Mehboob (singer)
Encyclopedia
Mehboob was an India
n musician
and playback singer
. He was one of the most successful playback singers in Malayalam film industry during 1950s and early 1960s, with a good number of hit songs in his kitty.
, Kingdom of Cochin
, into a family beset with stark poverty. He spent his childhood in the nearby Bengal battalion military camp polishing shoes while his mother did cleaning jobs. Mehboob grew up to become the singer of choice for the various pre-nuptial ceremonies conducted by rich families in Cochin. He made his name, friends and admirers from here. Mehboob had no real home, but he lived with his friends. Many of his early songs were written by Mepalli Balan and Nelson Fernandes, with that special Mattancherry flavour. These songs were never recorded. It was Pankaj Mullick
, who recognized Mehboob's singing ability for the first time. He recommended Mehboob for several "Kacheris" and Mohammed Rafi
concerts.
Mehboob became quite famous throughout Cochin in late 1940s itself. Cochin based actor Muthiah recommended Mehboob to music director Dakshinamoorthy, who was looking for a new voice for the film Jeevitha Nouka
. Mehboob recorded three songs including the popular "Akaale Aarum Kaividum" for this film, widely known to be the first superhit film in Malayalam. (This song was a ditto copy of "Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki" from Dulari. It was later in 1985, re-recorded by K. J. Yesudas
and this version is featured in the currently available prints of the film.) With the success of this song, Mehboob was shot to fame and became the most sought after singer of that time. In 1954, he recorded "Manennum Vilikkila", for the landmark film Neelakkuyil, which became a tremendous success. He went on to record numerous hit songs for composers M. S. Baburaj, K. Raghavan
, G. Devarajan
, R. K. Shekhar
and many more. Most of his songs were folk music
based comic numbers and had lyrics by P. Bhaskaran
.
Mehboob has also recorded numerous songs for stage plays, gramaphone records
and other programmes, which is perhaps many times more than he recorded for films. He was also an inevitable performer in "Mehfils" and other concerts. Mehboob was never a careerist. He was known to be an alcoholic and finally died nearly an impoverished man.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
. He was one of the most successful playback singers in Malayalam film industry during 1950s and early 1960s, with a good number of hit songs in his kitty.
Biography
Mehboob was born in MattancherryMattancherry
Mattancherry is the western part of city of Kochi, India. It is said that the name Mattancherry is drawn from "Ancherry Mattam", a Namboodiri illam which then the foreign traders pronounced it as Matt-Ancherry, gradually became Mattancherry. It is about 9 km from Ernakulam town. There are...
, Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
, into a family beset with stark poverty. He spent his childhood in the nearby Bengal battalion military camp polishing shoes while his mother did cleaning jobs. Mehboob grew up to become the singer of choice for the various pre-nuptial ceremonies conducted by rich families in Cochin. He made his name, friends and admirers from here. Mehboob had no real home, but he lived with his friends. Many of his early songs were written by Mepalli Balan and Nelson Fernandes, with that special Mattancherry flavour. These songs were never recorded. It was Pankaj Mullick
Pankaj Mullick
Pankaj Mullick, also known as Pankaj Kumar Mullick was a Bengali Indian music director, 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.He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970, followed by the...
, who recognized Mehboob's singing ability for the first time. He recommended Mehboob for several "Kacheris" and Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammad Rafi , was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He was awarded National Award and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India....
concerts.
Mehboob became quite famous throughout Cochin in late 1940s itself. Cochin based actor Muthiah recommended Mehboob to music director Dakshinamoorthy, who was looking for a new voice for the film Jeevitha Nouka
Jeevitha Nouka
Jeevitha Nouka is a 1951 Malayalam film directed by K. Vembu and jointly produced by K. V. Koshi and Kunchako. It was the first "super hit film" in Malayalam cinema, with a theatrical run of 284 days. Made at a budget of 5 lakhs, the film did extremely well at the box office that very few films...
