Thaindian News

March 2, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): We have grown up hearing the lines of Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s ‘Madhushala’ as sung by the great Manna Dey and composed by the fabulous Jaidev. But now comes the surprise. Harivanshrai Bachchan’s equally distinguished son, Amitabh Bachchan, has, in his hands, the lines of ‘Madhushala’ as created by his father. The fact that the immortal Harivanshrai Bachchan had actually composed a tune for his lines comes as a complete surprise. Says Amitabh Bachchan, “I sang ‘Madhushala’ recently at a live performance the way my father had composed and sung it. That is the original tune for ‘Madhushala’. My father sang it that way from day one, with no orchestra of course.”

Now, the proud son, who has, of late, been delving into his father’s lines repeatedly for inspiration, says that he will record the original version of ‘Madhushala’ as composed by his father as soon as he has the time. Of course, it will be accompanied by a lavish and lucid orchestra, done in full ‘dolby-digital glory’, so that ‘Madhushala’ becomes accessible to the younger generations.

It would be one of Amitabh Bachchan’s major assignments this year considering that he has cut down on his film assignments. Though he says that he finds the ‘Madhushala’ as composed by Jaidev and sung by Manna Dey to be good, it is now time for the Big B to restore to his father’s lines the tune the legendary Harivansh Rai Bachchan had given it.

So, ‘Madhushala’, written and composed by Harivanshrai Bachchan and sung by his son, will definitely be a historic event in the world of poetry.

-Subhash K Jha/Sampurn Wire