Pankaj Mullick
Encyclopedia
Pankaj Mullick, also known as Pankaj Kumar Mullick (Bangla: পঙ্কজ কুমার মল্লিক Pôngkoj Kumar Mollik) (10 May 1905 - 19 February 1978) was a Bengali
India
n 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 Dadasaheb Phalke Award
(India's highest award in cinema, given by the Government of India
) in 1972 for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema
.
under the tutelage of Durgadas Bandopadhaya. He studied at the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta
. 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 great-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.
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..
He contributed in various capacities to Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil language films for 38 years, starting in 1931. 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 R.C. Boral, Mullick introduced playback singing in Indian cinema.
He worked with one of the early film studios, New Theatres Calcutta
for 25 years.
released a postage stamp on his birth centenary in 2006, and on May 10, Doordarshan
, India's state television channel, telecast a special music program to commemorate the occasion. Five decades earlier, it was he and Bharatanatyam
danseuse Vyjayanthimala
who were lead performers at the nationwide launch of the channel in 1959.
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
India
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
n music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
, who was a pioneer of film music in Bengali cinema
Bengali cinema
Bengali cinema refers to the Bengali language filmmaking industries in the Bengal region of South Asia. There are two major film-making hubs in the region: one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the other in Dhaka, Bangladesh .The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s, when the first...
and Hindi cinema at the advent of playback singing, as well as an early exponent of Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet , also known as Tagore Songs in English, is a form of music composed by Rabindranath Tagore who added a new dimension to the musical concept of India in general and Bengal in specific....
.
He was awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 1970, followed by the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...
(India's highest award in cinema, given by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
) in 1972 for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
.
Early life and training
He was born in Kolkata in 1905, to Monimohan Mullick and Monomohini. His father had a deep interest in traditional Bengali music. He started his early training in Indian classical musicIndian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
under the tutelage of Durgadas Bandopadhaya. He studied at the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. An important turning point in his life came when, after finishing his studies, he came in contact with Dinendranath Tagore
Dinendranath Tagore
Dinendranath Tagore was a Bengali musician and noted singer, a grandson of the eldest brother of Rabindranath Tagore who codified many of the tunes that would appear impetuously to Rabindranath...
, who was Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
's great-nephew. This led to Pankaj Mullick's lasting interest in Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet , also known as Tagore Songs in English, is a form of music composed by Rabindranath Tagore who added a new dimension to the musical concept of India in general and Bengal in specific....
. Rabindranath Tagore, in turn, grew fond of him, and soon Mullick became known as one of the leading exponents of Tagore’s songs.
Career
Tagore's song, Nemecche Aaj Prothom Badal became his first commercial recording, with the Kolkata-based Videophone Company in 1926, at the age of eighteen. This was the first of many albums which made him a household name in Rabindra sangeet.He started his career with the Indian Broadcasting Corporation
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
in Calcutta in 1927, the forerunner of All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
(AIR), along with composer R. C. Boral, where he contributed as a music director and artist for nearly fifty years..
He contributed in various capacities to Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil language films for 38 years, starting in 1931. He worked as music director to artists like K.L. Saigal, S.D. Burman, Hemanta Mukherjee, Geeta Dutt
Geeta Dutt
Geetā Dutt was a prominent singer in India. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema...
and Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
. He acted with famous film actors like K L Saigal, P.C. Barua and Kanan Devi
Kanan Devi
Kanan Devi was an Indian actress and singer. She was among the early singing stars of Indian cinema, and is credited popularly as the first star of Bengali Cinema...
. Along with Nitin Bose
Nitin Bose
Nitin Bose was an Indian film director, cinematographer and screenwriter of the nation's film industry. He was born in Calcutta and died in the same city. In the 1930s and early 1940s, he worked with New Theatres, who made bilingual movies: in both Bengali and Hindi...
and R.C. Boral, Mullick introduced playback singing in Indian cinema.
He worked with one of the early film studios, New Theatres Calcutta
New Theatres Calcutta
New Theatres, Calcutta was formed by producer B. N. Sircar . It was formed on 10 February 1931.Moto - Jivatang Jyotiretu Chhayam...
for 25 years.
Legacy
The Indian Postal ServiceIndian Postal Service
The Department of Posts functioning under the brand name India Post , is a government operated postal system in India; it is generally referred to within India as "the post office"....
released a postage stamp on his birth centenary in 2006, and on May 10, Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
, India's state television channel, telecast a special music program to commemorate the occasion. Five decades earlier, it was he and Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
danseuse Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala Bali is an Indian film actress, Bharathanatyam dancer, carnatic singer, dance choreographer, golfer and a Parliamentarian....
who were lead performers at the nationwide launch of the channel in 1959.
Filmography
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 1955 | Raikamal |
| 1954 | Chitrangada |
| 1952 | Yatrik Yatrik Yatrik, an Indian film directed by Kartick Chatterjee, depicts a group of pilgrims on an arduous trek in the high Himalayas. It is the Hindi-language version of the Bengali film Mahaprasthaner Pathey, the film made from the book of the same name, written by Probodh Kumar Sanyal... |
| 1952 | Mahaprasthaner Pathey |
| 1952 | Zalzala |
| 1950 | Rupkatha |
| 1949 | Manzoor |
| 1948 | Pratibad |
| 1947 | Ramer Sumati |
| 1945 | Dui Purush |
| 1944 | Meri Bahen Meri Bahen Meri Bahen is a 1944 Indian Bollywood film. It was the fourth highest grossing Indian film of 1944.... |
| 1943 | Kashinath |
| 1943 | Dikshul |
| 1942 | Meenakshi |
| 1940 | Doctor |
| 1940 | Nartaki Nartaki Nartaki is a 1940 Indian Bollywood film. It was the fifth grossing Indian film of 1940.... |
| 1940 | Zindagi Zindagi (1940 film) Zindagi is a 1940 Indian Bollywood film directed by P.C. Barua. It was the highest grossing Indian film of 1940. The music, by Mullick, features songs such as 'So ja Rajkumari' and 'Jeevan asha hai'. The film has been described as one of Barua's most beautiful films, and his last for New... |
| 1939 | Badi Didi |
| 1939 | Kapal Kundala |
| 1938 | Abhagin |
| 1938 | Abhigyan |
| 1938 | Desher Mati |
| 1938 | Dharti Mata |
| 1938 | Dushman |
| 1938 | Jiban Maran |
| 1937 | Badi Bahen |
| 1937 | Didi |
| 1937 | Mukti |
| 1936 | Devdas Devdas (1936 film) Devdas is a 1935 film based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novella, Devdas. Directed by P.C. Barua, it stars K.L. Saigal as Devdas and Jamuna Barua as Parvati . Of Barua's two versions, this was the popular one throughout India.-Plot:Devdas Devdas (Hindi: देवदास, Urdu: دیوداس) is a 1935 film... |
| 1936 | Grihadah |
| 1936 | Maya |
| 1933 | Yahudi Ki Ladki |
| 1931 | Chasher Meye |