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Posts tagged Lata Mangeshkar
Shamshad Begum: Rising above the ordinary
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Shamshad Begum’s unique timbre and range helped her stand out at a time when playback singing was dominated by Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt
Narendra Kusnur (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 25, 2013)
There was something special and sublime about that voice, whether she sang love songs, frothy fun numbers or qawwali-based duets. Back in the 1950s, Shamshad Begum stood out, even in an era when female playback singing was dominated by Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt.
Maybe the folksiness of her voice made her so distinct. Maybe it was the nasal twang. Maybe it was because it sounded so natural and pure. Maybe it was a combination of all factors. Whatever the reason, Shamshad was chosen by all the leading music directors of the day, and specially favoured by Naushad, OP Nayyar and C Ramchandra. In fact, Nayyar famously said that her voice was like a temple bell.
For most fans of old Hindi film music, Shamshad’s death on Tuesday would have brought back an ocean of memories, a galaxy of melodies. Her hits would have randomly flashed across one’s mind, and one would have hummed OP Nayyar songs like Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar (Aar Paar), Meri Neendon Mein Tum Mere Khwabon Mein Tum and Chana jor gara (Naya Andaz), her duets with Asha Kajra Mohabbat Waal (Kismat) and Reshmi Salwar Kurta Jaali Ka (Naya Daur), or the super-hits from Raj Khosla’s CID.
Clearly, CID was the supreme example of her class, as she sang three Nayyar songs — Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re, Kahin Pe Nigahen More >
Lata Mangeshkar congratulates Kareena after watching Talaash on TV
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
4
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; April 17, 2013)
Recently Kareena Kapoor’s last release Talaash had a television outing. And incidentally, Lata Mangeshkar caught the screening on TV and called the actress to compliment her on her performance in the film.
A source says, “Last week Kareena got a call from Lataji. The singer happened to see her film on TV and really loved her performance. So she thought of conveying her message to Kareena and made the call.” Apparently Bebo was so overwhelmed with the singer’s words that she could not stop telling people around her about the incident.
“Lataji has always liked Kareena’s performances in various films and wanted to tell her this. However, somehow she never got a chance to meet or express herself to the actress. She thinks that she is one of the best actresses of the current generation.”
Lata Mangeshkar to honour Jaya Bachchan
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (DNA; March 28, 2013)
Lata Mangeshkar shares a very warm and close relationship with Amitabh Bachchan and wife Jaya. Lata will now be taking their special bonding further when on April 24 on the occasion of her father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar’s death anniversary, she will confer an award named after her father to Jaya.
Says Lata, “I am very fond of the Bachchans. And somewhere I think they too are very fond of me. They can never say ‘no’ to me for anything. Considering how busy they are, they’ve always made time for whatever I’ve asked them. When I asked Jayaji if she would accept the award on April 24 in my father’s memory she immediately agreed.”
Jaya, it must be noted, is a huge Lata devotee and had modelled her character as a singer in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Abhimaan on her. Laughs Lata, “Pataa hai mujhe. She would come to my song recordings before she began shooting for Abhimaan. I’d wonder why she was staring at me during recordings. When I saw the film I noticed she had subtly copied many of my gestures during recording such as the way I adjust my pallu, etc. We’ve been very close indeed.”
In the coming months, the ties between Lata and the Bachchans are destined to be strengthened as Lata intends to sing some of Big B’s father Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s lines.
Says Lata, “Harivansh Raiji has always been one of my favourite poets. It’s been my long-standing desire to sing some of his lines.”
How can Asha and I be rivals?-Lata Mangeshkar
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (DNA; March 20, 2013)
A recent report in a newspaper about rivalry between her and sister Asha Bhonsle has disturbed Lata Mangeshkar. Speaking to After Hrs, she says, “How can we be rivals? I can never sing what she can. Even Pancham (RD Burman) admitted that we had mutually exclusive singing abilities.”
