LATA MANGESHKAR (1929-2022)
What can we add to the millions of words said in praise of India’s foremost female singer, Lata Mangeshkar? Suffice it is to say that she had a sweet , golden voice that was unparalleled and was the result of complete dedication to the profession of singing.
The Mangeshkar family came from a modest background and Lata was the eldest of the siblings.
She initially modelled herself on Noor Jehan but soon developed her own style and reigned as the number one female singer for Hindi films for decades. Her initial rise to fame was courtesy of composers Shankar Jaikishan for whom she was the default singer. ‘ Barsaat’ (1949), for which she sang almost all the songs, shot her into the limelight and after that she did not look back.
Even though she had little formal education, Lata was both street smart and sharp. She ensured that the pinnacle she had reached remained hers alone by boycotting composers and producers who encouraged new singers. Her spats with Sardar Mallick, S D Burman and Shankar Jaikishan are well known. But for her spat with Rafi and Shankar Jaikishan, she would have sung many more hits that went to other singers like Suman Kalyanpur and Sharda.These traits, however, only showed that she was human after all.
India and Indians will continue to enjoy the haunting, sweetvoice of Lata Mangeshkar for decades to come. RIP Lata Mangeshkar!
T3 lists below Lata’s TOP 30 songs.
| 1 | Jiya bekarar hai – BARSAAT (1949) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 2 | Ye zindagi usiki hai – ANARKALI (1953) | C Ramchandra |
| 3 | Rajaki aayegi baaraat- AAH (1953) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 4 | Aaja re pardesi – MADHUMATI (1958) | Salil Chowdhary |
| 5 | Pyar kiya to darna kya – MUGHAL E AZAM (1960) | Naushad |
| 6 | Ajeeb dastan hai yeh – DIL APNA AUR PREET PARAI (1960) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 7 | Aap ki nazaron se – ANPADH (1962) | Madan Mohan |
| 8 | Kahin deep jale kahin dil – BEES SAAL BAAD (1962) | Hemant Kumar |
| 9 | Tera mera pyaar amar – ASLI NAQLI (1962) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 10 | Jo waada kiya who – TAJ MAHAL (1963) | Roshan |
| 11 | Dil bekarar sa hai – ISHAARA (1964) | Kalyanji Anandji |
| 12 | Lag ja gale se – WHO KAUN THI (1964) | Madan Mohan |
| 13 | Aaja aayee bahar – RAJKUMAR (1965) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 14 | Yeh sama – JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE (1965) | Kalyanji Anandji |
| 15 | Aji roothkar – ARZOO (1965) | Shankar Jaikishan |
| 16 | Lo aa gayi unki yaad – (1966) | Ravi |
| 17 | Aa jaane ja – INTEQAM (1969) | Laxmikant Pyarelal |
| 18 | Bindiya chamkegi – DO RAASTE (1969) | Laxmikant Pyarelal |
| 19 | Inhi logon ne – PAKEEZAH (1972) | Ghulam Mohammed |
| 20 | Teri bindiya re – ABHIMAAN (1973) | S D Burman |
| 21 | Satyam shivam sundaram – SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM (1978) | Laxmikant Pyarelal |
| 22 | Rimjhim gire saawan – MANZIL (1979) | R D Burman |
| 23 | Yeh kahaan aa gaye hum- SILSILA (1981) | Shiv Hari |
| 24 | Tujhse naaraaz – MASOOM (1983) | R D Burman |
| 25 | Ae dil e nadaan- RAZIA SULTAN (1983) | Khayyam |
| 26 | Pyar ka dilko dikhake sapna – ANUBHAV (1986) | Rajesh Roshan |
| 27 | Wada na tod – DIL TUJHKO DIYA (1987) | Rajesh Roshan |
| 28 | Arre re arre ye kya hua – DIL TO PAAGAL HAI (1997) | Uttam Singh |
| 29 | Humko hamise churalo – MOHABBATEIN (2000) | Jatin Lalit |
| 30 | Kaise piyase – BEWAFA (2005) | Nadeem Shravan |