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Music : December 03, 2000

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Keeping alive vintage fare

V. Gangadhar

The writer is a columnist based in Mumbai.

The Mangeshkar sisters.

Singer Manna Dey was clearly surprised when informed that a couple of songs he had heard in a concert to honour him were his own compositions from the long-forgotten films "Tamasha" and "Chamki." The famous singer, at the start of his career with the Hindi film world in Mumbai in the early 1950s, had composed tunes for some films. Music directors Naushad Ali, Anil Biswas and the family members of the late Ghulam Mohammad Husanlal Bhagatram were moved when they listened to compositions from the first films they had handled. Some of these were nearly 50 years old. Audiences at such musical evenings were ecstatic. "Thank you, thank you," exclaimed veteran Marathi journalist Neela Upadhye. "You people had resurrected my youth which was full of pleasant memories because of these wonderful songs."

A magic show? Journey by Time Machine? No, the pleasant peep into the musical past was provided by 45-year old Manohar Iyer and his dedicated associates through their three-year-old organisation, "Keep Alive." Their 12 shows during this period, had fired the fancy of music lovers. Today, halls are packed, membership has shot up to around 1,200 and music lovers are lapping up the 40-odd songs featured in every programme. More important, the creators of these immortal tunes and their family members are thrilled at this new-found recognition and honour bestowed upon them. Observed Naushad: "In entire Mumbai, there is only one Manohar Iyer who had taken pains to appreciate vintage film music and its creators."

The idea behind starting "Keep Alive" was clear. For many of us, barring a privileged few collectors of vintage music, songs from the golden era of Hindi film music, from the 1940s to the 1960s, remained a distant dream. Worse, they were drowned in the cacophony which was modern film music. Meaningful lyrics had almost been forgotten and were replaced by trash such as "Tu hai meri Pepsi Cola, mein hoon tera Coca Cola!" But can we turn the clock back and recapture the music of the vintage era?

Mohammed Rafi, Shakeel Badayuni, Ravi.		Manna Dey.		K.L.Saigal.

Manohar Iyer, a native of Thrissur but born and brought up in Mumbai, was a passionate follower of Hindi film music on Radio Ceylon even during his school days. The passion continued to burn while he completed his M.Com. and worked for 16 years at the IDBI. He had taped numerous melodies from the radio, studied the lives and careers of famous music directors and lyricists. In the 1980s, as noise replaced melody in Hindi film music, Iyer could not withstand the body blow. "I could not bear the loud tunes and the cheap lyrics which accompanied the crude dance sequences of a Jeetendra or a Sridevi. Was this going to be the fate of Hindi film music?" he asked himself.

Iyer, while organising musical shows and "Antakshri" competitions at the IDBI and other venues like the Vile Parle Seva Mandal came across others who shared his views. A core group made up of promising, young singers who worked for recording companies in Mumbai and enthusiastic workers was formed. Most of the singers belonged to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but having been brought up and trained in music in Mumbai, possessed excellent diction. Explained Srikant Narayan, one of the leading singers of the group, "Till date no one had complained that I sang Hindi songs like a South Indian. We are always working on our diction." Manohar Iyer, going one step further, speaks excellent Urdu and often comperes the shows in that language.

Mukesh.		R.D.Burman.

Starting with a music programme on "50 Years of Indian Independence" on August 14, 1997, "Keep Alive" had surged ahead. The music directors honoured included Ghulam Mohammad, Roshan, Naushad saab and Madan Mohan. Versatile lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shakeel Badayuni, singer Manna Dey, poet Pradeep and the great showman of Hindi cinema, Raj Kapoor, whose films were noted for their music were also felicitated.

The music directors of yesteryear as well as the lyricists who were never in the limelight responded positively and were thrilled at the recognition accorded to them by "Keep Alive". Explained Manohar Iyer: "The people we honoured and their family members appreciated our gestures. Hrithik Roshan sat through the entire programme which honoured his grandfather, music director the late Roshan. Grandmother Ira Roshan keeps in touch. So does Naushad. The late Ghulam Mohammad's family had their ancestral home painted and invited the "Keep Alive" group for a sumptuous meal. Manna Dey was so impressed with the show, that, despite his age (80), he ended up singing four songs. Many of the VIP guests, on listening to melodies which were more than 50 years old, were moved to tears.

S.D. Burman.		Talat Mehmood.		Manohar Iyer.

Meticulous preparations precede each show. Manohar Iyer, from his vast collection, chooses around 50 songs, divides them into segments highlighting different stages of the careers of the music directors or lyric writers concerned, and allots these to his group of singers. "This is a job which I do myself," explained Manohar Iyer. "Just because one singer has a voice like Mohamad Rafi, does not mean he will be given all the Rafi songs. Much depends on his musical background, training, sur, diction and so on. Our job is not to duplicate great singers like Rafi, Mukesh or Talat Mahmood. What is important is the song. Our audiences might not have heard these songs for years, and we give these to them." The keyboard artistes are provided with the chosen songs. Each programme requires about three full-fledged rehearsals.

Such an approach suits the singers, most of whom have been with Manohar from the beginning. Explains singer Shailaja Subramanian, "Manohar has such vast knowledge on the subject that all we have to do is follow his instructions. The songs chosen cover every mood, every stage of the career of the singer, composer or the lyricist. He is also well organised and sends us the cassettes of the songs we are going to sing well in advance."

Felicitation of Naushad Ali.

The superb organisation, meticulous details and calibre of the singers have boosted the popularity of the organisation. Membership has been halted because of the absence of large halls in the city. The fans include not only seniors, but also boys and girls, many of whom display enviable knowledge about vintage music. "We have members from the age of 12 to 73" points out Manohar Iyer. "I was delighted to learn that one of our regulars, a 12-year-old boy, submitted a school essay on 'Keep Alive.'"

For both singers and audiences, "Keep Alive" is something more than a musical fiesta, thanks to Manohar's extensive and knowledgeable compering of the shows. Singer Sairam Iyer, who had been with Manohar from the planning stages, points out that often he sings numbers from the works of music directors he has not even heard of. "My knowledge of Hindi film music began with Naushad, but thanks to 'Keep Alive', I have become aware of the greatness of composers like Anil Biswas and Husanlal Bhagatram."

The Keep Alive Team.

Agreed another group member, Balasubramaniam of Barclay's Bank. "Keep Alive" has been a wonderful educational experience. Besides reviving wonderful vintage music, it taught him that good film songs were not inferior to classical music. "I learnt a lot about classical music and its ragas after listening to the film tunes based on classical music," enthused Bala.

The growing popularity of the organisation is matched by mounting costs per programme, estimated at around Rs. 75,000 per show. Cost of the gifts to the honoured guests and artistes, hall rentals, and other expenses are mounting. But Manohar Iyer is unfazed and is committed to many more programmes, the next one honouring composer Sachin Dev Burman. From 2001, each show may be held twice to accommodate all the members.

Make no mistake, "Keep Alive" has come to stay.