Homi Mullan – The Pulse Of Percussion

By Deepa | October 22, 2016

Aanewaala pal jaane waala hai
Ho sake toh isme zindagi bita do
Pal jo ye jaane waala hai

A philosophical yet a peppy song by the lovable combo of Gulzar-Pancham-Kishore Kumar from the all time favorite comedy Golmaal (1979) by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. As soon as the song begins it sets a rhythm for the listeners even before Kishore Kumar starts singing the lyrics. This rhythmic sound is of an instrument called Duggi, a percussion instrument which was very distinct in majority of the Pancham numbers. Duggi in this particular song is played an ace percussionist Homi Mullan. How flat would the music sound without its rhythm!!?

Instruments have a huge share in making the songs immortal. Music has been the soul of Hindi cinema. The mesmeric charm of all the melodies have enraptured the music lovers. It will be fair if we say that the connoisseurs of music owe quite an amount of share of the sea of euphoria to the back-stage artists – assistant music directors, arrangers, musicians and instrument players. Homi Mullan was one of such masters who produced fascinating and spellbinding music through his deft fingers. An ace percussionist who maintained the side rhythm of hundreds of wonderful songs. A genius with sound and percussion, he handled instruments such duggi, maadal, reso reso, congas, the triangle and many more. Fair, tall and handsome he was soft spoken and humble and a very very genuine person at heart. Always cheerful and ready to guide. Such was Homi da!!
Beginning his music lessons with his guru V.Balsara, he started as a keyboard musician in Kolkata. Playing accordion and piano. It is later that when he shifted to Bombay, he started playing the percussions and became a master in it under the guidance of the master percussionist Cawas Lord.

Cherish this beautiful song from the Bengali film Deya Neya starring Uttam Kumar, where the music is given by Shyamal Mitra. We can actually see Homi da playing an accordion (see from 0.17 to 0.22 in the video)

Later when he changed to percussion, he was scrubbed and polished by R D Burman. He’s played instruments for many music directors of yesteryears including Naushad, Salil Chowdhury, SD Burman, OP Nayyar, Shankar-Jaikishan and also the newer ones like Jatin-Lalit, Vishal Bhardwaj. But he always said that the satisfaction he got by working for R D Burman was always on the top.

“Homiji as he was lovingly called was a genius of sound and percussion. His control on the supplementary rhythm instruments was truly incredible. He was the one who perfected the art of the ‘Clutch and Release’ method of playing a Triangle”.

Here are a few songs to show the versatility of this ace percussionist.

A glance at those songs with the instruments played by Homi Mullan in it. Thus making him an integral part of the Hindi music and the pulse of percussion –

Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) – Homi Mullan plays the duggi, like he played in many more songs.

Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) – He plays the congas in this very rhythmic and romantic number.

Sholay (1975) – The blockbuster with an equally blockbuster music. Homi da plays the Claves in this flirtatious delightful Pancham number.

Ghar (1978) – He plays the Maadal in this romantic all time favourite Lata- Kishore number.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iga9sojsYcM&t=91s

His knowledge of Foley sounds was unique. You’ll come to know when you hear the Cycle Bell Foley in this Padosan (1968) song!!

In the newer songs here’s one which gives another example of his deft fingers. He plays the Maadal and the Duggi tarang in this lovable song from Khiladi (1992) by Jatin Lalit!!