In Hindi Films,whenever any classical raga based song was to be recorded in male voice, by any music director in the years after 1950,the first name which would have come to his mind was of great playback singer श्री मन्ना डे |.He is going to complete the 90th year of his life.The great blind singer of Hindi Films श्री के .सी डे was his uncle.He got popularity by singing two songs in film 'राम राज्य (1943)' (1) त्यागमयी तू गयी तेरी अमर भावना अमर रही ... (2) अजब विधि का लेख ...But his singing style was noticed with his song 'ऊपर गगन विशाल नीचे गहरा पाताल ...". फिल्म :मशाल {1950},having S.D.Burman as its music director.Amongst all male playback singers of Hindi films only Manna Dey is capable of singing all types of complicated or simple classical raga based compositions ,gracefully expressing its Bhav and Ras with correct treatment of the Raga like Pandits and Ustads of music.He sang maximum number of classical raga based songs,message songs and qawwalis.Even then he sang all male lead songs in many films like:श्री 420,उजाला , परदेसी , नरसी भगत , बसंत बहार , चोरी -चोरी ,हिंदुस्तान की कसम ,दिल की राहें etc.He gave playback for many heroes of Hindi film screen like:अशोक कुमार , राज कपूर , देव आनंद ,भारत भूषण , प्रदीप कुमार,शम्मी कपूर, राज कुमार ,राजेश खन्ना etc.He is the only playback singer who has been making classical raga based songs of Hindi film popular hits.A few examples are:सुर ना सजे क्या गाऊं मैं ...( फिल्म :बसंत बहार ),कौन आया मेरे मन के द्वारे पायल की झंकार लिए ...(फिल्म :देख कबीरा रोया ),लागा चुनरी में दाग छुपाऊ कैसे ...(फिल्म :दिल ही तो है ),फूल गेंदवा न मारो लगत करेजवा में चोट ...(फिल्म :दूज का चाँद ),पूछो न कैसे मैंने रैन बिताई ...(फिल्म :मेरी सूरत तेरी आँखें ),झनक झनक तोरी बाजे पायलिया ...(फिल्म :मेरे हुज़ूर ), तेरे नैना तलाश करें जिसे ...(फिल्म :तलाश ),etc. In singing a रागमालिका comprising of a number of ragas in a sequence,a singer's versatility is at real test and Manna Dey always proved his calibre at its best by singing maximum number of ragmalikas in Hindi films such as;हमदर्द ,झनक झनक पायल बाजे ,कवि कालिदास ,फूलों की सेज ,सौ साल बाद ,राम राज्य ,दिल की राहें . Manna Dey also sang the selections from डा. हरिवंश राय 'BACHCHAN'S famous मधुशाला .He also got recorded Four Long Play Records of अदि - खंड of राम चरित मानस in his melodious singing style. He also sang beautifully some poems and geets in a LP record. He has sung many hit songs to his credit like:तू प्यार का सागर है (फिल्म :सीमा ),दिल का हाल सुने दिलवाला ..(फिल्म :श्री 420),तू छुपी है कहाँ ..(फिल्म :नवरंग ),ऐ मेरे प्यारे वतन ...(फिल्म :काबुलीवाला ),मत रो माता ...(फिल्म :बंदिनी ),कसमे वादे प्यार वफ़ा सब बातें है ..(फिल्म :उपकार ),यारी है ईमान मेरा ...(फिल्म :ज़ंजीर ),ऐ मेरी जोहरा ज़बीं ..(फिल्म :वक़्त ),उमरिया घटती जाये रे ...(फिल्म :मदर इंडिया ),येही पैगाम हमारा ..(फिल्म :पैगाम ),अपने लिए जिए तो क्या जिए ...(फिल्म :बादल ),ऐ भाई जरा देख के चलो ..(फिल्म :मेरा नाम जोकर ),ज़िन्दगी कैसी है पहेली हाय ...(फिल्म :आनंद ), etc. He has a unique style of singing expressing the deep feelings of the poetry.Manna Dey is a gem of classical singing in Hindi Cinema.Manna Dey has been awarded 'दादा साहेब फाल्के अवार्ड -2009' .I wish him a long life and he may be awarded with the title of 'भारत रत्न 'in near future.
