Pankaj Mullick

Pankaj Kumar Mullick (10 May 1905 – 19 February 1978) was an Indian music composer, playback singer and actor, who was a pioneer of film music in Bengali cinema and Hindi cinema at the advent of playback singing, as well as an early exponent of Rabindra Sangeet.<ref name=Upperstall/><ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Biography>Biography Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name=TheHindu/>

Awards and recognition

Pankaj Mullick was awarded the Padma Shri award in 1970,<ref name=MySwar>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Upperstall/> followed by the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (India's highest award in cinema, given by the Government of India) in 1972 for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.<ref name=Upperstall/><ref name=TheHindu/><ref name=Phalke>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Recipients of Dada Saheb Phalke Award. webindia123.com</ref>

Early life and training

Pankaj Kumar Mullick was born on 10 May 1905 in Kolkata to Monimohan and Monomohini Mullick.<ref name=Upperstall/> His father Monimohan had a deep interest in traditional Bengali music. He developed an early interest in music, and used to practice on his neighbour's harmonium in secret. He started his early training in Indian classical music under the tutelage of Durgadas Bandyopadhyaya. Pankaj studied at the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta.<ref>Some Alumni of Scottish Church College in 175th Year Commemoration Volume. Scottish Church College, April 2008. page 590.</ref>

An important turning point in his life came when, after finishing his studies, he came in contact with Dinendranath Tagore, who was Rabindranath Tagore's grand-nephew. This led to Pankaj Mullick's lasting interest in Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindranath Tagore, in turn, grew fond of him, and soon Mullick became known as one of the leading exponents of Tagore's songs.<ref name=Upperstall/><ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

Pankaj Mullick became a popular musician in the 1930s and 1940s in the era of singer K. L. Saigal.<ref name=Phalke/> Tagore's song Nemecche Aaj Prothom Badal became his first commercial recording, with the Kolkata-based Videophone Company in 1926, at the age of twenty one.<ref name=Cinemaazi/> This was the first of many albums which made him a household name in Rabindra sangeet.<ref name=Upperstall/>

He started his career with the Indian Broadcasting Corporation in Calcutta in 1927, the forerunner of All India Radio (AIR), along with composer R. C. Boral, where he contributed as a music director and artist for nearly fifty years.<ref name=Phalke/><ref name=Cinemaazi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Apart from composing songs for movies, he also composed the programme called Mahishashur Mardini. This program was based on the triumph Maa Durga over the demon Mahishashur. The programme included Chandi Path by Birendra Krishna Bhadra and Agomoni songs by various singers. This programme gained such a huge popularity that till date, the recorded version of this programme is played by All India Radio on the day of Mahalaya at 4:00 am.<ref name=Upperstall>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Phalke/><ref name=Biography/>

He contributed in various capacities to Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil language films for 38 years, starting in 1931.<ref name=Upperstall/> He worked as music director to artists like K.L. Saigal, S.D. Burman, Hemanta Mukherjee, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle. He acted with famous film actors like K L Saigal, P.C. Barua and Kanan Devi. Along with Nitin Bose and his renowned sound engineer brother Mukul Bose, Mullick introduced playback singing in Indian cinema. He also composed his own tunes and set lyrics to music.<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Phalke/><ref name=Biography/>

He worked with one of the early film studios, New Theatres Calcutta for 25 years. He became one of its two ace music directors.<ref name=Phalke/><ref name=Biography/>

Death and legacy

File:Pankaj Mullick 2006 stamp of India.jpg

Mullick on a 2006 stamp of India

Pankaj Mullick died on 19 February 1978 in Calcutta, India.<ref name=Cinemaazi/> The Indian Postal Service released a postage stamp on his birth centenary in 2006 on 4 August, and on 10 May, Doordarshan, India's state television channel, telecast a special music programme to commemorate the occasion. Five decades earlier, it was he and Bharatanatyam dancer Vyjayanthimala who were lead performers at the nationwide launch of the channel in 1959.<ref name=TheHindu>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Year	Film
1955	Raikamal<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1954	Chitrangada
1952	Yatrik<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1952	Mahaprasthaner Pathey<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1952	Zalzala
1950	Rupkatha<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1949	Manzoor
1948	Pratibad
1947	Ramer Sumati<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1945	Dui Purush<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1944	Meri Bahen<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1943	Kashinath<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1943	Dikshul
1942	Meenakshi<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1940	Doctor<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1940	Nartaki<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1940	Zindagi<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1939	Badi Didi
1939	Dushman
1939	Kapal Kundala<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1938	Abhagin
1938	Abhigyan
1938	Desher Mati
1938	Dharti Mata
1938	Jiban Maran
1937	Badi Bahen
1937	Didi<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1937	Mukti<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1936	Devdas<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1936	Grihadah
1936	Karodpati a.k.a. Millionaire with R. C. Boral<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1936	Maya<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1936	Manzil<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/>
1933	Yahudi Ki Ladki (His debut with the Hindi Film Industry)<ref name=Cinemaazi/>
1931	Chasher Meye<ref name=Cinemaazi/><ref name=Upperstall/><ref name=Phalke/>

Works

• Aamar Jug Aamar Gaan (Bengali). Firma KLM Pvt Ltd., Calcutta 1980.

See also

• Indian film music directors

External links

• Template:Official website A comprehensive resource centre for research and documentation of Pankaj Mullick songs & related memorabilia
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0612281

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