Mahendra Kapoor

Mahendra Kapoor was born in 1934 in Amritsar. Even though he was born in Amritsar, Mahendra Kapoor has lived all his life in Mumbai, ever since his family moved there when he ws just 40 days old! Mahendra had deep interest in music right from the very start. When he was five, he had already become popular in his school for his singing, and won a number of singing competitions there.

Although it started out only as a hobby, Mahendra soon started to take his singing very seriously. When he was twelve years old, he gathered up enough courage to visit the late Mohammad Rafi, his idol, alone. The singer was impressed with the youngster`s courage and determination, but advised him to create his own unique style of singing and not try to copy him as he wanted to do. Mahendra was also advised to get a sound classical base if he planned to get professional. Mahendra knew he had got advice from `the best` didn`t spare any time in starting his official training in music. Kapoor went on to learn classical vocal music under various teachers like Pandit Husanlal, Pandit Jagannath Bua Purohit, Ustad Niaz Ahmed Khan, Khan Saheb Abdur Rehman, Afzal Husain Khan and Pandit Tulsidas Sharma. In 1951, Mahendra recorded a song for Madmast under V. Balsara, a small-timer composer. While undergoing training in classical vocal music, Mahendra continued to take part in several inter-collegiate music competitions and also performed in many college functions. In 1957, Mahendra won the `All India Metro-Murphy Competition

One of the prizes he recieved when he won the competition was a film break. Mahendra ended up recording songs with Naushad and C. Ramchandra, both judges in the `Metro-Murphy Contest`. The song, ‘Chand chupa aur taare doobe’(Sohni Mahiwal), that Mahendra recorded with Naushad recorded immediately drew the attention of Yash Chopra when he heard the master-tape play at Mehboob Studios, mistaking Mahendra`s voice for none other than Mohammed Rafi`s! He recommended Mahendra`s voice to B.R. Chopra, elder brother who was working on `Dhool Ka Phool` (1959), Yash’s directorial debut. At the same time, C. Ramachandra also used his voice in the film `Navrang`. Both the films, `Navrang` and `Dhool Ka Phool` released in 1959, their songs proving to be major hits. Thus began Mahendra Kapoor`s association with BR films...one that endures even to this day with their tele-serials! Mahendra Kapoor`s peak phase came in the 1960s and early 1970s even as he forged excellent alliances with music giants like Ravi, Kalyanji-Anandji, O.P. Nayyar and Laxmikant-Pyarelal among others. The 60s saw Mahendra singing in a very wide variety of genres for nearly all the top heroes in Bollywood. Besides singing in films, he also sang in popular shows all over the world, and even at India’s borders for the armed forces. Kapoor struck a rich vein of hits and golden melodies in films like Gumrah, Humraaz, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Doli, Anmol Moti, Badi Didi, Dhund, Nikaah, Aaj Ki Awaz (Ravi), Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Aap Ki Parchaiyaan, Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai (Madan Mohan), Oonche Log, Mera Kasoor Kya Hai, Ghar Basaake Dekho (Chitragupta), Dharamputra (N.Dutta), Hariyali Aur Rasta (Shanker Jaikishan), Gopi, Bairaag, Upkar, Parivar, Priya, Bandhan, Yaadgar, Purab Aur Paschim, Paras (Kalyanji Anandji), Daadi Maa (Roshan), Kismet, Sambandh, Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Sawan Ki Ghata, Kahin Din Kahin Raat (O.P.Nayyar), Nag Mandir, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Aye Din Bahaar Ke, Night In London, Dastaan, Shor, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Roop Tera Mastana, Ek Nazar (Laxmikant Pyarelal) and for several other composers. Later, in the 80s, Mahendra became very choosy and restricted his singing to his favourite filmmakers, stars and composers like the Chopras ( Nikaah, Aaj Ki Awaz), Laxmikant Pyarelal (Amar Akbar Anthony, Badaltey Rishtey, Nagin, Kranti, Hum Paanch, Amrit, Avtaar, Karma), Kalyanji Anandji (Hera Pheri, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar) and stars like Dilip Kumar and Manoj Kumar. The only film that Mahendra sang in the 90s was the film `Dillagi`. Although he is not closed to playback, he feels his voice is a bit too old for most of the young stars seen in movies these days.over the world, and even at India’s borders for the armed forces. Kapoor struck a rich vein of hits and golden melodies in films like Gumrah, Humraaz, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Doli, Anmol Moti, Badi Didi, Dhund, Nikaah, Aaj Ki Awaz (Ravi), Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Aap Ki Parchaiyaan, Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai (Madan Mohan), Oonche Log, Mera Kasoor Kya Hai, Ghar Basaake Dekho (Chitragupta), Dharamputra (N.Dutta), Hariyali Aur Rasta (Shanker Jaikishan), Gopi, Bairaag, Upkar, Parivar, Priya, Bandhan, Yaadgar, Purab Aur Paschim, Paras (Kalyanji Anandji), Daadi Maa (Roshan), Kismet, Sambandh

The only film that Mahendra sang in the 90s was the film `Dillagi`. Although he is not closed to playback, he feels his voice is a bit too old for most of the young stars seen in movies these days.