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This interview was originally conducted by Dr. Aneesh Pradhan in Hindi, and is available at http://podcasts.underscorerecords.com/ To make the contents available to non-Hindi speaking music lovers, it has been transcribed, translated and edited by Bharati Nayak. Aneesh Pradhan: Namaskar and welcome to the Underscore records podcast series. Nirmalji, let us start with your childhood memories and your association with music. Nirmal Mukherjee: I have been playing music since 1960. I got involved in music because we had a music hall in our house. Aneesh Pradhan: Where was this? Nirmal Mukherjee: This was the Basanti Music Hall at our home in Dadar, where all the music Directors rehearsed and had their sittings there. I was inspired by this place and became a musician. Aneesh Pradhan: Did this hall belong to your family? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, my family owned it. It was a very old one. Aneesh Pradhan: So was the hall rented out? Nirmal Mukherjee: Sittings took place there. We would rent it out. My father owned it. Aneesh Pradhan: What did your father do? Nirmal Mukherjee: My father was a producer. Aneesh Pradhan: Film producer? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, he was a film producer. He frequented the Shrikant Studio, presently known as RK studios, for film related work. He was also involved in direction and photography. He was a trick photographer. Aneesh Pradhan: Please tell his full name. Nirmal Mukherjee: Subir Kumar Mukherjee
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INTERVIEW WITH PERCUSSIONIST NIRMAL MUKHERJEE BY DR. ANEESH PRADHAN

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Aneesh Pradhan: You said you heard these sittings at Basanti Hall. Nirmal Mukherjee: As these sittings were right at my home, I used to listen to it from behind the partition. Aneesh Pradhan: What type of people frequented your place? Nirmal Mukherjee: Hussanlal Bhagatramji, Bulo C. Rani, C Ramchandra, Roshanji, Sajjad Sahab, Laxmikant Pyarelal, all of them rehearsed there. Aneesh Pradhan: What was your age then? Nirmal Mukherjee: I was ten years old then. Aneesh Pradhan: Who would participate in these sittings? Nirmal Mukherjee: Many musicians, musicians from the yesteryears. Aneesh Pradhan: Would all the musicians accompany the music directors or only a few? Nirmal Mukherjee: Only a select few would be present, or they would sometimes have a full rehearsal. In those days, there would be rehearsals - they would practice first and then record. Aneesh Pradhan: Because it was not the dubbing era.. Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, they first rehearsed and then they would go to the set where the recording would take place. Aneesh Pradhan: So, you said you were ten years old then; how did your interest in music grow later? Nirmal Mukherjee: After watching all this, I felt an urge to play some musical instrument, and began to do so thereafter. The Cine Musicians Association (CMA) was founded at our place. My father was the founder member of the CMA. Three associations were formed in our house: the Cine Musicians Association, the Cine Dancers Association and the Cine Singers Association. We had a big house, so my father offered some space as office premises for these associations. He did this with a view to better the lives of practitioners. I became a member of the CMA in the year 1964. I was fourteen then. Once Laxmikantji visited our home for a sitting and saw me playing. He asked me to come to his place at Dixit Road in Vile Parle. Later, I started working with him. Aneesh Pradhan: Didnt your family object, since you were only fourteen then? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, I used to go to school then, but could not concentrate in studies. I was interested in music. I also played concerts with Hazara Singhs orchestra; he stayed in the adjacent building. The orchestra rehearsals would take place at his office in Dadar.
