Musical notes

“I’ve always been a music lover,particularly of Shamshad Begum,but she hasn’t been an easy artist to document. Apart from the incredible amount of work she has produced,she’s also very elusive and has stayed away from the public eye,” says Mohanlal. Khanakti Aawaaz was born after Mohanlal realised Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle have attracted biographers and writers and nobody documented the singer who gave us Saiyyan Dil Mein Aana Re and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar. This year,Shamshad Begum,was conferred the Padma Bhushan.

Mohanlal was a teacher of mathematics at Holkar College,Indore,until his love for music made him a full-time researcher of Shamshad Begum’s music. “Sometimes,I would have to listen to every single record I bought to identify her voice,especially when she sang bhajans. They’d change her name to Radha Rani so that it would not anger anybody that a Muslim woman had sung a Hindu bhajan,” says Mohanlal who journeyed to Lahore’s Lohar Mandi where a part of Begum’s family still lives.

The book is self-published,and though Mohanlal has no experience in publishing,it has been carefully produced to rank as a collector’s item. Begum’s illustrious career has been divided into several categories and each song is mentioned with the details of her co-singer,music composer,film and even recording dates and numbers.

“These days,songs are meant to be viewed,not heard and what moves me each time I listen to Begum’s voice is how flawlessly she sang in those days and with such emotion,” smiles Mohanlal whose favourite songs are Mere Nindon Mein

Tum from Naya Andaaz and Jaan Tham Le.

The book is priced at Rs 850 and can be purchased from directly from Mohanlal,call him on 098-198-83628.