Minoo Katrak, a sound engineer cum mixer, was a tall, fair, balding Parsi living in Mancherji Joshi Dadar Parsi Colony (DPC). I used to see him walking several times near the Palia/Kerawalla Mansion. All the top directors would hire him for their films. He was the sound recordist at Famous Studios (Tardeo, in south Bombay), the first sound recording studio in the city. Musicians liked Famous Studios not only because the acoustics were way better than the makeshift spaces they used to record in till then, but also because it was air-conditioned! This was a rarity in the 1950s.
Meherwanji Eduljee and flier of Sheesh Mahal
Katrak worked with director O. P. Nayyar during the recording of the song Aaye Hain Door Se (film: Tumsa Nahin Dekha, 1957). He also worked with Naushad and Lata Mangeshkar in the following movies: Joroo Ka Ghulam, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Amar Prem, Mere Apne, Johny Mera Naam, Aradhana, etc. Some of the outstanding movies for which he was sound engineer were Amanush (1975), Himmat (1970), Brahmachari (1968), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Do Ustad (1959), Sadhna (1958), Jagte Raho (1956), Misar Ka Sitara (1935), etc.
There was also another sound engineer Meherwanji Eduljee who lived in DPC and was hired by several Hindi film directors. He used to go to shooting locations all over the country in his Chevrolet Woody Station Wagon, loaded with all the recording equipment, and towing an electric generator to power all his equipment on a two-wheel trailer. One of the greatest films for which he was the sound recording director was Sohrab Modi’s Sheesh Mahal (1950). Eduljee was born on May 9, 1912 and at the age of 18 he got into the film industry starting with the Fazal Brothers with whom he remained for about five years. Later he joined Modi’s group as a sound engineer and in the mid ’50s he started his own business, Audio Cine Services. He did the sound track for films like Mirza Ghalib, Pukar, Jhansi Ki Rani, Sheesh Mahal, Varish, to name a few. He retired in 1969 and moved to Bangalore. He passed away in September 2002.
ARDESHIR B. DAMANIA
California, USA
abdamania@yahoo.com