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Aneesh Pradhan: Which songs would be performed in the concerts? Nirmal Mukherjee: Old film songs like Dil Tera Deewana, Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu. Aneesh Pradhan: Were non film numbers also included in the show? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, mostly film songs, including some bhajans. Aneesh Pradhan: What was the name of the orchestra? Nirmal Mukherjee: Hazara Singh Orchestra, named after Hazara Singh, who used to play the Hawaiian guitar. Aneesh Pradhan: How many musicians were in the orchestra? Nirmal Mukherjee: At least ten to twelve musicians. Aneesh Pradhan: How many shows would take place in a month? Nirmal Mukherjee: At least ten to fifteen shows a month. Wedding shows, Company shows, such shows would go on. Aneesh Pradhan: Were you paid a fixed salary or paid on per show basis? Nirmal Mukherjee: We would be paid Rs. 5/- per show. I had no instrument with me, so he (Hazara Singh) bought me a bongo and I started playing it. On Laxmikantjis call I went to Vile Parle and started playing with his group and considering it as a good chance, played with him till the end. Aneesh Pradhan: Nirmalji, everyone knows you as a renowned percussionist of the film industry, but did you specialize in playing any particular instrument or always played a variety of instruments? Nirmal Mukherjee: I specialized in playing the 3 piece congo. I learnt to play it. Aneesh Pradhan: Who did you learn it from? Nirmal Mukherjee: From Prabhakar Mashelkar, who was basically a tabla player. Initially I learnt tabla from him. But he passed away six to seven months after I started learning from him. I was reluctant to continue learning from anyone else, since I greatly admired his method of teaching, which was very different. Aneesh Pradhan: Do you remember, who Prabhakarji had learnt from? Nirmal Mukherjee: Prabhakar Mashelkar belonged to Goa. As far as I recollect, he, Shashikantji (Laxmikantjis elder brother) and Marutirao Keer (renowned tabla player and R.D. Burmans assistant), all the three learnt from the same guru. Aneesh Pradhan: So you said that you learnt the tabla for six months and later.
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Nirmal Mukherjee: Later I started playing the conga. In the sitting room Prabhakarji would show me how to place my hands on the conga and to play it. Although the congo is a western instrument, its sound can be blended well with the sounds of the dholak and the tabla. I play it with the dholak and the Tabla, in the Indian type of songs. Aneesh Pradhan: How did you continue your journey as a musician? Nirmal Mukherjee: I played many songs for Laxmikantji. I used to play mostly with them (Laxmikant- Pyarelal). I also worked as assistant for music director Rajesh Roshan. Aneesh Pradhan: Would there be separate assistants for rhythm arrangements? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, unlike today there would be separate assistants who would set the rhythm, and the preset rhythm would be played. Aneesh Pradhan: So who were the different rhythm arrangers with music directors in those times? Nirmal Mukherjee: Marutirao Keer arranged rhythm for S.D. Burman and R.D. Burman. I got to work with them too. Prabhakarji worked for Usha Khanna, he introduced me to her.. I played there too. with Barkha Rani and a few others.I have been playing for Rajesh Roshan since the beginning of his career till the film Khudgarz. Khudgarz was the last one played by me. The rhythm for almost all the songs were set by me. Many of the films like Julie, Kunwara Baap, Yaarana, Swarg Narak ( Reddy Saabs Movie), Prasadjis movie and Rakesh Roshanjis movie Aap ke Deewane, then Khudgarz, Mr. Natwarlal and Inkaar (included the song Mungda Mungda). Aneesh Pradhan: So, you worked as an assistant and also as a player, a performer, played the conga. Apart from this, have you tried your hand at anything else? Nirmal Mukherjee: Apart from this, at times, I have tried composing when things got stuck at some point and there was no way out, or when some songs or situations warranted giving a different Indian feel or lending a regional (Marathi) type of colour to it. I have composed for Marathi titles and have also arranged Marathi songs. You might have heard songs like Chik Motyachi Maal, which must be around 12 to13 years old. Aneesh Pradhan: Yes, of course.could you please sing it for us? Nirmal Mukherjee: (Sings Chik Motyachi Maal.) Aneesh Pradhan: Did you compose and also arrange the music for this song? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes. Aneesh Pradhan: The entire melody and rhythm?
