Menu

Manna Dey discography

Overview

Manna Dey (1 May 1919 – 24 October 2013) was one of the most versatile playback singers of Indian cinema. Born Prabodh Chandra Dey in Kolkata, he recorded thousands of songs across more than five decades, primarily in Hindi and Bengali, but also in Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Assamese, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Odia, Konkani, Sindhi, Nepali and Sanskrit. His discography is notable for its range, spanning classical-based compositions, devotional songs, qawwalis, ghazals, light romantic numbers, comic songs and Rabindra Sangeet-influenced Bengali compositions.

Key facts

Singer Manna Dey (Prabodh Chandra Dey)
Born 1 May 1919, Calcutta (now Kolkata)
Died 24 October 2013, Bengaluru
Playback debut (Hindi) Tamanna (1942), composed by Krishna Chandra Dey
Primary languages Hindi, Bengali
Career span 1942 – 2010s
Notable awards Padma Shri (1971), Padma Bhushan (2005), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2007), National Film Awards for Best Male Playback (1969, 1971)

Background

Manna Dey trained under his uncle, the singer-composer Krishna Chandra Dey, and later under Ustad Dabir Khan and Ustad Aman Ali Khan of the Indore gharana. His grounding in Hindustani classical music shaped a discography in which classical-based film songs occupy a central place. He moved to Bombay in 1942 and worked initially as an assistant to his uncle and then to Sachin Dev Burman, before establishing himself as an independent playback singer.

Hindi film discography

Early years (1942–1949)

Manna Dey's first recorded song was "Upar Gagan Vishal" for the film Tamanna (1942). During the 1940s, he sang under composers such as K. C. Dey, Anil Biswas, Khemchand Prakash, Husnlal Bhagatram and S. D. Burman. His work in this decade was largely confined to chorus and devotional pieces, with the bhajan "Gayee Tu Gayee Sita Sati" from Ram Rajya (1943) being among his early notable solo efforts.

1950s

The 1950s established Manna Dey as a leading classical-based singer. Key recordings include:

  • "Upar Gagan Vishal" (Mashaal, 1950) – S. D. Burman
  • "Aayi Milan Ki Bela Dekho" (Aaram, 1951) – Anil Biswas
  • "Tu Chhupi Hai Kahan" (Navrang, 1959) – C. Ramchandra
  • "Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala" (Shree 420, 1955) – Shankar–Jaikishan, picturised on Raj Kapoor
  • "Pyaar Hua Iqrar Hua" (Shree 420, 1955), with Lata Mangeshkar
  • "Sur Na Saje" (Basant Bahar, 1956) – Shankar–Jaikishan
  • "Ketaki Gulab Juhi" (Basant Bahar, 1956), a celebrated jugalbandi with Bhimsen Joshi

1960s

The 1960s are widely regarded as the peak of his Hindi film career. Major songs include:

  • "Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi" (Chori Chori, 1956) and "Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum" – Shankar–Jaikishan
  • "Laga Chunari Mein Daag" (Dil Hi To Hai, 1963) – Roshan
  • "Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai" (Barsaat Ki Raat, 1960) – Roshan, qawwali with Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle and S. D. Batish
  • "Aye Mere Pyare Watan" (Kabuliwala, 1961) – Salil Chowdhury
  • "Poocho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitayi" (Meri Surat Teri Aankhen, 1963) – S. D. Burman, in Raag Ahir Bhairav
  • "Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo" (Mera Naam Joker, 1970) – Shankar–Jaikishan
  • "Kasme Vaade Pyaar Wafaa" (Upkar, 1967) – Kalyanji–Anandji
  • "Tu Pyaar Ka Saagar Hai" (Seema, 1955) – Shankar–Jaikishan
  • "Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli" (Anand, 1971) – Salil Chowdhury, which won him the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer

1970s

This decade contains some of his most popular songs, often in collaboration with Mehmood and other character actors:

  • "Ek Chatur Naar" (Padosan, 1968) – R. D. Burman, with Kishore Kumar
  • "Yari Hai Imaan Mera" (Zanjeer, 1973) – Kalyanji–Anandji
  • "Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge" (Sholay, 1975) – R. D. Burman, with Kishore Kumar
  • "Chunari Sambhal Gori" (Baharon Ke Sapne, 1967) – R. D. Burman, with Lata Mangeshkar
  • "Tum Bin Jeevan" (Bawarchi, 1972) – Madan Mohan
  • "Nadiya Chale Chale Re Dhara" (Safar, 1970) – Kalyanji–Anandji

Later Hindi work

From the late 1970s onwards, his output in Hindi cinema declined as the playback landscape shifted. He continued to record selectively into the 1990s, including songs in Prahaar (1991) and other films, before largely withdrawing from Hindi film recording.

Bengali discography

Parallel to his Hindi career, Manna Dey built an extensive Bengali repertoire of modern songs (adhunik), film songs, Puja parbon releases, and Rabindra Sangeet-influenced compositions. Notable Bengali recordings include:

  • "Coffee Houser Sei Adda Ta" – Nachiketa Ghosh, lyrics by Gauri Prasanna Mazumder
  • "Aami Tar Thikana Rakhini"
  • "Sabai To Sukhi Hote Chaay"
  • "Ke Prothom Kachhe Esechi"
  • "Hothat Holo Dekha"
  • "Lag Bhelki Lag"

He worked closely with Bengali composers including Salil Chowdhury, Nachiketa Ghosh, Sudhin Dasgupta, Anal Chatterjee and V. Balsara.

Other languages

Manna Dey recorded in numerous Indian languages, including:

  • Marathi: songs under composers such as Vasant Pawar and Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
  • Gujarati: devotional and film songs through the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Malayalam: notably "Manasa Maine Varu" (Chemmeen, 1965) for Salil Chowdhury.
  • Kannada: songs for several films during the 1970s.
  • Assamese and Odia: a significant body of light film and non-film songs.
  • Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Konkani, Sindhi and Nepali: occasional film and devotional recordings.

Non-film and devotional recordings

Outside cinema, Manna Dey recorded bhajans, ghazals, classical-based khayal renditions, and Bengali Puja releases that were issued annually by HMV (Saregama). His devotional albums include works on Hanuman, Krishna and Shiva, and he remained a regular concert performer in India and abroad through the 1990s and 2000s.

Significance

Manna Dey is considered the singer of choice in Hindi cinema for songs requiring a strong classical base, complex compositions, and certain comic-philosophical situations. Composers Shankar–Jaikishan, Salil Chowdhury, S. D. Burman, R. D. Burman, Roshan and Madan Mohan repeatedly used his voice for technically demanding pieces. His Bengali adhunik catalogue, particularly "Coffee Houser Sei Adda Ta", remains a fixture of Bengali popular memory. With recordings estimated in the thousands across more than a dozen languages, his discography is among the most linguistically diverse in Indian playback singing.

References

  • Manna Dey, Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography, Penguin Books India.
  • Saregama (HMV) catalogues of Hindi and Bengali film and non-film recordings.
  • National Film Awards citations, Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India.
  • Padma Awards citations, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.