Mukesh (Singer)

Some Lesser Known Fact About Mukesh (Singer)

• Did Mukesh smoke?: Not Known

• Did Mukesh drink alcohol?: Yes 

• He began developing his interest in music, after listening to the music teacher who came to his place to teach her younger sister.

• Before beginning his career as a singer, he worked as a clerk in Department of Public Works in Delhi.

• His father-in-law was against the marriage of his daughter with a singer. Therefore, Mukesh has decided to elope with his wife Saral and started living together in Mumbai.

• Famous actor Motilal, a distant relative of Mukesh, observed his singing in an event and arranged the tutelage for him under Pandit Jagannath Prasad in Mumbai.

• He was an ardent fan of K. L. Saigal and used to imitate his voice at the early stage of his singing career. It is said that when K. L. Saigal first heard the song “Dil Jalta Hai,” he was not able to recognise that whether he sang that song or someone else.

• He sang for various films of Raj Kapoor and became the favourite voice of the legendary actor. His famous classic songs for Raj Kapoor includes Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar (Anari, 1959), Awara Hoon (Awaara, 1951), Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din (Mera Naam Joker, 1970), and many more.

• Music directors like Naushad and Anil Biswas helped him in developing his own style of singing by giving him songs of different genres like Mera Pyaar Bhi Tu Hain Yeh, Uthaye Ja Unke Sitam Aur Jiye Ja, Ham Aj Kahin Dil Kho Baithe, and many more.

• His name along with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar is counted among the leading playback singers of their time.

• He worked with various renowned music directors such as S.D. Burman, Kalyanji Anandji, Shankar Jaikishen, Laxmikant Pyarelal, and many more. One of his songs ‘Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan,’ directed by Shankar Jaikishan, has always been the favourite song for all the music lovers.

• He was accoladed with the National Award for the song ‘Kai Baar Yun Bhi Dekha’, and honoured with four Filmfare Awards for the songs ‘Sab Kuch Seekha’ (1959), ‘Jai Bolo Beimaan Ki’ (1972), ‘Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein’ (1976), and ‘Sabse Bada Naadan’ (1970).

• He was also honoured with Bengal Film Journalists Association Awards for his songs ‘Duniya Banane Wale,’ ‘Chandan Sa Badan’, and ‘Ram Kare Aisa Ho Jaye.’

• On 27 August 1976, he went to Detroit, Michigan for a concert with Lata Mangeshkar but after taking shower in the early morning, he complained about his chest pain and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The rest of the concert was completed by Lata Mangeshkar and his son Nitin Mukesh.

• His songs such as ‘Ham Dono Milke Kagaz Pe’, ‘Humko Tumse Ho Gayaa Hai Pyaar,’ and ‘Saat Ajoobe Is Duniya Ke’, were released after his death. The last song that was sung by him was ‘Chanchal Sheetal Nirmal Komal’ for the film Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978).