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Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, the entire song. Aneesh Pradhan: What instruments or pattern did you use in the rhythm for this song? Nirmal Mukherjee: I used the dholak, tabla, dhol, the stroke section, chorus Aneesh Pradhan: Was this song part of a private album? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, it was for a private album, produced by Melody Cassette Company that belonged to some of my friends. The company closed down, but this song is popular even today. Twenty-five to thirty record companies have recorded versions of this song. I have the original soundtrack of this song. Aneesh Pradhan: When you worked as an assistant, did you use bols (syllables) to explain a particular aspect, a pattern or a theka to the other performers? Nirmal Mukherjee: I would explain it to them by playing the patterns. Aneesh Pradhan: On the conga? Nirmal Mukherjee: On the conga or on the dholak. Aneesh Pradhan: So you play the dholak too? Nirmal Mukherjee: Only a little bitI can play the Dholak, as far as making the performers understand something is concerned. I am not an expert in playing the dholak or the tabla for that matter. Aneesh Pradhan: So you specialize in playing the conga. Nirmal Mukherjee: Theres the conga, and I also play tumba, darbuka, duff. I play almost all the percussion instruments. Aneesh Pradhan: But if there is a particular instrument like the darbuka, which is not an Indian instrument Nirmal Mukherjee: it is an Arabian instrument a Lebanese instrument Aneesh Pradhan: How do you work on such instruments, since no one teaches to play these instruments here? How did you start using it? Nirmal Mukherjee: I had been to Dubai, for Asha Bhosles show. After the show, there was a dance party in the hotel that night. The darbuka was played there with Lebanese dancers. I sat with them through the night and observed their style of playing. The player was cradling the instrument on his lap. Here (in India) we play it by holding it between our legs. There are many ways of playing it. It can also be played by placing it on a stand.
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Aneesh Pradhan: Earlier, these instruments were not available here, now they are. You were mentioning that you learnt this instrument just by observing. Is there any other instrument, which is not available here, or for which you dont find teachers . . . which you learnt in a similar manner, by yourself, or just by observation? Nirmal Mukherjee: Many instruments, like the bagalbaccha, which is played by holding it by your arm side and pressing it. Then there is the hudka, which Johar bhai, a well known musician, played. Nobody played it like he did. Aneesh Pradhan: The hudka ..which is played by applying pressure. Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, he played it tying it around his neck with a rope and pressing it. I have never heard it the way he used to play. Aneesh Pradhan: Okay. Nirmal Mukherjee: I have never heard the hudka being played the way he did. Aneesh Pradhan: So you have worked with him? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, he always used to play in Ushajis (Khanna) team. Aneesh Pradhan: Which song did he play? Nirmal Mukherjee: He played for Ushaji as well as for R.D.Burmans song Jai Jai Shiv Shankar. Aneesh Pradhan: Where was he from? Nirmal Mukherjee: He was from Assam. Aneesh Pradhan: I see.So, Nirmalji, tell us one thing; you have been in the film industry for a long time, what were the monetary benefits that you derived during that time? What were the terms like? Who paid you? The music director or the producer? Nirmal Mukherjee: The producer paid us, but it would be arranged through the music director. O.P. Nayyarsahab started the trend of paying daily wage basis in cash. Aneesh Pradhan: How was it paid earlier? Nirmal Mukherjee: We were not paid in cash. Musicians had to frequent to the producers office for months or years together. But the payments were always delayed or not received. The amount too was paltry. Aneesh Pradhan: How much was it?
