Mahendra Kapoor

Singer Mahendra Kapoor passed away on Saturday. Once considered a Mohammed Rafi clone, Kapoor went on to become one of the most loved and respected singers in not only Hindi film music but also in the Punjabi and Marathi film industries. But perhaps he would be best remembered for being the voice of Manoj ‘Bharat’ Kumar. The veteran actor-director spoke to t2 on Sunday about the personal loss...

I am still benumbed... I am still benumbed. I was in contact with him on telephone and he would say every time “Main do din mein aata hoon...” But he would never come. He was not well. He was hiding his sickness from me. I came to know about it and when I asked him he just smiled.

Just like many years ago when one of his in-laws had died, he didn’t tell his wife straightaway. He took her to a place called Khakoli and bought her two plates of rabri. I had met him there and he told me: “I have to break the news to her... pehle kuch khila toh loon...” He was a jolly good fellow.

There were so many Mahendra Kapoors in one Mahendra Kapoor. He was a good husband to his wife. He was a good father to his children. He was a good friend to his friends. He was a good singer, an obedient singer to his music directors. He was always a producer’s man — a recording never got cancelled because of him.

When I recorded Mere desh ki dharti (for Upkar), Rafi saab was on world tour. Everybody was hesitant to give the song to Mahendra Kapoor. But he had already proved his singing skills. He had sung Kho gaya hai mera pyaar in Hariyali Aur Rasta, he had sung Tumne hasin hi hasin mein in Ghar Basake Dekho.

Manoj Kumar

And I also noticed in the rushes that his voice matched my body language. So I insisted that Mahendra Kapoor sing Mere desh ki dharti. Kalyanji (of Kalyanji-Anandji, music directors of Upkar) was a man who always believed in giving a chance to newcomers. He agreed, saying that it was very brave of me. We started recording the song at 9am and we packed up at 4am but he never said he was tired. That was Desh ki dharti and he won the National Award for that. Then he became my voice. Today my voice is gone.

Mahendraji’s songs will always stay evergreen. Of all his lovely songs, I like Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaaye hum dono (Gumrah), his first song Aadha hai chandrama raat aadhi (Navrang), Neele gagan ke tale (Humraaz).