1964) and Mera Saaya (1966). Madan Mohla’s third outing with Khosla, Chiraag (1969), however, didn’t break the bank despite some exquisite tunes.

The sixties also saw Madan Mohan begin his long association with Chetan Anand after the success of Haqeequat (1965) and it continued with Heer Ranjha, Hanste Zakham and Hindustan Ki Kasam. Madan Mohan’s Haqeequat composition, Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyon, was immortalised by Rafi and finds an echo in a new multistarrer of the same name.

A question of aesthetics

Though he never won a Filmfare award, Madan Mohan bagged the National Award for the Sanjeev Kumar-Rehana Sultan starrer, Dastak (1971) which was embellished with glittering triumphs like Maai ri, Baiyan na dharo and Hum hain mataye kuchao.

Madan Mohan’s keen sense of aesthetics was widely acknowledged and in the 1970s it was sensitive filmmakers like Chetan Anand, Rajinder Singh Bedi (Dastak), Hrishikesh Mukherji (Bawarchi) and Gulzar (Mausam) who collaborated with him.

And Madan Mohan continued to dish out raag-based Indian music at the time when Dum maro dum was already ruling the airwaves.

It is to Madan Mohan’s credit that he remained in demand with discerning filmmakers right up to the end. And it was a fitting irony to this composer’s life that the two films that released soon after his death — Mausam and Laila Majnu — became resounding musical successes. — Source Rediff.com, wikipedia.