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Nirmal Mukherjee: The top grade artist was paid Rs.140/- It started with Rs. 40/- then Rs. 62.50, Rs.85 and Rs.140. These were the scales. Aneesh Pradhan: Was this the remuneration for the percussionists? Nirmal Mukherjee: It was according to the grades. Aneesh Pradhan: Which year are you talking about? Nirmal Mukherjee: This was before the 1960s. Then the rates increased gradually by 20% each time in 1964, then in 1968 and then in 1969. Aneesh Pradhan: Did the CMA decide the pay hike? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, the CMA decided it. Aneesh Pradhan: So, did any of the members like you have a say in the meetings regarding the hike? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, they were quite vocal about it. Gradually, we started being offered a conveyance of Rs.30/-, towards taxi fare apart from this. The musicians with bigger instruments like the double bass, congo, dhol, etc. were paid Rs.30/-. In those days the taxi fare inexpensive. Now a days, this will not suffice, now the conveyance is Rs.150/-. Aneesh Pradhan: Is it a CMA rule? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, according to the rule Rs.150/- has to be paid. Aneesh Pradhan: Who monitors if these rules are followed or not? Nirmal Mukherjee: In some places, the work is based on personal relations, some places it is community based. Aneesh Pradhan: What do you mean by a community? Nirmal Mukherjee: I mean to refer to separate groupsbasically Hindus and Muslims..it has taken a twist Hindus are doing relatively lesser work. A majority of the work is now done by the Muslims. It is now divided between groups. Aneesh Pradhan: Are these prejudices region based too? Like Rajasthan, etc... Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, thats whatsome Rajasthanis play ravanhatta, most of them are percussionists; tabla players like Bhavani Shankarji and dholak player Roshan. Many of them are from that region. But, by and largeit is all drifting apart. Aneesh Pradhan: So, was it not like this earlier?
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Nirmal Mukherjee: No, it was not so earlier. In the past, everyone worked hand in hand. Aneesh Pradhan: What may have been the reason for this? Nirmal Mukherjee: The reason cant be deciphered. Aneesh Pradhan: You must be feeling bad about this. Nirmal Mukherjee: Of courseI feel bad about it. But what can be done about it? We cant do anything. Aneesh Pradhan: Did you ever discuss this with anyone? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, I did talk to many people about this. They feel that we let it go on, as it is. People are feeling indifferent about it. Many musicians who are getting old, feel that they have to continue only for a few years more and hence can pull on it will be difficult to even find a musician in future. Aneesh Pradhan: Why, what about their kidsthe next generation? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, the next generation is not too keen on learning. Aneesh Pradhan: Are the musicians not teaching or the kids not learning? Nirmal Mukherjee: They are not learning, because they see their fathers unemployed. How will they be inclined towards learning in this situation? Aneesh Pradhan: Why is there paucity of work? Nirmal Mukherjee: It may be due to the electronic media having set in or because of communal prejudices. Aneesh Pradhan: So, there is no single reason Nirmal Mukherjee: No, you cannot pin down just one reason. The lump sum as they call it, has made a difference too. Earlier the producers cashier would come down to the studio to finalize a list of musicians, after which they would disburse the payments. Nowadays, the music director has a budget, say up to six lakhs to ten lakhs and the song has to be done in the budget allocated to him. He gets the entire amount. Then it is up to him to decide how much is to be spent. He may finish off in one and a half lakhs or even spend ten lakhs for the same. Previously, the producer would spend the money. So he would calculate the amount to be disbursed taking into account the total number of musicians. Suppose there were eighty musicians that would cost him around two lakhs then, for instance. Today, even four musicians may cost him two lakhs. Aneesh Pradhan: I see. So, were the arrangements separate for the background score and for the songs, earlier and now?
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Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes separate. A standard shift would be six hours for a song and eight hours for the background score. They are the same even now. Aneesh Pradhan: Were you paid separately and if so, on what basis? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes. For example, if we would get Rs. 1,800 for a song recording, we would get Rs. 2,700 for a background score. Aneesh Pradhan: Around when was this? Nirmal Mukherjee: This continues till today. Aneesh Pradhan: It also might be so happening that you are not required to play the entire session? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, not the entire session, but as far as a background score was concerned, I was expected to wait for at least eight hours. Even if I had to play four pieces, I had to wait till it was completed. Everything was operated manually. It would be controlled by the arranger and he would guide us on when to start and stop. Aneesh Pradhan: Would they screen the film for you? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, we would work watching the film sequence and its timing. Aneesh Pradhan: Does it happen the same way, even today? Nirmal Mukherjee: No. Since everything is computerized now, a whole day is spent in setting up the click in different tempos and then it is fed in the computer from the beginning till the end for the background score. Earlier, we would move scene wise and would play when signaled. It is not so now. It works at the press of a button and we play from the start to the end of the reel. Aneesh Pradhan: So, you dont need to watch the film now? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, we play on cue, the bars assigned on the click. Aneesh Pradhan: Do they tell you what to play? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, they tell us what to play or they give us the click on which we play the desired portion and once we finish playing, they paste it wherever required. Aneesh Pradhan: But how do they tell you the pattern to be played? Nirmal Mukherjee: They already have the patterns recorded, and since everything is programmed, we have limitations on what is to be played. Hence, we cant play beyond the predetermined structure. Earlier, while doing the background score, it was not so, we had the liberty to play and respond to what we felt about the music.
