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surtaal
Sat 12 May, 2007 20:31

Re: Manna Dey - The Living Legend
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#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN class=mw-headline#ed_cl##ed_op#STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=4#ed_cl#Early career#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl#It was during his intermediate classes at Scottish Church College that Manna Dey’s vocal talent became apparent. Beating the tables of the classroom and singing aloud to entertain his compatriots during recess became a common feature for the budding talent. Later he started taking singing lessons from his uncle Krishna Chandra Dey and from Ustad Dabir Khan. It was during this period of time that Manna Dey stood first for three consecutive years in three different categories of inter-collegiate singing competitions.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl#In 1942, Manna Dey accompanied his renowned uncle Krishna Chandra Dey on a visit to Mumbai. And there first under the tutelage of his uncle, and later Sachin Dev Burman, Manna Dey started working as a successful assistant music director. Later he also assisted other famous music composers and then decided to work independently. But even while working separately as a music director for different successful Hindi films, Manna Dey never stopped taking musical lessons in Hindustani classical music from two stalwarts, Ustad Aman Ali Khan and Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl#Manna Dey started his career in playback singing with the film #ed_op#I#ed_cl#Tamanna#ed_op#/I#ed_cl# in 1943. The musical score was set by his uncle Krishna Chandra Dey and he had to sing a duet with Suraiya. The song was an instant hit. People across the country loved the song. In 1950, #ed_op#I#ed_cl#Mashal#ed_op#/I#ed_cl# was the second film where Manna Dey got the opportunity to sing a solo #ed_op#I#ed_cl#Upar Gagan Vishal#ed_op#/I#ed_cl# and this time the melody was created by Sachin Dev Burman. In 1952, Manna Dey sang both for a Bengali and a Marathi film of the same name and storyline – #ed_op#I#ed_cl#Amar Bhupali#ed_op#/I#ed_cl#, and established himself as a leading Bengali playback singer.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN class=mw-headline#ed_cl##ed_op#STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN class=mw-headline#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#STRONG#ed_cl#Marriage and Children#ed_op#/STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Courier New"#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl#It was on the 18th December 1953, Manna Dey married Sulochana Kumaran from Kerala. Suroma Dey, who was the eldest daughter was born on 19th October 1956, and on 20th June 1958, Sumita Dey followed.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#