Queen of melody

Lata Mangeshkar will be singing once again after a four-year break from films. Paramjit Singh recounts the life and works of the legendary singer, whose birthday falls on September 28

Lata will be singing the title track of Sunjay Sharma’s Dunno Y...Na Jaane Kyun

Throughout the last six decades, she has reigned the Indian film industry as the queen of melody, unchallenged and unrivalled. She is undoubtedly a living legend as her contribution of thousands of evergreen and melodious songs in various languages to the film music is unique. She is still the most loved, highly admired and widely heard female singer of Bollywood. The recipient of many prestigious awards and honours, this persona of perfection is none other than Lata Mangeshkar.

Lata, who had taken a four-year hiatus from films, is singing the title track "Pal mein rishte badal jaate hain" of Sunjay Sharma’s Dunno Y...Na Jaane Kyun.

The granddaughter of Ganesh Bhatt, a temple priest at a village called Mangesh, near Goa, and daughter of Dinanath Mangeshkar, a noted dramatist, was born on September 28, 1929, at Indore. During her early childhood, Lata enjoyed prosperity at home as her father was the sole owner of Balwant Sangeet Natak Mandli, having a regular income of nearly Rs 16,000 per month.

Lata’s childhood name was Hridya, which was later changed to Lata because "Latika", a play written and performed by her father had earned a grand success at that time.

In 1931 came the first talkie Alam Ara. But this marvellous achievement of Indian cinema opened the doors of misfortune for Lata’s family. During that period, Dinanath Mangeshkar, too, tried, his luck making a film, Andheri Duniya. But the film turned out to be a flop and he lost everything after that.

In 1938, Lata’s family shifted to Pune and her father joined Akashwani, Pune, as a singer. When he passed away in 1942, Lata was barely 13 years old then. Lata had to work to support her family. She got the job of a junior artist in a film company. Her debut film was Pehli Manglagore, a Marathi film, in which she sang three songs, too. It was 10 days of her father’s death when she faced the camera for the first time. Later, she joined Praful Pictures at a salary of Rs 60 per month and worked both as an actor and a singer in Chimukla Sansar (1943), Gaja Bhao (1944), Badi Maa (1945), Subhdra (1945), Jeevan Yatra (1946) and Mandir (1948).

In 1947, Lata gained popularity for her thumri "Paa lagon kar jori" in Aap Ki Sewa Mein. She came in contact with music director Ghulam Haider, who signed her for Majboor. The film turned to be a blockbuster. After Majboor, her career really took off and she received much praise for her songs in superhits like Barsaat, Mahal, Andaaz and Badi Behan.

Lata learnt music from masters like Ustaad Amanat Ali, Ustaad Aman Ali and Pt Tulsi Dass. The songs she sang for films like Baiju Bawra, Mughal-e-Azam, Aag, Kohinoor, Shri 420 and Madhumati in the 1960s were hits. The following decades saw her singing in films like Maya, Pakeezah, Sharmeeli, Parichay, Sholay, Mukaddar ka Sikander, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Maine Pyaar Kiya, Heena, Chandni, Lamhe, Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Darr, Lekin, Zubeida, Maachis, Abhimaan, Zanjeer, Veer-Zara, Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham and many more.

Besides being conferred with the National Award thrice and the Officer de la Legion d’Honneur medal, the highest French decoration, there are numerous other awards in her kitty. She has won the Filmfare Award seven times and was winner of the Maharashtra Government Award twice. She was also honoured with the Bharat Ratna (2001), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Padma Bhushan (1968), Padma Vibhushan (1999) and Rajiv Gandhi Award (1999). She is also the recipient of Zee Cinema Lifetime Achievement Award (1999), Stardust Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) and Noorjahan Award (2001).