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Aneesh Pradhan: So, now it is quite restricted . Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, now it is quite limited and there is no feel to it. We recorded live earlier and just on the arrangers signal to play sixteen rhythm bars extra if needed, we would promptly do so. Now if we have to play sixteen extra bars, a whole day is wasted, as it has to be fed in the machine. Aneesh Pradhan: So, Nirmalji, when you played at the recordings, suppose there was a song being recorded, there would be changes in the theka and in the rhythm patterns too, so how would you remember all these changes, of course, there would be rehearsals as you mentioned, but still.. Nirmal Mukherjee: Earlier, we had rehearsals of the song from 9am to 11am. The final rehearsals would start after 11am. Till then all the parts would be memorized. Aneesh Pradhan: Did the singers come for the rehearsals from the beginning? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, they would come after 11am and we would then have the final rehearsals with them. Aneesh Pradhan: So, did you then start with dummy voices till then? Nirmal Mukherjee: No.no voices, we rehearsed only the music till then. The obbligato, interludes, the introduction, the first, second, third music pieces and so on, would be rehearsed till then. Then we used to have the full rehearsal and note the changes in the song. Once the whole song was put together, we would get an idea of the position of the changes and the requisite changes were incorporated accordingly. Everything was fixed and predetermined then and if at all anybody had a slip up, it was cut there and the whole thing had to be redone. Aneesh Pradhan: I asked this because in some sections of the orchestra they did use notations too.. Nirmal Mukherjee: The violins, stroke parts, clarinet, flute, etc. used notations. Aneesh Pradhan: In the western style? Nirmal Mukherjee: In either the Indian or the Western style, according to their convenience. Aneesh Pradhan: Would the rhythm section have notations too? Nirmal Mukherjee: In the rhythm section mostly no one wrote down the notations, they played by memorizing their parts. Now we have to write down, since we have to play with the machines. Aneesh Pradhan: In what system do you write it? Nirmal Mukherjee: We write it bar wise and if and where there are changes in the pattern, we write down the thekaswe write down the changes in the theka
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Aneesh Pradhan: The complete theka. and its bols (syllables)? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, we make a note of the bols (syllables) which makes us figure out the changes to be done, like which pattern has to be changed, where, following which one, so on. Aneesh Pradhan: I have heard, for instance, Keherwa is a cycle of eight or four beats; usually it is seen that Keherwa is not played in the same manner everywhere, its patterns change according to the song; it is so even with Dadra. So, do you have specific names for those patterns or beats? Nirmal Mukherjee: As an example, if the 3/4 beats are to be played in a slow tempo, we note the pattern as slow 3/4. Aneesh Pradhan: So, if you mention 3/4 to someone, they understand that it is the beats pattern. Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes as we played, we would explain that this is the type of the slow 3/4 beats pattern and on moving ahead, it has to go double, thus making it the 6/8 beats pattern. Aneesh Pradhan: Can you recite the patterns? Nirmal Mukherjee: (Recites the first rhythm pattern) Aneesh Pradhan: What pattern is this? Nirmal Mukherjee: This is the 3/4 pattern. Aneesh Pradhan: Next? Nirmal Mukherjee: (Recites the second rhythm pattern)this one is played on the brush, the first one is played on the tumba (plays the rhythm pattern) and on the tabla (recites the rhythm pattern) Aneesh Pradhan: How would it sound on going double? Nirmal Mukherjee: (recites rhythm pattern).it would be 6/8 then. Aneesh Pradhan: Any patterns of Keherwa? Nirmal Mukherjee: In the 2/4 rhythm pattern, it would sound like this (recites two patterns in 2/4)usually played on the dholakon going double it will be (plays) and double speed of this too. (recites the pattern)so we move stepwise like this. Aneesh Pradhan: So, did it ever happen that some thekas used in some film songs became popular and they got associated with the song or the music director? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, there is Rajesh Roshans song Dil Kya Kare (recites the pattern used in the song), then theres Laxmijis song Buddhu Pad Gaya Palle (recites the pattern) for which I had composed the rhythm pattern and had played it too.
