The masses began to appreciate classical music because of Manna Dey, says Anu Malik, as he recalls his time spent with the maestro
Manna da ki jitni tariff kari jaaye utni kam hain... I remember meeting him first when I was just 15. I had gone to his house in Mumbai. He met me with so much love and grace. Out of my curiosity, I asked him about his mantra for singing perfectly all varieties of songs. He turned to me, and said, ‘be in love and have passion for whatever you do and sing. Don’t bind yourself in any kind of music’. These words left with me. He had tremendous regard for my father, Sardar Malik, and vice versa.
It is always important to learn how legends approach their music. You end up learning a lot from them. He had recorded a song for me in 1978 for a movie Hunterwali 77. He was full of energy and passion during the recordings. Whenever I record any song today, I give same amount of energy as he would do no matter what kind of composition it is. I wanted to use more of his voice but I was young and didn’t know how to push for certain requirements. Mohammad Rafi had passed away and his clones were coming every year. People were giving chance to them. But Manna da’s voice always remained close to my heart.
Manna Dey entered into music when Kl Saigal’s era was ending. With him, there were a few powerful voices too. But his great knowledge of classical music and Indian ragas helped him score a unique identity. A lot of people started listening to classical music due to him. He knew what harkat, taal and pitch would need by a specific composition. He was technically perfect. I believe no great musician had ever struggled with him. What, as a musician, I liked about Manna Dey was his versatility. Mohammad Rafi had enormous fan following in his days but he said he used to listen to Manna Dey.
I think Manna da is like a sun. He has so much to offer. His contribution to Indian music cannot be measured. He combined classical singing with commercial music. As a person, he was a genuine fellow. I am yet to meet any artiste as humble and down to earth as he was. My favourite tracks include Pucho Na Kaise, Kasme Vaade Pyar Vafaa, Aao Twist Karein, Ek Chaturnaar, Yaari Hain Emaan. God makes a lot of singers, but he has stopped making magical singers like Manna da.