NEW DELHI, Sept 28:
Music legend Lata Mangeshkar, who continues to mesmerise millions with her golden voice in a career spanning seven decades, turned 83 today.
The Nightingale of India has left Mumbai to an undisclosed location to celebrate her birthday quietly.
Lata has not many wishes that have remained unfulfilled but the melody queen says she will always regret not giving classical music enough time.
“I feel really lucky that people still love me. I am at peace but it is hard for a human being to be completely satisfied. I have only one regret that I could not give enough time to classical music after coming into films,” Lata told in an interview.
“It was my wish to sing classical songs on stage but I could never get enough time,” she added.
Lata started her classical music training from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan in 1945 but he left for Pakistan after the Partition. After that, Lata learnt classical music from Amanat Khan Devaswale and Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.
Though she started singing at the age of 13, Lata got her first major break in Hindi cinema by composer Ghulam Haider. He asked her to sing ‘Dil mera toda’ in 1948 film ‘Majboor’.
But it was ‘Aayega Aanewaala’ from 1949 ‘Mahal’ that catapulted her to success. Composed by music director Khemchand Prakash and lip-synced on screen by Madhubala, the song became a rage, announcing the arrival of Lata.
She has recorded songs for over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages. Her major work, however, remains in Hindi.
Recipient of the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, Lata has sung for generations of Bollywood actresses from Madhubala to Kajol.
Lata’s beautiful voice has been behind most popular and evergreen songs in film history including ‘Pyar kiya to darna kya’ from ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Aaja re pardesi’ from ‘Madhumati’ and ‘Bahon mein chale aao’ from ‘Anamika’.
From light classical music to film songs, from ghazals to bhajans and pop, Lata has sung a variety of numbers like ‘Tumhen yaad karte karte’, ‘Ajeeb daastan hai yeh’ as well as devotional songs like ‘Paoji maine Ram ratan dhan pao’ and ‘O palan hare’.
Her singing calibre and exceptional voice quality got her a mention in the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ for recording the maximum number of songs during 1974-1991.
Many awards have followed Lata in her long singing career including Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dada Saheb Phalke Award, Maharashtra Bhushan Award, NTR National Award and three National Film Awards. (PTI)
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