Speaking candidly on the relationship with her sister, she continues, “There’s no fight between us. Until recently we lived in adjoining flats and there’s a connecting door between our homes. We’re constantly in and out of one another’s homes.”
Lata’s voice lights up with pride at her sister’s achievements. “I’m very proud of Asha. She can sing every kind of song. Thank God she didn’t adopt my style of singing. If she had we’d have become competition for one another. She went on her own path. Yeh maanna padega ki woh bahut badi gayika hai.” On March 31 Lata will be presenting an award named after her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar to Asha Bhosle.
Says Lata, “I am honoured to give the award to my sister. I was supposed to present this award to Asha on October 26. But then Varsha (Asha Bhosle’s daughter) passed away. So they had to postpone the award. Now it’s finally happening.”
My songs are replayed and remixed even today-Bappi Lahiri
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Soumitra Das (BOMBAY TIMES; March 1, 2013)
Barely moments into a conversation with the undisputed ‘disco king’ Bappi Lahiri, the chubby musician breaks into Ooh La La and says with a smile, “It has become an anthem of sorts, isn’t it? Even when I do stage shows abroad, the crowds ask me to sing it at least four times! I have completed 40 years in the industry, but even this generation loves my music. I have always believed that songs are meant for enjoyment and I guess that is the secret behind my success.”
He adds, “I have delivered seven hit songs in a row and they are revisiting my old songs. That’s why I am looking forward to the release of Himmatwala. It’s a great feeling. I may have done about 470 films, but I never feel ki bahut ho gaya.” Excerpts from a chat:
MUSIC AAJ, KAL Singers have come and gone, but my songs continue to be repeated and remixed even today. I feel very lucky that I got to work with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha didi and many more in the 1980s. Not just every singer, but even the composers back then had their own individual styles and distinct identity about their voice/music. You could easily differentiate between film scores by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji or RD Burman. I won’t say that good work isn’t happening. There are hit songs being made and some good singers, too. But the problem is that today, most composers and singers lack originality. You may love a certain song, but that distinct flavour isn’t quite there.
REFRESHING BREAK After More >
Lata Mangeshkar-Vidya Balan have a sari connection
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (DNA; February 21, 2013)
Lata Mangeshkar, who was honoured with the Nightingale Of The Century award recently, met one of her biggest fans Vidya Balan at the event. While receiving her award, when the songstress sang her signature line Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai, Vidya could not control her excitement. She jumped out of her seat her joy and shouted across the auditorium. The singer shares, “I was taken aback when I got to know it was Vidya who greeted my presence on stage so enthusiastically. I’ve admired her work for quite some time now. She is very different from other actresses today in appearance, personality and talent. What I really like about Vidya is her Indianness. She is the first actress after Rekha who wears the saree at every public event. And I love the dignity and grace with which she carries off the saree.”
50 years of Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon…
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Quaid Najmi (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 26, 2013)
It is a song that is sung on every patriotic occasion, had moved India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to tears and its strong morale-boosting words provided solace to a nation agonised by the defeat in the 1962 India-China war.
Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, penned by Rashtriya Kavi Pradeep, was written shortly after the war and served to unite the masses seething with rage over the battering the Indian forces received.
It was first rendered before a packed National Stadium in the capital on a cold January 27 evening exactly 50 years ago – by Lata Mangeshkar.
The distinguished audience included President S Radhakrishnan, Prime minister Nehru, Cabinet ministers, virtually the entire film industry comprising stalwarts like Dilip Kumar and late Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, singers Mohammed Rafi, Hemant Kumar and many more.
“Unfortunately, Pradeep was not invited. When Nehru visited Mumbai three months later – on March 21, 1963 – my father sang it specially for him at a function here and also presented the original handwritten poem to him,” his artiste daughter, Mitul said. Pradeep, who was as despondent as every other Indian after the 1962 war, was walking the Mahim beach when the words suddenly came to him. He borrowed a pen from a fellow walker, wripped out the foil from his cigarette packet and penned the first stanza. Some weeks later producer Mehboob Khan approached him for an opening song for a fundraiser he More >
Cynics questioned Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’s ending-Sanjay Leela Bhansali
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
As told to Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 30, 2012)
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam had to be a success. After having gone through the trauma of a failed first film with Khamoshi: The Musical, I had poured my heart into it.