In Hindi Films,whenever any classical raga based song was to be recorded in male voice, by any music director in the years after 1950,the first name which would have come to his mind was of great playback singer श्री मन्ना डे |.He is going to complete the 90th year of his life.The great blind singer of Hindi Films श्री के .सी डे was his uncle.He got popularity by singing two songs in film 'राम राज्य (1943)' (1) त्यागमयी तू गयी तेरी अमर भावना अमर रही ... (2) अजब विधि का लेख ...But his singing style was noticed with his song 'ऊपर गगन विशाल नीचे गहरा पाताल ...". फिल्म :मशाल {1950},having S.D.Burman as its music director.Amongst all male playback singers of Hindi films only Manna Dey is capable of singing all types of complicated or simple classical raga based compositions ,gracefully expressing its Bhav and Ras with correct treatment of the Raga like Pandits and Ustads of music.He sang maximum number of classical raga based songs,message songs and qawwalis.Even then he sang all male lead songs in many films like:श्री 420,उजाला , परदेसी , नरसी भगत , बसंत बहार , चोरी -चोरी ,हिंदुस्तान की कसम ,दिल की राहें etc.He gave playback for many heroes of Hindi film screen like:अशोक कुमार , राज कपूर , देव आनंद ,भारत भूषण , प्रदीप कुमार,शम्मी कपूर, राज कुमार ,राजेश खन्ना etc.He is the only playback singer who has been making classical raga based songs of Hindi film popular hits.A few examples are:सुर ना सजे क्या गाऊं मैं ...( फिल्म :बसंत बहार ),कौन आया मेरे मन के द्वारे पायल की झंकार लिए ...(फिल्म :देख कबीरा रोया ),लागा चुनरी में दाग छुपाऊ कैसे ...(फिल्म :दिल ही तो है ),फूल गेंदवा न मारो लगत करेजवा में चोट ...(फिल्म :दूज का चाँद ),पूछो न कैसे मैंने रैन बिताई ...(फिल्म :मेरी सूरत तेरी आँखें ),झनक झनक तोरी बाजे पायलिया ...(फिल्म :मेरे हुज़ूर ), तेरे नैना तलाश करें जिसे ...(फिल्म :तलाश ),etc. In singing a रागमालिका comprising of a number of ragas in a sequence,a singer's versatility is at real test and Manna Dey always proved his calibre at its best by singing maximum number of ragmalikas in Hindi films such as;हमदर्द ,झनक झनक पायल बाजे ,कवि कालिदास ,फूलों की सेज ,सौ साल बाद ,राम राज्य ,दिल की राहें . Manna Dey also sang the selections from डा. हरिवंश राय 'BACHCHAN'S famous मधुशाला .He also got recorded Four Long Play Records of अदि - खंड of राम चरित मानस in his melodious singing style. He also sang beautifully some poems and geets in a LP record. He has sung many hit songs to his credit like:तू प्यार का सागर है (फिल्म :सीमा ),दिल का हाल सुने दिलवाला ..(फिल्म :श्री 420),तू छुपी है कहाँ ..(फिल्म :नवरंग ),ऐ मेरे प्यारे वतन ...(फिल्म :काबुलीवाला ),मत रो माता ...(फिल्म :बंदिनी ),कसमे वादे प्यार वफ़ा सब बातें है ..(फिल्म :उपकार ),यारी है ईमान मेरा ...(फिल्म :ज़ंजीर ),ऐ मेरी जोहरा ज़बीं ..(फिल्म :वक़्त ),उमरिया घटती जाये रे ...(फिल्म :मदर इंडिया ),येही पैगाम हमारा ..(फिल्म :पैगाम ),अपने लिए जिए तो क्या जिए ...(फिल्म :बादल ),ऐ भाई जरा देख के चलो ..(फिल्म :मेरा नाम जोकर ),ज़िन्दगी कैसी है पहेली हाय ...(फिल्म :आनंद ), etc. He has a unique style of singing expressing the deep feelings of the poetry.Manna Dey is a gem of classical singing in Hindi Cinema.Manna Dey has been awarded 'दादा साहेब फाल्के अवार्ड -2009' .I wish him a long life and he may be awarded with the title of 'भारत रत्न 'in near future.