Tribute: Music composer Jamal Sen

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Jamal Sen – Profile

If talent were the only criterion for a composer to succeed, Jamal Sen should have been the most successful music director of his time. But he was not.

His proficiency in singing, dancing (Kathak) and poetry, which lent a touch of completeness to his musical acumen and set him apart from the run-of-the-mill composers, became a liability to him in an industry which had no value for real class. The result: a composer who gave such brilliant scores as in Shokiyan and Daera, died unsung, after a long spell of isolation.

In his last days Sen had but one friend, composer Ghulam Mohammed, who after being afflicted with a serious heart ailment, had shifted to Bombay’s far off suburb, Borivli, where he (Sen) was living in a dilapidated room.

Jamal Sen’s forefather Kesarji who hailed from Sujangadh in Rajasthan, was said to be a disciple of Tansen and was hence called Kesar Sen. The family tradition in music was passed on to Jamal at a very young age by his father Jeevan Sen, a court singer and an acknowledged Ustad. Jamal, who could sing and play various musical instruments, was especially good on the dholak, tabla and pakhawaj.

While in Lahore, Jamal Sen was introduced by music director Shyam Sunder to Master Ghulam Haider, which marked the beginning of a fruitful association spanning 12 years. Sen’s knowledge of classical and folk music and his mastery over the dholak made him an asset to Ghulam Haider in films from Khazanchi (1941) to Majboor (1948), until Masterji migrated to Pakistan in the wake of the Partition.

Then a chance meeting with director Kidar Sharma gave him a break in films as a composer, and he proved his virtuosity in his very first film, Shokhiyan in 1951.

The imaginative use of the raag Yaman Kalyan in Sapana ban sajan aaye (Lata Mangeshkar) was a testimony to the composer’s command over classical music. The songs — Raaton ki neend cheen li (Suraiya), a ghazal where melody is predominant, and Aai barkha bahar(Lata, Pramodini, chorus)—bore the richness of Rajasthani folk music. A Door des se aajare(Suraiya, Lata) is a classic example of folk and classical music intermingling to create an enchanting melodic pattern.

Shokhiyan was followed by Kamal Amrohi’s Daera in 1953. Though a flop, the film is remembered for the perennial appeal of the bhajan, Devta tum ho mera sahara, maine thama hai daman tumhara (Rafi, Mubarak Begum, chorus), in raag Bhoop. When the situation required, Sen could also compose a Western tune Sun sun meri kahani (Rafi) for Bhagwan’s Rangila!

Jamal Sen, who had begun his career as a singer on AIR, Calcutta—he was among the first to sing Vande Mataram on radio—should have stuck to a career in, classical singing. With his talent and lofty ideals, he was a misfit in films. His inability to manipulate and his refusal to compromise, made him a loner, and the mediocre films which he scored music for led to a colossal waste of his rich talent.

Once producer K. Asif, who met him accidently in a studio, took him to show the impressive Mughal-e-Azam set and described to him Gopikrishna’s dance sequence to be filmed there. Jamal Sen told Asif that though the set did create the necessary atmosphere for the sequence, he wasn’t sure if the dance would match the period. K. Asif had not thought of the period aspect of the dance, so without hesitation he requested Jamal Sen to compose the music and the bol required for the sequence. Sen did. However this piece composed by him was not used in the film. The people around K. Asif resented the intrusion of a second music director on the scene.

Later, when K. Asif announced Sasta Khoon Mehenga Paani, which had a Rajasthani backdrop, he-asked Jamal Sen to be an advisor to bring authenticity to Naushad’s compositions. But luck once again played traunt with him and the project never saw the light of day.

A proud and arrogant man, Jamal Sen never went out of his way to grab work. As a result, he was slowly relegated to the periphery of the music scene, and then to oblivion. Shokhiyanand Daera were a thing of the past. A commerce-oriented cinema had little use for his talent. Under the circumstances, it was a poor consolation to him that his imaginative score in the documentary, Madhumakhi, won laurels abroad.

Jamal Sen knew his prowess. And was proud of it. Once, after hearing him sing, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan called him a `Tansen’ and a ‘Sur Ka Bichhu’, Ustad Amir Khan described him as ‘Sangeet Shastri’. Notwithstanding the impressive titles and tributes, Jamal Sen continued to exist in a state of penury, unwanted and uncared for.

In his later years, out of sheer frustration, he turned to liquor, and lived on the hope that his sons Shambhu Sen and Madan Sen would carry forward the family’s rich tradition in music. But Madan suddenly died of heart failure at the young age of 40. And he never recovered from the shock. Within a year, on April 12, 1979, he too died – Nalin Shah

Source:imdb

Trivia (4)

Grandchildren are Music director Sameer Sen, Music Composer Lalit Sen and Music arranger Sanjeev Sen (Not the same as Indian Ropeman Sanjiv Sen of UK).

His wife's name is Railaxmi. she herself was from a music family.

Great grandfather of Music director Sohail Sen (Son of Sameer Sen). Great grandfather of Music Director Simaab Sen ( His father is either Lalit Sen or Sanjeev Sen).

Chlidren are Music director,Lyricist,Classical dancer, Shambu (Maharaj)Sen. Music Director Dalip Sen.