Veteran actress Mala Sinha recalls late Madan Mohan's melodies that defined her career: ‘I was blessed to lip-sync those songs’

Think of the mythical Mala Sinha, and those evergreen melodies come to mind in a maelstrom of mellifluence. Most of the songs one associates with Mala Sinha were composed by Madan Mohan.The actress known for her powerful woman-oriented performances during the 1960s remembers the composer with enormous affection and reverence.

“He was a very, very dear friend of my father (Albert Sinha).

They were so close that Madan Mohan Saab would play his compositions for my father after he created them. Toh unka hamare ghar aana-jaana lagaa rehta tha (he was a regular visitor at our home).”As a child, Mala Sinha was a singing prodigy. “I would sing at public functions. Invariably, they would be songs of Madan Mohan Saab and Lataji. Little did I know that one day I would be singing their songs on screen!”Mala Sinha credits a sizeable hunk of her stardom to those songs.

“What would we heroines have been without those songs that the great composers created for Lataji and we sang for us? I think the first time I lip-synced Madan Mohan’s songs was for a film titled ‘Ek Shola.’ This was in 1957-58, my hero was Pradeep Kumar. But the songs that gave me an aura were in ‘Anpadh’ (1962). It is in this film that I got to sing one of my most famous songs: ‘Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha Pyar Ke Qaabil Mujhe.

’ To this day, I am known by that one song.”

She continues, “My favourite soundtrack by Madan Mohan Saab, and I think it was also his own favourite, was ‘Jahan Ara.’ ‘Woh chup rahen toh mere daag jalte hain, Haal-e-dil yun unhe sunaya na ho gaya Jab jab tumhe bhulaya,’ each a masterpiece. Kya jodi thi Madan Mohan Saab aur Lataji ki(what a combination they were, Lataji and Madan Mohan)! I was blessed to lip-sync these songs. Do you know there was one more song in ‘Jahan Ara’ sung by all four Mangeshkar sisters? It was not used in the film.

During those days, there used to be so many beautiful songs that some would get left behind.”Mala Sinha admits the songs went a long way in immortalising the screen queens. “The songs made us what we were. When you think of Meena Kumari ji, you remember her and her songs. My own recall value comes from the songs I had the privilege of lip-syncing on screen. Do you know I got ‘Jahan Ara’ on Meena Kumari ji’s recommendation?”“She couldn’t do the film as she was too busy, so she sent the producer to me. There was never a feeling of rivalry among us heroines. Similarly, if Naushad Saab couldn’t do a score, he would suggest Madan Mohan Saab’s name,” she concludes, revealing another insight of the industry.