Mahendra Kapoor
Mahendra Kapoor towers among the premier playback singers of the Golden Age of Hindi musical cinema, with hits like "Chalo Ek Baar Chalo" and "Neele Gagan Ke Taale" vaulting him to a level of celebrity rivaling the on-screen actors miming to his vocals. Born January 9, 1934, in Amritsar, India, Kapoor spent the majority of his childhood in Mumbai, where he claimed top honors in the all-India youth talent contest. His victory captured the attention of filmmaker Raja Nawathe, who cast him in 1958's Sohni Mahiwal. A year later, Kapoor launched into the top ranks of Bollywood singers when composer and musical director Ramchandra Chitalkar tapped him to perform the showstopping "Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi" in the feature Navrang. Kapoor quickly proved himself a versatile talent even by Bollywood standards, performing in a number of regional Indian languages beyond his native Hindi -- within the subgenre of Marathi language productions, he was renowned as the playback singer of choice for superstar Dada Kondke -- and over time his repertoire expanded across more than 25,000 songs, becoming virtually synonymous with patriotic anthems when he delivered "Mere Desh Ki Dharthi" in Manoj Kumar's 1968 film Upkaar, a rendition that also earned Best Male Playback Singer honors from India's National Film Awards voters.
Kapoor remained a respected and popular figure across his five-decade cinema career, notching additional hits via 1970's "Iktara Bole," 1975's "Fakira Chal Chala Chal," and 1981's "Ab ke Baras." While his filmography embraces dozens of directors, he enjoyed his most fruitful collaboration with filmmaker B.R. Chopra, a partnership that extends across productions like 1959's Dhool Ka Phool, 1963's Gumrah, 1965's Waqt, and 1973's Dhund. From 1980 onward Kapoor appeared largely in small, regional films in the Punjabi and Bhojpuri tongues, and with son Rohan he mounted a series of live tours spanning across India and overseas. His contributions to the Bollywood industry were later recognized via the Indian government's Padmashri Award as well as the Madhya Pradesh government's Lata Mangeshkar Award. Poor health plagued Kapoor during the final years of his life, and he suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep on September 27, 2008.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
-
Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se (From "Gumrah") (Analogue Mix)
Mahendra Kapoor, Ravi, Sahir Ludhianvi
World - Released by Saregama on Jun 15, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bhagwan Ram Ki Katha Sunate Hai (Ram Bhajan)
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Tips Industries Ltd on Nov 30, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bharat Ka Rahnewala Hoon (Jhankar Beats)
Mahendra Kapoor, Kalyanji - Anandji, Indiwar
World - Released by Saregama on Feb 20, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hare Rama Hare Krishna (Jhankar Beats)
World - Released by Saregama on Feb 22, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dhoondhe Nazar Nazar (From "Dilli Ka Dada") - Single
Mahendra Kapoor, Asha Bhosle, N. Dutta
World - Released by Saregama on Jan 1, 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dhagala Lagali Kal (Trap Beat) : Single
Mahendra Kapoor, Usha Mangeshkar
World - Released by Saregama on Apr 4, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bengali Songs - Mahendra Kapoor
World - Released by Saregama on Jun 1, 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pujor Gaan Gaaner Pujo, Vol. 4
Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Kapoor
World - Released by Saregama on Dec 31, 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dilan Dee Gal
World - Released by Oriental Star Agencies Ltd on Jan 1, 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Phoolon Ki Mahek (Jhankar Beats)
Mahendra Kapoor, Shankar - Jaikishan, Neeraj
World - Released by Saregama on Feb 1, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram (Jhankar Beats)
Mahendra Kapoor, Manhar Udhas, Kalyanji - Anandji
World - Released by Saregama on Feb 21, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Doli Chadh Ke Dulhan Sasural Chali (Ultra Jhankar Beats)
Mahendra Kapoor, Ravi, Rajendra Krishan
World - Released by Saregama on Jan 19, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bhajman Ram Krishna Hari
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Sony Music India - 550 Music on Jan 1, 1990
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Nityanand Jyoti
Kavita Krishnamurthy, Mahendra Kapoor, Ram Shankar
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Tips Industries Ltd on Nov 10, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bhajan Ganga (Ram Bhajan)
Kavita Krishnamurhty, Mahendra Kapoor, Nayan Rathod
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Tips Industries Ltd on Nov 10, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Aandhi Aaye Ki Toofan (From "Saat Hindustani") - Single
Mahendra Kapoor, J. P. Kaushik
World - Released by Saregama on Jan 1, 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Punjabi Modern - Mahendra Kapoor
World - Released by Saregama on Dec 31, 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Na Tum Jano Na Hum X Ki Puchhde O Haal (Lofi Mashup) - Single
World - Released by Saregama on Jan 25, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Teri Meri Gal Ban Jaaye
World - Released by Multitone Records UK Limited on Jan 1, 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Adhunik Bangla Gaan
World - Released by Ishtar Music Pvt. Ltd. on Oct 6, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo