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The evergreen voice of India

Nightingale: Lata Mangeshkar with Madan Mohan

Sixty years back, when India had just begun to find its identity as an independent nation, there came a voice. The nation grew, progressed. And along with it the voice evolved. The magical voice of Lata Mangeshkar is perhaps one of the greatest gifts of independent India. This year, when the nation celebrates 60 years of Independence, this singer celebrates six decades of her playback singing.

Lata, who infused life into an unending stream of film songs, had never aspired to become a playback singer. Destiny willed otherwise. The untimely death of her father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar, left the family in penury. Lata, at 13, the oldest of the five children, was left with the onerous task of providing for the family.

Some of the music directors, who were close to the family, urged Lata to sing for films. They gave her the opening and Lata hung on to that lifeline.

In the beginning there was this wisp of a girl in pigtails who had to stand on a stool to reach the microphone. The first time Lata’s voice was recorded was in 1942 for the Marati film ‘Kiti Hasaal’ but the song was not included in the film when released. In the same year Lata acted and sang in the Marati film ‘Paheli Mangalagaur,’ which incidentally was the first time this golden voice was heard on the silver screen. Lata went on to act and sing in six more films before she made her debut in playback singing.

Lata and sister Asha Bhonsle

The 1947 Hindi film ‘Aap Ke Sewa Mein’ had four songs by Lata. The song ‘Paa lagoon kar zori…’ found its way into Indian music history as the first playback song by Lata. Set in Peelu raga in Thumri style, the song was tuned by Datta Davjekar.

Naushad, quite hesitatingly, gave Lata a break in the film ‘Chandni Raat’ (1947). It was a duet with G. M. Durrani, which did not become very popular. Lata was paid Rs. 60 for this song, her first major remuneration. Naushad was however impressed by Lata’s mobility of expression and immense potential, which he went on to use in later films.

Lata got her major break in the film ‘Majboor’ (1948). Music director Ghulam Haider, who along with Davjekar and Anil Biswas nurtured her early career, gave Lata her first-ever solo ‘Dil mera torah ho mujhe…’ And the same year Haider tuned ‘Bedard teri yaad ko…’ for the film ‘Padmini,’ which put the final seal of approval on Lata’s magical career.

Three big films by three big companies were released in 1949. ‘Mahal’ by Bombay Talkies, which had music by Khemchand Prakash, ‘Andaaz’ from Mehboob Productions that had music by the undisputed Naushad and Raj Kapoor’s ‘Barsaat’ that had some lovely songs by Shankar-Jaikishen. Lata’s songs in these films like ‘Ayega ayega…,’ ‘Uthaye jaa unke sithare…,’‘Hawa me udta jai…’ became a sensation. There was no looking back for Lata.

The melody queen Lata

For decades after these films Lata became the dominant female voice in Hindi films. Other singers like Zorabai Ambalawali, Amir Bai Karnataki had faded out, Shamshad Begum and Geeta Dutt held their own for a while. From then on it has been Lata all the way. She has shared in the nation’s happiness and grief. Lata is now the national voice.

From Shantarin, to Madhubala, Sharmila Tagore to Asha Parekh, from Zeenat Aman to Priety Zinta, Lata has sung for all those leading ladies. Most of these stars have aged and retired, but Lata’s sings on. Milestones and records don’t seem to matter anymore. Lata goes on with the business of singing.

She had to wait for more than 10 years for her first award. Lata won the Filmfare Award in 1958 for her song ‘Aaja re pardesi…’ from the film ‘Madhumathi.’ The floodgates opened with that. Lata went on to win almost every award and honour in India including the Bharat Ratna. She remains the only woman to win both the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and the Bharat Ratna.

Lata was not free from controversy or criticism. For long it was said that she did not allow young singers to emerge. When Shankar-Jaikishen gave Suman Kalyanpur a break, Lata is said to have refused to sing for them. The only music director who dared to defy Lata’s dominance was O. P. Nayyar, who preferred Asha Bhonsle and others to Lata. But Lata has always maintained a dignified silence on these issues. Her answer to all this criticism was through her singing. Her amazing quality, sweetness of voice, emotional intensity of style outweighed everything else.

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