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Aneesh Pradhan: Which instruments were used for this song? Nirmal Mukherjee: We used the dholak, tabla and conga combination while composing the theka for this song. Aneesh Pradhan: Apart from this particular film, was this pattern used in other films? Nirmal Mukherjee: Many used this theka played for the song Buddhu Pad Gaya Palle. Aneesh Pradhan: So, the musicians remember where and in which film they had heard a particular pattern being played. Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, they would remember. Some patterns or thekas would have their names, like the Saajan theka(plays) Aneesh Pradhan: Why Saajan? Nirmal Mukherjee: Because it was played in the film Saajan. Aneesh Pradhan: Who did the music for the film? Nirmal Mukherjee: Nadeem- Shravan. Aneesh Pradhan: Was this rhythm pattern composed by them or by some percussionist? Nirmal Mukherjee: Some percussionist might have played thisdesigning it. Aneesh Pradhan: Could you recite it again? Nirmal Mukherjee: (Recites the Saajan pattern) Aneesh Pradhan: In which song was this pattern used? Nirmal Mukherjee: Dekha Hai Pehli Baar, Saajan Ke Aankhon mein Pyaar. (sings the song and recites the pattern) Aneesh Pradhan: Any other songs? Aneesh Pradhan: I have heard about the Sargam pattern too Nirmal Mukherjee: In the film Sargam, the duff was used in the song, Dafliwaale Dafli Baja (sings the song and recites the pattern). Many ambient instruments were usedtabla and dholak were also usedthey were mixed together. in Laxmijis recordings. Laxmijis film Shor had a song Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai.. (recites the pattern)these types of thekas were played in Laxmijis recordings. The
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aspect of creation was seen in a select few creative Music Directors like Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant- Pyarelal, and R.D. Burman were the only music directors who offered a variety. Aneesh Pradhan: Variety as in rhythm or in every aspect? Nirmal Mukherjee: Variety in everything. R D Burman was exceptional with the rhythm and its combinations. If anybody wanted to learn the combinations, he should have worked with R D. Aneesh Pradhan: Did you work with R D Burman? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes. I played the song Muthu Kodi Kawwadi Hadathat was my first song with R D Burman. Aneesh Pradhan: So, did you play conga in the song? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, I played the conga for the song. Aneesh Pradhan: So, how was your experience with him? Nirmal Mukherjee: Very good. He was a very nice person. I have not seen anyone as jolly as he was. He sat with the musicians, ate and mingled with them. He was never partial. He respected the musicians and appreciated especially the ones who played well, because he himself was a musician. Panchamda (R D Burman) was a musician (he even played the mouth organ). Aneesh Pradhan: He also used to sing Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, he used to sing. Pyarelalji had arranged the music for R.D.s first film Bhoot Bangla, in the song Jaago Sone Waalon. They had very friendly relations and would call up each other often. I have also worked with S.D. Burmansahab, in the film Abhimaanthe song Loote Koi Man Ka Nagar Ban Ke Mera Saathi(sings)....I have played in the song. Aneesh Pradhan: Who had arranged the music for it? Nirmal Mukherjee: Basu Manohari and Marutiraoji. In those days, S D Burman and R D Burman had their hands full with several assignments. Famous Studio in Tardeo and the Film Centre were located close to each other. Once, S D wanted to go to the studio where Panchamda was recording. So he told me to supervise the work, which he had set and arranged. I also played the song Baagon Mein Jugnu Chamke from the film Jugnu, for S D Burman. In short, I did a lot of work with S D Burman. I also worked with Madan Mohanji. I played for his film Mausam. The song Dil Dhoondhta Hai in the film was played by me. Aneesh Pradhan: So, Nirmalji, did you ever teach anyone either from the film industry or anyone from outside the industry? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, I taught many people, including Pratapji (Pratap Rath, a well-known percussionist from the film industry). Many of these musicians are earning good money abroad. I am
