Pankaj Mullick

• Name — Pankaj Mullick • Born — 10 May 1905 • Birthplace — Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India • Died — 19 February 1978 • Place of death — Calcutta, West Bengal, India • Known for — singing, music direction, composition and acting • Occupation — musical composer, singer and actor

Pankaj Kumar Mullick was born on 10 May 1905 in Kolkata to Monimohan and Monomohini Mullick. His father Monimohan had a deep interest in traditional Bengali music. He developed an early interest in music, and used to practice on his neighbour's harmonium in secret. He started his early training in Indian classical music under the tutelage of Durgadas Bandyopadhyaya. Pankaj studied at the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta. An important turning point in his life came when, after finishing his studies, he came in contact with Dinendranath Tagore, who was Rabindranath Tagore's grand-nephew. This led to Pankaj Mullick's lasting interest in Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindranath Tagore, in turn, grew fond of him, and soon Mullick became known as one of the leading exponents of Tagore's songs.

Pankaj Mullick became a popular musician in the 1930s and 1940s in the era of singer K. L. Saigal. Tagore's song Nemecche Aaj Prothom Badal became his first commercial recording, with the Kolkata-based Videophone Company in 1926, at the age of twenty one. This was the first of many albums which made him a household name in Rabindra sangeet. He started his career with the Indian Broadcasting Corporation in Calcutta in 1927, the forerunner of All India Radio (AIR), along with composer R. C. Boral, where he contributed as a music director and artist for nearly fifty years. Apart from composing songs for movies, he also composed the programme called Mahishashur Mardini. This program was based on the triumph Maa Durga over the demon Mahishashur. The programme included Chandi Path by Birendra Krishna Bhadra and Agomoni songs by various singers. This programme gained such a huge popularity that till date, the recorded version of this programme is played by All India Radio on the day of Mahalaya at 4:00 am. He contributed in various capacities to Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil language films for 38 years, starting in 1931. He worked as music director to artists like K.L. Saigal, S.D. Burman, Hemanta Mukherjee, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle. He acted with famous film actors like K L Saigal, P.C. Barua and Kanan Devi. Along with Nitin Bose and his renowned sound engineer brother Mukul Bose, Mullick introduced playback singing in Indian cinema. He also composed his own tunes and set lyrics to music. He worked with one of the early film studios, New Theatres Calcutta for 25 years. He became one of its two ace music directors.

• Year — Film • 1955 — Raikamal • 1954 — Chitrangada • 1952 — Yatrik • 1952 — Mahaprasthaner Pathey • 1952 — Zalzala • 1950 — Rupkatha • 1949 — Manzoor • 1948 — Pratibad • 1947 — Ramer Sumati • 1945 — Dui Purush • 1944 — Meri Bahen • 1943 — Kashinath • 1943 — Dikshul • 1942 — Meenakshi • 1940 — Doctor • 1940 — Nartaki • 1940 — Zindagi • 1939 — Badi Didi • 1939 — Dushman • 1939 — Kapal Kundala • 1938 — Abhagin • 1938 — Abhigyan • 1938 — Desher Mati • 1938 — Dharti Mata • 1938 — Jiban Maran • 1937 — Badi Bahen • 1937 — Didi • 1937 — Mukti • 1936 — Devdas • 1936 — Grihadah • 1936 — Karodpati a.k.a. Millionaire with R. C. Boral • 1936 — Maya • 1936 — Manzil • 1933 — Yahudi Ki Ladki (His debut with the Hindi Film Industry) • 1931 — Chasher Meye

• Aamar Jug Aamar Gaan (Bengali). Firma KLM Pvt Ltd., Calcutta 1980.

Pankaj Mullick is recorded as having received Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Shri in arts.