Passionate, in fact, is the first word that comes on Sanjeev Kohli's mind when he talks about his father, the legendary music composer of Indian cinema and an instinctive genius, Late Madan Mohan. And it's not just music; you can see that it's also his fellow colleagues, his spools, his LP records, his cupboard and his drink. It is impossible not to admire Madan Mohan's verve and energy in whatever he did. Be it coming home after work and cooking his own food, decorating the house on birthdays or even smashing the glass door of the recording studio only to finish the incomplete track he so desperately wants people to hear. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent Devansh Patel brings you a special journey of our national treasure: a man who was so used to succeeding, a maestro who believed that his music was incomplete without Lata Mangeshkar's voice, a deserving giant who never won an award in his living career, a junior who surpassed his seniors in the music he produced and a magician who cast his musical spell by believing that music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music. Bollywood Hungama takes this opportunity in commemorating and presenting you the life and work of Late Madan Mohan on his 85th birth anniversary today.

Musical maestro - Madan Mohan
"My father, Late Mr. Madan Mohan and his fraternity which comprised of music directors and singers were never a focus of visual attention. Back then, there were very few magazines and interviews. All the interviews taking place were largely to do with film stars and the same happens even today. Today's music directors are more media personalities, not because of their work, but because of reality shows, interviews, the making of the music, etc. I call it default. A.R. Rahman is an exception. The accessibility to their creation and awareness was very rare in the past. The only time you could hear the songs in my father's era was on the radio and that too if the record was released. But because I've worked for HMV, I know that a lot of records of films weren't released. At that time, they had very limited capacity. Then slowly Doordarshan came in and a music show called 'Chaayageet' started. In the 1950's and 1960's, the records of only hit films would release."