Pankaj Mullick (1905-78)
Bengali composer, singer and actor born in Calcutta. Left college to concentrate on music; trained by Durgadas Bannerjee and then by Dinendranath Tagore. Released his first record for Vielophone (1926) and made his début on radio at the Indian Broadcasting Co. in its inaugural year (1927). Associated for several years with radio as producer, musician and educator e.g. in the popular programme Sangeet Shikshar Asar (from Sept. 1929) and the annual Mahishamardini broadcast. Film début conducting the live orchestra for International Filmcraft’s silents Chasher Meye and Chorekanta (both 1931). Joined New Theatres, composing Atorthy’s epic Yahudi Ki Ladki. Scored several films with R.C. Boral, e.g. Barua’s Devdas, Grihadah and Maya, Chunder’s Karodpati and Nitin Bose’s Didi/ President. Achieved fame for Mukti, where he composed one Tagore song, Diner sheshe ghumer deshe, with the poet’s endorsement, and for popularising Rabindra Sangeet in Hindi. After Mukti’s success he concentrated for some years on playback singing (e.g. Anjangarh, 1948) and on acting. Returned to composition for Kartick Chattopadhyay’s films and Paul Zils’s Zalzala. Released a record singing the songs he composed for Saigal in Meri Bahen, e.g. Chupo na, Do naina matwale et al. Published his memoirs, Ganer Surer Asanakhani, in a special issue of Desh (1973) and his autobiography under the title Amar Jug Amar Gaan (1980).
FILMOGRAPHY (* also act/ act only): 1933: Yahudi Ki Ladki; 1935: Bhagya Chakra; Devdas; 1936: Karodpati; Maya; Grihadah; 1937: Didi/President?; Mukti*; 1938: Adhikar; Abhigyan; Desher Mati*/Dharti Mata; Dushman/Jiban? Maran; 1939: Bardidi/Badi? Didi; Kapal Kundala*; 1940: Zindagi; Nartaki*; Alochhaya/Aandhi?; Doctor*; 1941: Doctor*; 1942: Meenakshi; 1943: Kashinath; Dikshul; 1944: Meri Bahen; 1945: Dui Purush; 1947: Nurse Sisi; Ramer Sumati/ Chhota Bhai; 1948: Pratibad/Oonch? Neech; 1949: Manzoor; 1950: Roopkatha/Roop? Kahani; 1952: Mahaprasthaner Pathey/ Yatrik; Chhoti Maa; Zalzala; 1953: Bana Hansi; Nabin Yatra/Naya? Safar; 1954: Chitrangada; 1955: Amar Saigal; Raikamal; 1957: Louha-Kapat; 1961: Ahwan; 1972: Bighalita Karuna Janhabi Jamuna.