Failure is a very isolating experience. It lowers your morale and self esteem and makes actors wary of working with you. But I had Salman Khan’s support througout. Then, Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also came on board. We had a great time shooting the film.
I never thought Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam would be so special to the audience. Being a Gujarati, I chose to have a Gujarati family setting for Hum Dil… I got an amazing set of actors to work with me. Vinay Pathak, Sheeba Chadha, Vikram Gokhale, Smita Jaykar, Kenny Desai, not to mention the two most amazing veterans Zohra Sehgal-ji and Helen Aunty.
When the film opened, my blood froze when distributors complained about the length of the film and even cut the song Dheel De in some centres without my permission. Cynics questioned the film’s ending, where Aishwarya’s character chooses to remain with her husband rather than go with her lover. They claimed I was playing safe whereas I argued I was playing it from my heart. The film was a big success. I was surprised at how the audience connected with its nuances. A lot of praise came my way for the songs and the way they were shot. Lata Mangeshkar-ji paid me the greatest compliment by praising Ismail Durbar’s title song. I maintain Salman and Ajay More >
If Bhupen had an affair with Lataji, I would have known-Kalpana Lajmi
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Kalpana Lajmi, Bhupen Hazarika’s companion for 40 years, speaks from Guwahati on how — and why — the maestro’s name was dragged through dirt after his death
Zinia Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; November 11, 2012)
You are in Guwahati for Bhupen Hazarika’s barsi. When did you first hear about the interview that his ex-wife, Priyamvada, gave to an Assamese channel claiming that he had an affair with Lata Mangeshkar? I left Mumbai on November 4. I had to catch a 6 am flight. I think the interview took place the night before. I watched it in Guwahati. But trust me, I wasn’t shocked; nothing shocks me anymore, considering the industry we function in. But it’s sad for Bhupen. Such a thing has been said at a time when he can’t even retaliate. It seems like a well-planned action.
So, you think the interview was pre-motivated? Everyone knew I was holding the shraddh. The ad had come out in the papers, inviting everyone. It was more of an open house. And what I saw (on TV) made me come to this conclusion. She (Priyamvada) looked provoked. Though she wasn’t nervous, she didn’t look fully in control. Then, suddenly in the midst of the interview, she had an outburst. It was her anger and frustration talking. It seems she was egged on by the channel or maybe, her son and close family members, who launched a tirade against Bhupen even in his lifetime. I fail to understand this — why do people want to listen to a wife who has been estranged from her husband for 55 years? I think it’s because of More >
Lata Mangeshkar teams up with Shankar Mahadevan
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 2, 2012)
Shankar Mahadevan is on cloud nine. His lifelong desire to work with his idol, Lata Mangeshkar, is about to be fulfilled. Mahadevan (45) will soon record his first song with the legendary songstress.
Talking about his dream project, Mahadevan said, “It is my greatest dream in life to work with Lata Didi. To me, she is Mata Saraswati. I was touched by the beautiful things she said about me. I felt my musical journey has been worth the hard work. My first recording with her was when I played the Veena for her bhajan in the album Ram Shyam Gun Gaan she recorded with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. I was 11 years old at the time. Exactly my younger son, Shivam’s age. My journey started with her blessings. And now I want Shivam too to embark on his musical journey with her blessings.”
Mahadevan said he goes by his favourite book The Secret (by Rhonda Byrne). “If you wish for something sincerely from the bottom of your heart, it will happen. I prayed almost my entire life for a chance to sing with Lata Didi at least once. And my wish has come true. I am blessed. My Pranam to the Saraswati of Indian music,” said the prolific singer composer.