Javed Akhtar recalls Khemchand Prakash’s tragic end during the Copyright Bill push.The music world owes much to composer Khemchand Prakash, who was pivotal in launching the careers of legends like Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar. Yet, his own life ended in tragedy and poverty.
Veteran lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar highlighted Prakash’s heartbreaking story during the Rajya Sabha debate on the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010, arguing for proper royalty systems for artistes and their families. “The law is supposed to protect the rights of the vulnerable,” Akhtar said, citing how artists like Prakash received little to no support after their contributions.
A Life That Launched Legends
Khemchand Prakash is best remembered as the man who recognised Lata Mangeshkar’s potential when others didn’t. After she was rejected by producer Chandu Lal Shah, it was Prakash who gave her a break in the 1948 film Ziddi. Their later collaboration on the haunting melody “Aayega Aane Wala” in the film Mahal made Lata a household name.
Prakash also worked closely with Kishore Kumar, Naushad, and Manna Dey. Yet, the composer’s death left his family without any financial security.
Javed Akhtar’s Powerful SpeechIn his 2012 speech, Akhtar emotionally shared, “Ayega ek din, ayega. Bahut mashoor geet hai, 60 saal pehle likha gaya tha… This song was composed by Khemchand Prakash, a deeply admired musician of his time… When they tried to locate him to pay Rs 13,000 owed to him, it was found that his wife was begging in Malad. This is not surprising. There are many stories like this.”
Akhtar also said in an interview, “The law is supposed to protect the rights of the vulnerable. Nobody cares for the families of creators of evergreen songs — the story of Khemchand Prakash, a singer of the golden era who composed songs like ‘Aayega Aane Wala’ is a case in point. Sometime ago, his wife was found begging at Mumbai’s Malad station. If Prakash’s family had received adequate royalty from his music, it would not have met such a fate.”
Khemchand Prakash’s story remains a stark reminder of the need for legal protections for artists, and the importance of supporting those behind the songs we cherish.
