Lata Musical journey in Bollywood
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Namsakar,
Lata ji have
interview in big way in bollowood life.
Tuesday July 17, 06:04 PM Lata recounts her musical journey in
Bollywood
By IBNLive.com
She is one of India's living legends. For over six decades she has
regaled us with her voice, which has made people around the world both
smile and cry. It is a voice that has recorded over 40,000 songs in 20
Indian languages, moved Prime Ministers to tears, and provided
strength and inspiration to our soldiers. It's a voice that sweeps
across generations, cuts across borders and unites music lovers across
the world. That voice is the voice of India and it belongs to none
other than Lata Mangeshkar.
Rajeev Masand: Lata didi welcome to the show. This year we are
completing 60 years of Indian Independence. But over the years a lot
has changed in the field of music like composers have come and gone,
people's taste in music has changed but if there is one thing that has
remained constant over the years then it is you and your voice. How
have you adapted your voice to the changing times and music?
Lata Mangeshkar: First I would like to say that my voice is God's gift
to me. Thanks to the blessings of my parents, gurus and my elders my
voice is fine and I can still sing. Change is part of life. When we
started in the 40s there was a different kind of music that was
popular and now it's different. The music of 60s and 70s is not heard
that much these days. So, I also tried to change my singing with the
change in music styles.
Rajeev Masand: You have sung gazals, patriotic songs but the most
popular has been Hindi film songs.
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, that is true because different films were made
and people like different kinds of music. So, the audience had a lot
to choose from.
Rajeev Masand: You have sung songs for Bollywood actresses from
Madhubala to Kareena Kapoor. Your first hit was perhaps the song you
sang for Madhubala in 1949 in the film Mahal called Ayega Aanewala.
You have said earlier that it was one of your favourite songs. Do you
still stand by that?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, it still is one of my favourites. I really like
the song. When we recorded it, I was told that the first part should
sound as though the voice was coming from far away. At that time,
recording techniques were not as advanced as they are now. Nowadays,
anything can be recorded. At that time, I was made to stand a good
distance away from the microphone and while singing I came closer and
closer to it. Finally when the Ayega bit came I was supposed to stand
next to the microphone to get the right effect. I did the entire
process some 25 times to get it right.
Rajeev Masand: So, there was good exercise along with the singing.
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, there was also a fear because I had to reach the
microphone exactly when the Ayega line came. Plus, singing while
walking is difficult. That's why I still remember the song and how it
was recorded.
Audience Member: It is said that a singer's personality and character
is reflected in the way he/she sings. What do you have to say about
that?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, that is true. For example, earlier, the kind of
songs that used to come to me were the cheap-dance type. But I refused
to sing them. So a person's mentality definitely affects his or her
singing.
Rajeev Masand: In the 50s, you worked with the top music composers in
the industry like Shankar-Jaikishen, Naushad, S D Burman, Hemant
Kumar. You were everyone's favourite but did it lead to professional
rivalry between them?
Lata Mangeshkar: That's difficult for me to say because I didn't have
the time to pay attention to all that. I had a lot of work at that
point in time, in fact most of the work was coming to me. Also, by
nature I don't pay heed to such things.
Rajeev Masand: What about the other female singers? Were they jealous
of you?
Lata Mangeshkar: (laughs) I don't know. They might have been but no
one said anything in front of me.
Rajeev Masand: Who was your favourite composer at that time?
Lata Mangeshkar: There was no such favourite but the good thing was
that every music director had his own style.
Rajeev Masand: You sang a lot of songs with Shankar-Jaikishen
especially for Raj Kapoor's films. One of the songs from Sree 420,
Eechak Daana, Beechak Daana became very famous. Moving on to the 60s,
you sang some of the best songs in that era from films like Guide, Dil
Apna Preet Parayi, Bandini among others. Also, your partnership with
Laxmikant-Pyarelal started back then. You did many films like Dost,
Milan, Parasmani and Farz with them. What memories do you have of that
time?
Lata Mangeshkar: The memories I have of them is that Laxmikant-
Pyarelal were little kids and they used to come to my house. My
brother had started a group and these kids were part of it. I had
taken Laxmikant to Shankar-Jaikishen and told them he plays the
mandolin very well. So he started out like that.
Pyarelal was the son of a great musician. He used to learn to play the
violin from him. But he was very young at that time. When they came
and told me they were doing a film, I was very happy for them. They
told me that I had to sing the first song for them. I readily agreed.
