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Manek Premchand

Author | Film Music Historian

Manek Premchand is a passionate aficionado of Hindi film music, with a special devotion to the Golden Era—from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s. He has taught Broadcasting and Visual Communications at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and has conducted Master Classes on The Evolution of Music in Hindi Films at Manipal University, Karnataka. He has also served as an Advisor to Manipal University Press, which has published two of his works.

A prolific writer, Manek has authored hundreds of articles and numerous books on music, which include Yesterday’s Melodies, Today’s Memories, Musical Moments From Hindi Films, Romancing The Song, Shiv Kumar Sharma, The Man and His Music (co-authored), Talat Mahmood—The Velvet Voice, Hitting The Right Notes, The Hindi Music Jukebox, The Unforgettable Music of Hemant Kumar (co-authored), Majrooh Sultanpuri: The Poet For All Reasons, DIRECTOR’S CHAIR — Hindi Cinema’s Golden Age, And the Music Lives On and Shyam—A Star Forgotten (edited).

He has been a Jury Member at the Bangalore International Film Festival and a Guest Speaker at the Mangalore LitFest. His voice has been heard on radio, including WorldSpace Satellite Radio, and he has been featured in many television programmes, celebrating and preserving the legacy of Hindi film music.

My Book(s)

In The Media

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Director’s Chair – Hindi Cinema’s Golden Age: In Conversation with Manek Premchand

A distinguished music critic, Hindi film connoisseur and author, Manek Premchand has always been fascinated by Hindi cinema’s music.

A perfect tribute to the great Hindi film lyricists

THE words have always mattered. In the world of Hindi film music, the lyricist has most often been an equal contributor.

Press Rewind – Society & The Arts News

Musical Moments From Hindi Films Rifling through the pages of this book, regardless of its grainy photographs and less-than perfect production values, is like unlocking that secret part of your heart that goes dhadhak-dhadhak (this is after all Bollywood) every time an old Hindi film song plays.

Majrooh Sultanpuri: The Poet for all Reasons, Enlightening and entertaining

This book on Majrooh Sultanpuri one of the prominent musical forces in Hindi films.

Book Review: “Majrooh Sultanpuri: The Poet For All Reasons”

Among the four markers of a film song – the film in which it appeared, the singer, the music director and the lyricist – the last generally gets a raw deal.

Mubarak Begum: Bollywood music’s shooting star

Begum shone brightly through her distinct voice and talaffuz in the 1950s and 60s

Videos

TALAT MAHMOOD ‘KING OF GHAZALS’ Bollywood Roots (NDTV)

The Evolution of Music in Hindi Cinema

Manek Premchand Chandrashekhar Phanse Sitar, Ik shehenshah ne banwa ke haseen Taj Mahal

Manek Premchand, Chandrashekhar Phanse Sitar, tumse pyaar kitna

Mere nadeem mere humsafar udas na ho… Sudha Malhotra

Wonderful Recall… Manek Premchand with Manna Dey

Kersi Lord, Burjor Lord, Homi Mullan and Manek Premchand

When Rexona asked musicians to endorse their soap

The Hemant Kumar book “release” on 15 August 2020

Aayi Deewali and Ab to aaja Deewali aakhir aa hi gayi…