Five heroes for whom Mukesh and son Nitin Mukesh both sang

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August 27 is the late Mukesh’s 48^th death anniversary. Let us then look at five heroes for whom both Mukesh and his singer-son Nitin Mukesh lent voices. It is interesting to know that neither was prolific but had a high percentage of hits songs!

And it is doubly interesting when two generations end up singing for one actor: as interesting as when one singer sings for two generations of stars, like Kishore Kumar did for many star sons. But because Mukesh passed away in 1976, he could not sing for the star sons, who really began arriving in the 1980s. But son Nitin Mukesh did get to sing for five top heroes for whom his father Mukesh had sung.

Manoj Kumar

Mukesh sang for Manoj Kumar in a slew of films, but after his death, Manoj himself decided to take up Nitin Mukesh as his voice in Santosh and Kranti, besides employing him for a traditional song in Kalyug Aur Ramayan. Nitin Mukesh was also the main singer for Manoj’s son, Kunal Goswami, in Manoj’s last film as filmmaker, Jai Hind (1999). But Kunal was never a star.

Mukesh chartbusters for Manoj Kumar are legion and include Bol meri taqdeer mein (Hariyali Aur Rasta), Chand si mehbooba and Main to ek khwab hoon (Himalay Ki God Mein), Deewano se yeh (Upkar), Koi jab tumhara hriday (Purab Aur Pacchim), Tum bin jeevan and Gore gore chand se much par  (Anita), Mehboob mere (with Lata Mangeshkar) and Tauba yeh matwali chaal (Patthar Ke Sanam), Paani re paani and Ek pyar ka naghma hai with Lata (Shor), Main na bhoolunga and Mehangai maar gayi (with Lata, Narendra Chanchal and Jani Babu in Roti Kapada Aur Makaan—Mukesh’s Annual Binaca Geet Mala topper), Bas yehi apradh and Sabse bada nadaan (Pehchan) and others, Jai bolo beimaan ki and Yeh raakhi bandhan (Beimaan), Chal sanyasi and Yeh hai Gita ka gyan (both with Lata in Sanyasi, and others).

Nitin had his chartbusters from Kranti (led by Zindagi ki na toote ladi with Lata and Chana zor garam with Lata, Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar) for the actor, and a few other songs, notably the sterling Yun lagne lagi with Lata, in Santosh, besides Clerk and Deshwasi.

Dharmendra

Nitin Mukesh was the choice of composer Rajesh Roshan in the hit Prem hai piya man ki madhur ek bhavna in Dillagi (1978) that was produced by Dharmendra’s home banner. And Mukesh was Dharmendra’s first voice in Yeh vaada kare hum jahaan bhi rahen (with Lata) and Mujhko iss raat ki tanhai (Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere). He then went on to sing another Lata duet, Humsafar mere humsafar (Purnima), Baharon ne mera chaman  and Aaya hai mujhe (Devar), and also Zindagi hai kya that was also in Dharmendra’s home production, Satyakam and had Mahendra Kapoor and Kishore Kumar as co-singers. The final song that Mukesh sang for Dharmendra was another Lata duet, Baaghon mein kaise (Chupke Chupke).

Shashi Kapoor

Shashi Kapoor was another actor for whom Mukesh and Nitin Mukesh both sang—and that included in Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s Satyam Shivam Sundaram, which was Mukesh’s last recording, Chanchal sheetal nirmal komal. The lovely melody, Main kaise usse pasand karoon was recorded with Nitin Mukesh (and Lata) after Mukesh passed away. Nitin also sang for Shashi in Sawaal.

Mukesh had an array of memorable songs for Shashi—beginning with teh antiquated Prem Patra’s Do ankhiyaan jhuki jhuki si and moving on to Waqt karta jo wafaa (Dil Ne Pukara) and the classic solos of My Love —Zikra hota hai jab and Woh tere pyar ka gham and Mukti’s Suhani chandni raatein. The duets, Tere mere pyar ki from Paap Aur Punya and Kuch aise bandhan from Farishta Ya Qatil were other noteworthy numbers, and there were a few more in other films like Insaniyat and Imaan Dharam.

Shatrughan Sinha

Nitin Mukesh’s Yahin kahin jiara hamaar (with Sadhana Sargam) was another hit from Khudgarz in which Nitin had sung for Rishi Kapoor. There was another Nitin hit with Mohammed Aziz for Jeetendra—this was the duet version of Zindagi ka naam dosti in Khudgarz. Main nachoon auron ki lagan mein from Ranbhoomi was a rustic delight of a solo, which failed to get popular.

As for father Mukesh, the first hit was Kayi sadiyon se from Milap. In the same year, 1973, Mukesh sang a few lines in Badi door se aaye hain (Samjhauta) with Mohammed Rafi singing for Anil Dhawan. The other hit that year was Barkha rani from Sabak, a song Sinha cajoled filmmaker Jugal Kishore to shift from an unknown character actor to him within the film!

Rishi Kapoor

Of course, Mukesh did end up singing for one star-son, Rishi Kapoor, that too in his debut film, Mera Naam Joker (the hit Teetar ke do aage teetar) after being the voice of Rishi Kapoor’s father, Raj Kapoor, who called him his soul. Note, however, that Mukesh never got the opportunity to sing for Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor’s dad! As a filmmaker, Raj Kapoor also used Nitin Mukesh’s voice in Mera Nama Joker itself (in a few lines) and also in Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

Nitin’s first full-fledged song for Rishi was Zindagi ka naam dosti (Khudgarz), incidentally among the rare Nitin solos. It also topped the Cibaca Geet Mala annual program in 1987. Then came the hit Tu mujhe suna main tujhe sunaoon (Chandni) with Suresh Wadkar going on Vinod Khanna. And there was also a solo in Khoj.

And Mukesh beauties for Raj Kapoor, all the way from his debut film, Neel Kamal (1947) and his debut production, Aag (1948) to the unreleased Chor Mandali in the 1980s are innumerable, and include Awara hoon (Awara) and Mera joota hai japani (Shree 420) to the song that has become their joint signature tune, Jeena yahaan marna yahaan (Mera Naam Joker) among countless classics and hits under multiple composers. Since the list would fill up another 500 words here—at least—I will not enumerate them, as they are known to the world!