After I recorded the song, they came and gave me a cheque of Rs 101
and said that was from their side. There was so much love in the
gesture. That's how Laxmikant-Pyarelal became music directors.
Rajeev Masand: Talking about the 60s, the one film we can't ignore is
Mughal-e-Azam. The one song that is still as haunting is Pyaar Kiya To
Darna Kya. It's said that Naushad saab made you sing the song in the
bathroom. Is that right?
Lata Mangeshkar: No, not in the bathroom. But the last line of the
song needed to have the echo-effect. So he made me sing it in another
room and I had to keep getting closer to the microphone but it was not
sung in the bathroom.
Rajeev Masand: Mughal-e-Azam is said to be the most romantic film in
the Hindi film industry and Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya the most romantic
song. Do you agree?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, definitely and I'm ready to take credit for it.
Rajeev Masand: In 1962, you recorded the song Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon,
which was a tribute to the soldiers who were killed in the Indo-China
war. It is a song that even today people ask you to sing. Even Jawahar
Lal Nehru was moved to tears when he heard it. Tell us something about
the song.
Lata Mangeshkar: At that time, everyone did have a heavy heart due to
the situation. We had gone to Delhi for many programmes. The prime
minister at that time, Jawahar Lal Nehru was there along with his
daughter Indira Gandhi. I sang the song but I honestly did not know he
would be so moved by it.
After the song, I went inside but heard the director of the song
Mehboob Khan calling out for me. He told me that Panditji wanted to
meet me. He took me to him and Panditji told me, "You made me cry
today." He left after the song and told me, "We'll meet in the
evening." Everyone had been called to his house for tea that evening.
The next day I had to return to Bombay as my sister was getting
married in the next few days. But there was frenzy with everyone
saying I had moved the prime minister to tears. Then it became a joke
with me, that after all my shows someone from the government would
come and sit in the front row and cry.
Audience Member: This generation's artists have a lot to learn from
you. One of the your traits really touched me that you would always
reach the recording studio on time, and take off your slippers before
stepping in and bow to Goddess Saraswati. What would you tell parents
to teach their kids in this generation?
Lata Mangeshkar: I would like to tell parents that their children
should learn that when they get up in the morning, they should wish
their parents. They should listen to their parents. Old parents should
not be sent to old age homes. Only then can one be successful.
Rajeev Masand: In the early years of the 70s, you worked with S D
Burman for films that he had worked on just before his death like
Sharmili and Abhimaan. In 1971, you worked in the film Pakeezah, and
the song Chalte Chalte went on to become one of your best. Do you
agree?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I agree. Even the songs Thade Rahiyo, Inhi Logon
Ne and Mausam Hai Aashikana were great songs.
Rajeev Masand: While you were working on that film, did you know the
songs would receive such acclaim?
Lata Mangeshkar: No, I had no idea. That movie was delayed so much
that we didn't even know whether it would ever get completed. So when
the music of the film did well, I was surprised. Even the film was
good and it did well.
Rajeev Masand: Have you seen all the movies you have worked in?
Lata Mangeshkar: Not all of them.
Rajeev Masand: Not all were worth watching. But the song Tere Bina
Zindagi Se from the film Aandhi is one of my personal favourites.
Lata Mangeshkar: Even I like that song a lot. I have sung it at many
of my shows. R D Burman was a great music director.
Rajeev Masand: You have worked with both S D Burman and R D Burman.
Who gave you more challenging and exciting songs?
Lata Mangeshkar: Both of them. They both had different styles. S D
Burman had an Indianness to his style. R D Burman had an outside
influence. But the songs they gave me were different and nice.
Rajeev Masand: In the 80s, you were with your favourite composers'
children: R D Burman, Rajesh Roshan, Anand-Milind and Anu Malik. Was
it a sentimental favour?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I used too favour them. I always tried to make
it for all their recordings. I wanted them to do well and gave them
suggestions wherever needed.
Rajeev Masand: In the 80s you worked for Ram Laxman in the film Maine
Pyaar Kiya. It was a very successful film with a great soundtrack.
Lata Mangeshkar: It was a very sweet song. I think it was my first
song with Ram Laxman. After that I worked a lot with Ram Laxman. The
other film Hum Aapke Hain Kaun also did very well.
