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Lata Mangeshkar shaped the golden era of music. Her contribution remains without parallels and includes some landmark songs that are defining moments in not only in her music but Indian music in general.
Ghulam Haider taught Lata the finer points of "Dil mera toda, mujhe kahin ka na choda’`85in (Majboor/1948) starting off Lata’s musical journey in Hindi films. With "Uthaye ja unke sitam (Andaaz/1949)", she overtook all other women singers. Nobody has expressed the pangs of separation as Lata did in "Tum na jane kis jahan mein kho gaye (Sazaa/1951). Another landmark song in landmark film "Aaja ri aa nindiya tu aa"(Do Bigha Zameen/1953) creates the perfect feelings of loneliness. In Anarkali/1953, "Yeh zindagi usi ki hai jo kissi ka ho gaya", the muted progression of melody towards a heartbreaking finale signified by the high-pitched "Alvida, alvida, alvida"’ is unparalleled for its structural dexterity. What solemnity Lata brought, voicing the predicaments of women in "Unko yeh shikayat hai keh hum kuchh nahin kehte.( Adalat/1956 )". The heart-rending tragedy of being born as a woman was put across flawlessly in "Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko/mardon ne usey bazaar diya`85 (Saadhnna/1958)" "Pyar kiya to darna kya," (Mughal-e- Azam/1960) was a clarion call of defiant love by Anarkali. "Alla tero naam, Eshwar tero naam (Hum Dono/1961) mirrors the rapture of a devotee. One of the most alluring melodies of Lata, "Aapki nazron ne samjha pyar ke kabil mujhey (Anpad/1962) brought applause for her and Madan Mohan. In "Rahein na rahein hum, mehka karein gey, " (Mamta/1966), her voice is timeless. Her "Lag ja galey keh phir yeh hasein raat ho na ho (Woh Kaun Thi/1964) — brings the joy of being together and the pain of impending separation. Another landmark song "Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai, (Guide/1964) is an expression of a heart in flight. With "Aa jaane jan" (Inteqam/1969) picturised on Helen, Lata stepped into the territory of Asha Bhosle. With the dominance of violence and vulgarity in films during 1970s and 1980s, Lata took a backseat. However some of her songs such as "Dikhayee diye yun ki bekhud kiya" (Bazaar) and "Ek Radha ek Meera (Ram Teri Ganga Maili) brought back a little of Lata magic. In the 1990s Lata’s most inspiring renderings were in films such as Rudali, Maachis, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Lekin, Maya Memsaab/ 1992). Ramlaxman’s peppy tune and Lata in Didi tera devar deewna (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun/1994) had cast a magic spell on the masses. A. R. Rahman-Lata’s "Jiya jale" in Dil Se (1998) made her sound like a nightingale. The Midas touch in her voice was intact when she sang "Tere liye hum yun jiye", Aisa desh hai mera" and "Hum to bhaiyee jaisey hain waisey rahengey in Veer-Zaara/ 2004). Now-a-days whenever she wants to sing, Lata chooses songs, which do not rob her age of its dignity. Even at 82, her voice conveys the same blend of innocence as she had when she sang "Abhi to main jawan hoon" (Afsana) in 1951.
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