. Mehboob recorded three songs including the popular "Akaale Aarum Kaividum" for this film, widely known to be the first superhit film in Malayalam. (This song was a ditto copy of "Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki" from Dulari. It was later in 1985, re-recorded by K. J. Yesudas
K. J. Yesudas
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
and this version is featured in the currently available prints of the film.) With the success of this song, Mehboob was shot to fame and became the most sought after singer of that time. In 1954, he recorded "Manennum Vilikkila", for the landmark film Neelakkuyil, which became a tremendous success. He went on to record numerous hit songs for composers M. S. Baburaj, K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan is a Malayalam music composer. Along with Baburaj, Raghavan is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. K.Raghavan gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music.As he searched for the right tune for the lyrics, little did K...
, G. Devarajan
G. Devarajan
Paravoor Govindan Devarajan , popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was a noted Malayalam music composer, died on March 15, 2006 in Chennai, at the age of 80....
, R. K. Shekhar
R. K. Shekhar
Rajagopala Kulasekara Shekhar was a Tamil Indian music composer, who worked for Malayalam and Tamil movies. He composed music for 52 films, and was the music conductor for more than 100 films. He is best known as the father of music composer A. R. Rahman....
and many more. Most of his songs were folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
based comic numbers and had lyrics by P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
.
Mehboob has also recorded numerous songs for stage plays, gramaphone records
Gramaphone Records
Gramaphone Records is a DJ-based vinyl record store in Chicago, Illinois. The store has been featured in the documentary Better Living Through Circuitry and is generally regarded as the best DJ store in the Chicago area. The store was the first of its kind in the Chicago area, focusing on vinyl...
and other programmes, which is perhaps many times more than he recorded for films. He was also an inevitable performer in "Mehfils" and other concerts. Mehboob was never a careerist. He was known to be an alcoholic and finally died nearly an impoverished man.
Notable songs
- "Arakka Roopa" (Neelisally)
- "Halu Pidichoru Puliachhan Pulivalupidichoru Nairachan" (Nairu Pidicha Pulivalu)
- "Ee Chiriyum Chiriyalla" (Subaida)
- "Ellaarum Thattanu Muttanu" (Mudiyanaya Puthran)
- "Enthoru Thontharavu" (Moodupadam)
- "Kathu Sookshiochore Kasthuri Mampazham" (Nairu Pidicha Pulivalu)
- "Kandam Bechoru Kottanu Athu Mammad Kakkede Kottanu" (Kandam Bacha KotteKandam Bacha KotteKandam Becha Kottu is an Indian film in Malayalam language by T. R. Sundaram, starring Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Aranmula Ponnamma. It is the first colour film in Malayalam. Based on a popular novel, which was also staged as a play under the same title, the screen version in Eastman colour...
) - "Kollaan Nadakkana" (Subaida)
- "Kozhikodangdeele Koyakkande Kadayilu Koyinde Kariyude Charu" (Thankakkudam)
- "Manennum Vilikkila Mayilennum Vilikkila" (Neelakuyil)
- "Naya Paisayilla Kayyiloru Naya Paisayilla" (Neelisally)
- "O Rikshawalla" (Odayil NinnuOdayil NinnuOdayil Ninnu is a Malayalam novel written by P. Kesavadev in 1942. The protagonist of the novel is a rickshaw-puller named Pappu. The novel is one of the best known works of Kesavadev. Dev was in the forefront among the writers who employed new norms in the content and characterization in...
) - "Pandu Pandu Ninne Kanda Nalilla" (Rarichan Enna Pauran)
- "Saayippe Saayippe Aslam Alaikkum" (Pazhassi RajaPazhassi Raja (1964 film)Pazhassi Raja is a 1964 Malayalam biographical film directed and produced by Kunchako. It is written by wellknown playwright Thikkodiyan and is based on the life of warrior king Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. It stars Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair in the title role, and Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Satyapal,...
) - "Thinakkam Theyyakkam" (Mudiyanaya Puthran)
- "Vandi Vandi Ninne Pole Vayaril Enikkum Theeyanu (Doctor)
- "Vandikkaran Beerankakka Randam Kettinu Poothim Bechu" (Vandikkaran Beerankakka)
- "Zindabad Zindabad Swantham Karyam Zindabad" (Kandam Bacha KotteKandam Bacha KotteKandam Becha Kottu is an Indian film in Malayalam language by T. R. Sundaram, starring Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Aranmula Ponnamma. It is the first colour film in Malayalam. Based on a popular novel, which was also staged as a play under the same title, the screen version in Eastman colour...
)
External links
- Mehboob at the Malayalam Movie Database