She treated every song as her first

Legendary singer who has given joy and solace to millions of Indians across many generations, passes into the ages, aged 92
As told to Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 7, 2022)

My professional association with Lata Mangeshkar began when we worked together in the first song that I had written for Silsila [1981], Dekha ek khwab toh yeh silsile huye. It was an honour that my two favourite singers, Lata ji and Kishore da [Kumar] brought my words alive. After that, we kept meeting.

Lata ji was a larger-than-life person who was immensely talented and focused on her work. Every singer treats their first song with extreme focus; Lata ji would do that for each and every song. To me, Lata ji was as great an artiste as Michelangelo, Beethoven and Shakespeare. In the history of mankind, we should leave such immensely talented people out of the chain of human civilization. Such people are of a different league and are emblems of perfection. They remind us that perfection can prevail among mediocrity. Lata Mangeshkar ji ke jaise na koi tha, na koi hoga…

While people know about her legendary singing, few know that she had a great sense of humour and sharp observation skills. Although she appeared reserved, she would talk openly and honestly whenever we met. She would always have a witty remark up her sleeve. We would often share jokes if we had observed something funny. Another [remarkable trait] was her unbelievable memory. She would remember incidents that happened more than 50 years ago, down to every minute detail.

Zabaan — that was another thing. Being a Maharashtrian, she could speak Marathi fluently. But because she had to sing Hindi film songs, Lata ji learned Urdu in the initial stages of her career. Her Urdu pronunciation was perfect. She sang innumerable songs in her over 70-year-career, but you cannot point out one song where she has mispronounced a word. Perfection is a mirage that you keep following, but you never reach it. Lata ji was a rare example who achieved it.

While people know about her legendary singing, few know that she had a great sense of humour and sharp observation skills. Although she appeared reserved, she would talk openly and honestly whenever we met. She would always have a witty remark up her sleeve. We would often share jokes if we had observed something funny. Another [remarkable trait] was her unbelievable memory. She would remember incidents that happened more than 50 years ago, down to every minute detail.

Her pursuit for perfection led to an important factor in singing — lafz [words]. She would always take the song, and write it by hand. Then, she would mark lines across certain words, put commas and hyphens. It was her process, and only Lata ji knew what they meant. After that, she would go behind the mic and we would witness her magic. Pata nahin gaane mein kya daal deti thi — she would create magic though she never changed a word or tune.         

Lata ji never sang only through her voice, but it was the blend of awaaz, intellect [dimaag] and heart [dil]. She understood the emotions and subtext of the song. In Yeh kahan aa gaye hum, there was a line that went, ‘Hui aur bhi mulayam, meri shaam dhalte dhalte.’ Mulayalam means soft, and she made it feel soft through her pronunciation. Similarly, in the song Maati re [Godmother], the line goes, ‘Ladte ladte zindagi se thak gayi hoon main’. When she sang thak gayi hoon, you could feel the exhaustion.

[She showed that trait again] when she sang Tere liye for Veer-Zaara (2004). It is about two young lovers who finally reunite in their old age, after 22 years of separation. The song is about defeat and desolation. In her voice, you can feel the acceptance of total defeat. Jis insaan ka sab kuch loot gaya hai, woh mayoosi aur pyaar ka izhaar, unki awaaz mein tha, lavs mein nahin. You could feel every emotion in her songs. It is rare and tough to do that because she had to sing a song within five minutes. There was no alaap or rehearsal. But her rendition would be expressive because she would pour her heart, soul, emotions and experience into it. Her ability to do it for each and every song was what made her great.

While Lata ji was revered in India and abroad, there was a time when she was the most popular Indian in Pakistan too. Many respected poets and shayars from the country have written poems on her, including the popular poetess, Parveen Shakir.

Meeting Lata ji felt like a special occasion in itself. ‘I am meeting Lata Mangeshkar’ — that thought itself was a source of honour and joy. For all of us who knew her, she will always remain ‘Lata Mangeshkar’ — in inverted commas.

Javed Akhtar