Audience Member: With different genres of music coming up today
including pop and rock, where does contemporary classical music stand
in India?
Lata Mangeshkar: Classical music has its place though like you said
pop is very popular today among the youth. But the youth does have a
leaning towards classical music at the same time.
Rajeev Masand: In the 90s you mostly worked for your friends and well
wishers like Yash Chopra. You did Lamhe, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,
Darr, nearly all of Chopra's films. You cannot say no Yash Chopra?
Lata Mangeshkar: No I can't, we share a great relationship and he
calls me didi. It's just like a brother-sister relationship. So, I can
never refuse him.
Rajeev Masand: When Yash Chopra's son turned filmmaker, even then he
was very clear that you will sing the theme song. The song went on
become a huge hit and the movie was Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. A
lot of people were even surprised that you sang for Kajol in the song
Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam. But has it ever happened that you
have refused to sing a song?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, it used happen a lot earlier. There used to be
rock 'n' roll or cabaret songs and I used to refuse them. But after
some time people realised that I don't do such songs so they stopped
offering them to me.
Rajeev Masand: In the 90s you sang for RD Burman's last movie 1942, A
Love Story. The song Kuch Na Kaho from that movie is still remembered,
was it an emotional moment for you because it was his last film and
considering that the movie was released after his death?
Lata Mangeshkar: When RD came to me he said that I want you to sing
this song, which is a background number and the heroine will not sing
it. I committed to him that I will do it but soon after that I left
for America for a show. When I came back, RD called me again to ask
when I would sing the song. Then I told him that I have to go to
Delhi, so I'll come back and do it. And while I was gone, he passed
away. So, I really regret the fact that I could not sing it in front
of him. I really regret that I wasn't around and while recording the
song I couldn't help having tears in my eyes.
Rajeev Masand: In the 90s you really cut down on your work. Was it
because you were tired or was it because you wanted to give others a
chance?
Lata Mangeshkar: No, I wasn't tired but I felt that the music that was
being offered was not the kind that should be coming. I still think
that is the case. Even now when there are duets suddenly we see about
50-100 people dancing in the background. I didn't feel like doing
these songs.
Rajeev Masand: In the 90s you also worked with AR Rahman in movies
like Dil Se, Lagaan and One Two Ka Four. What do you think of Rahman
as a composer, who is a modern musician and composes his music on
computers. You adjusted with his style?
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes absolutely. Working with him is like a whole new
experience. Whenever I have gone to his place he always tells me sing
the way I want to. So, whatever I sing, he starts recording it and
later when he edits it, it's a great piece of work.
Audience Member: You don't do too many film sings nowadays but earlier
also some of your non filmy songs were very popular. Why don't you do
non-filmy songs nowadays?
Lata Mangeshkar: Two years back I did sing a Marathi song. But not too
many people listen to Marathi songs and so it didn't work as much as
we thought it would. After that I recorded a gazal album called
Saadgi. So, I have been singing and will continue to do so. We are
also recording a song in which there are four Pakistani singers and
four Indian singers. Hopefully this Indo-Pak project will do well.
Rajeev Masand: What are your thoughts about 21st century music?
Lata Mangeshkar: I have told you my views on it, it is good but it is
not like it used to be.
Rajeev Masand: After 17 years you released your private album Saadgi.
But what took you so long to come out with an album?
Lata Mangeshkar: It took me 17 years because in between I did cut
albums. Also 17 years back I had recorded for Jagjit Singhji and
before that for Ghalib, for which my brother had given music. But
after that few people listened to gazals. The present generation does
not understand gazals, they like everything modern. It became such
that the only songs that were being done had words like sharaab lao
and pyala lao which I didn't want to do. But in between I did an album
for Atal ji. So, then I thought it has been a long time and I should
do something with gazals. The album is called Saadgi because I think
the letter 'S' is lucky for me. I did Shradhanjali, then Sajda and so
now it's Saadgi.
Rajeev Masand: Very few people know that apart from Hindi film music,
bhajans and gazals, you also have a taste for Western pop music. Your
favourite is Bryan Adams and Nat King Cole.
Lata Mangeshkar: I am very fond of Nat King Cole. I have each and
every song of his at home.
Rajeev Masand: You have also been a fan of Beatles.
Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, of course. But apart from Beatles I am not a fan
of the other bands.
Rajeev Masand: Lata didi, thank you so much for talking to us.
Lata Mangeshkar: Thank you very much
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