The Hindu : Front Page : Veteran singer Manna Dey to receive Phalke award

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Veteran singer Manna Dey to receive Phalke award

The 90-year-old has sung more than 3,500 songs

— Photo: PTI

BIG HONOUR: File photo of Manna Dey performing at the “Memories Come Alive” concert in Bangalore.

NEW DELHI: Legendary playback singer Manna Dey, the immortal voice behind songs like ‘Poochho Na Kaise’ and ‘Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli,’ will be honoured with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2007.

The 90-year-old singer, who has more than 3,500 songs to his credit, has been named for the honour for his outstanding contribution to the field of cinema, a statement issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry here on Wednesday said.

Mr. Dey will receive the award — which carries a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh, a swaran kamal and a shawl — from President Pratibha Patil on October 21 during the National Film Awards function.

Ministry officials told PTI that Mr. Dey’s name was finalised earlier this week by a four-member committee, comprising veteran Telugu actor A. Nageshwara Rao, filmmaker Yash Chopra, filmmaker Vijaya Mulay, and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Born to Purna Chandra and Mahamaya Dey on May 1, 1919, Mr. Dey dominated the Hindi music industry from the 1950s to 1970s with his distinctive voice.

Inspired by his youngest paternal uncle Krishna Chandra Dey, the musician took singing lessons from his uncle and from Ustad Dabir Khan, Ustad Aman Ali Khan and Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan.

Mr. Dey started his playback singing career with the movie Tamanna in 1943, with the song ‘Jago Aayee Usha, Panchi Boley Jago’ becoming an instant hit.

Mr. Dey also performed a solo penned by Sachin Dev Burman, ‘Upar Gagan Vishal’, in the 1950 movie Mashal.

In 1952, he sang for a Bengali and a Marathi movie with the same name and storyline, Amar Bhupali, which helped establish his career as a leading playback singer.

Mr. Dey, who is among the few surviving playback singers of the golden era of Indian film music, became the voice of showman Raj Kapoor during his initial days in the film industry and sang many memorable songs for movies like Awara, Shri 420 and Chori Chori.

Known for blending classical and popular music, Mr. Dey also teamed up with Kishore Kumar for hit duets like ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Torenge’ in Sholay and ‘Ek Chaturnar’ in Padosan.

He also sung hits like ‘Kasme Vaade Pyar Wafa’ and ‘Yaari Hai Imaan’ for veteran actor Pran in Upkaar (1967) and Zanjeer (1973) respectively.

Mr. Dey’s most memorable songs include ‘Puchho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitayee,’ ‘Laga Chunari Main Daag,’ ‘Sur Na Saje Kya Gaun Main,’ ‘Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala,’ ‘Aye Meri Zohara,’ ‘Na To Karanwa Ki Talash Hai,’ ‘Aye Mere Pyare Vatan’ and ‘Chunari Sambhal Gori.’

He won the National award for Best Male Playback Singer for the Hindi Film Mere Huzur and for the Bengali film Nishi Padma. He is also the recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. — PTI

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