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satisfied that by Gods grace they are earning a decent livelihood. I have never charged anything for teaching others because I too was not charged a fee by anyone who taught me. Prabhakarji never charged me any fees and taught me with great love and affection. Kawas Baba taught me how to hold the triangle or the maracas; these are the people who actually groomed me. They greatly inspired me; they shared their skills about the manner in which a particular instrument is to be played. Aneesh Pradhan: I have observed that percussion players play many instruments whereas other instrumentalists specialize in their own instrument. Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, for instance, a Mandolin player will play at the most the Banjo, the Guitar, the Oud, the Rabab or the Electric guitar. He wont go beyond that. Aneesh Pradhan: Like Sitar players will play only Sitar but percussionists? Nirmal Mukherjee: Because there is a huge range of percussive instruments. There is a lot of scope to play these instruments; also the style of playing differs with each of them. Aneesh Pradhan: Also, nobody (percussionist) refuses to play other instruments. Nirmal Mukherjee: Nobody refuses, and if the musician is willing to play, he can actually do so. Aneesh Pradhan: Suppose you play more than one instrument, now that it is the dubbing age, for a single song, are you paid separately per session? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, we are paid separately for each session. Aneesh Pradhan: What about double tracks? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, we are paid accordingly. Nirmal Mukherjee: Some people dont pay or dont want to. Or we forego any extra payment if someone requests us, or if one of our musicians is recording. We dont mind even if he asks us to play for ten different tracks, keeping in mind that he is getting an opportunity and he should be able to establish himself. If he does well, the rest will also be employed. Aneesh Pradhan: Nirmalji, you have played in so many songs, have you ever got an opportunity to note down anything related to the song, or have notated any of the pieces or the thekas that you played or anything for that matter? Nirmal Mukherjee: Till now, we played by rote in most cases. Now, we are required to notate. Aneesh Pradhan: Now, once you notate, do you save it or dispose it off after the sessions? Nirmal Mukherjee: No, no one keeps the notations after the sessions, once the song is recorded. Aneesh Pradhan: Nobody?
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Nirmal Mukherjee: Nobody keeps it, only the violinists parts are preserved. Aneesh Pradhan: Who keeps it? Nirmal Mukherjee: The arranger collects it and hands it over to the music director. Aneesh Pradhan: Do the music directors preserve it? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, they keep them. Even today, you can still get some old files from Laxmikant Pyarelals time. Everything is written down there. And as far as the rhythm part is concerned, everyone knows and remembers the parts that have been played and we play that by rote. Whenever we play for our boss, (we call Pyarebhai the boss), or play in some show, whenever he has asked us whether we remembered a particular song, we always said yes. Aneesh Pradhan: So, you still play for shows? Nirmal Mukherjee: Yes, even now. Aneesh Pradhan: Do you play only the congas in the shows? Nirmal Mukherjee: Conga, tumba, duff or any instrument that the song demands. . Aneesh Pradhan: Do you also go abroad for shows? Nirmal Mukherjee: I have travelled abroad many times for shows. I worked with Asha Bhonsale for four years and been abroad for her shows during these four years. I also visited America with her. Aneesh Pradhan: Nirmalji, it was really nice meeting and talking to you. You are such an experienced artist from the film industry. Thanks for sharing all this information with us. Your fans and all of us will keep listening to your music in the years to come. Thanks a lot! Namaskaar!

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