He might have been overshadowed by the astounding success of his sisters, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale. But to his fans he is a bona fide star, having even composed the score for the hypnotic soundtrack of Lekin. Even then, his most iconic feat to date remains his 1982 collection ‘Dnyaneshwar Mauli’, an album that featured compositions from the poetry of Sant Dnyaneshwar; it was the album that redefined modern devotional music in Marathi.

October 26 is no regular day. It happens to be Hridaynath Mangehskar’s 72nd birthday, one of the most creative and talented music composers, boasting a repertoire that includes film music, devotional music, ghazals and Marathi bhav geets.  On the evening he will be celebrated in what promises to be a fun ceremony for music lovers.

“I was merely a playback singer till I sang the compositions by Hridaynath. He made me sing ‘Ghalib’ and ‘Mirabai’. His music opened an altogether new horizon before me,” says Lata Mangeshkar.

His fan following, outside of family, is equally impressive: Hindi songs and ghazals will be rendered by reputed singers like Shaan, Sadhana Sargam, Bela Shende, Udit Narayan, Vaishali Samant and Hariharan. Hridayanath himself will sing a few songs. Udit Narayan and Sadhana Sargam will also sing the popular ‘Pahla Nasha’, so pop fiends needn’t be worried about it being a staid ceremony. Hariharan will sing ‘Patta Patta Buta’, an evergreen hit with the audience.

‘Hriday Sangeet’ works on two levels: it is a great example of how high-brow and pop can merge seamlessly in a delightful evening. Most importantly, it works as tribute to a talent who has enjoyed a long, impressive innings in the music industry. For those who are tired of televised music talent contests and are in the mood for some acoustic flourishes in a concert hall, this could be an event you may want to check out. But then again, if you see too many video cameras around, don’t blame us.  

‘Hriday Sangeet’ will be performed at Shanmukhananda Hall, Sion, October 26 at 6.30 pm. For further details, contact 9869086696