Lata Mangeshkar turns 84, Happy Birthday

By Subhash K. Jha

As Lata Mangeshkar turns 84 today, Bollywood celebrities picked their favourite five of her numbers which have enthralled music lovers for seven decades and still continue to spin their magic. Lata Mangeshkar made it clear yesterday she will not celebrate the day with fanfare. Lata is no mood for celebrations.

Recently, my elder sister Meena Mangeshkar‘s husband passed away. And before that my younger sister Asha Bhonsle lost her daughter Varsha Bhonsle. This has been a bad year for the family. Even outside the family, there’s so much happening that is not right. I see no reason to celebrate.

However, one hears that Lata Mangeshkar‘s brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar has planned a very special homage to his sister’s timeless voice in the form of a marathon eight-hour concert in Pune. It is entitled Didi Aur Main.

The concert will have various musicians and singers paying musical tribute to the voice that has defined feminine beauty on celluloid for six decades.

Lata Mangeshkar said:

I’ve heard about the concert. It is my brother’s way of showing his love for me. I won’t be there at the show because if I am present the singers would feel very self-conscious.

Bollywood celebrities have picked their favourite five numbers sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

• Kavita Krishnamurthy:
  • Manmohana bade jhoothe  (Seema),
  • Rahen na rahen hum (Mamta),
  • Ae dil-e-nadaan (Razia Sultan),
  • Allah tero naam (Hum Dono),
  • Lag jaa gale se (Woh Kaun Thi)
• Jaya Bachchan:
  • Raina beeti jaaye (Amar Prem),
  • Chand phir nikla (Paying Guest),
  • Ae dil-e-nadaan (Razia Sultan),
  • Yashomati maiya se bole nandlala (Satyam Shivam Sundaram),
  • Tere bina zindagi se koi shikva (Aandhi)
• Sanjay Leela Bhansali:
  • Ae dilruba (Rustam Sohrab),
  • O basanti pawan pagal (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai),
  • Bahon mein chale aao (Anamika),
  • Dhire se aaja ri ankhiyan mein (Albela),
  • Satyam Shivam Sundaram title song,
  • Ae dil-e-nadaan (Razia Sultan)
• Sharmila Tagore:
  • Aayega aanewala (Mahal),
  • Kuch dil ne kaha (Anupama),
  • Humnein dekhi hai unn aankhon ki mehekti khushboo (Khamoshi),
  • Iss mod se jaate hain (Aandhi),
  • Chalo sajna jahaan tak ghata chale (Mere Humdum Mere Dost)
• Mohit Chauhan:
  • Apne pyaar ke sapne sach huay (Barsaat Ki Ek Raat),
  • Mera saaya saath hoga (Mera Saaya),
  • Rulaake gaya sapna mera (Jewel Thief),
  • Beeti na beetayi raina (Parichay),
  • Naina barse rimjhim (Woh Kaun Thi)
• Javed Akhtar:
  • Aayega aanewala (Mahal),
  • O sajna barkha bahaar aaye (Parakh),
  • Manmohana bade jhoothe (Seema),
  • Ae dil-e-nadaan (Razia Sultan),
  • Allah tero naam (Hum Dono)
• Alka Yagnik:
  • Zara si aahat hoti hai (Haqeeqat),
  • Jaana tha humse door (Adalat),
  • Awara aye mere dil (Raat Aur Din),
  • Kuch dil ne kaha (Anupama),
  • Yeh jabse hui jiya ki chori (Us-Paar) and
  • my god, so many more! How can you ask me to pick five’!
• Raakhee Gulzar:
  • Aaja re ab mera dil pukaara (Aah),
  • O basanti pawan paagal (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai),
  • Na manu na manu re (Ganga Jamuna),
  • Naina barse (Woh Kaun Thi),
  • Piya tose naina laage re (Guide)
• Rekha Bhardwaj:
  • Maai ri main kaase kahun (Dastak),
  • Yeh raat bhi jaa rahi hai (Sau Saal Baad),
  • Tere bina jiya jaye na (Ghar),
  • Paani paani re (Maachis),
  • Main ek sadi se baithi hoon (Lekin)
• Urmila Matondkar:
  • Lag ja gale se (Woh Kaun Thi),
  • Aapki nazron ne samjha (Anpadh),
  • O sajna barkha bahaar ayee (Parakh),
  • Yaara sili sili (Lekin),
  • Dheere dheere machal (Anupama)
• Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra:
  • Rulake gaya sapna mera (Jewel Thief),
  • Allah tero naam (Hum Dono),
  • Kesariya balma (Lekin…),
  • Mora gora ang lai le (Bandini),
  • Aap ki nazron ne samjha (Anpadh)… and I have to include
  • Hothon pe aisi baat (Jewel Thief),
  • Piya tose naina lage re (Guide)
  • and the non-film Meera Bhajan Oh ji hari kit gaye
• Shabana Azmi:
  • Sili hawa choo gayi (Libaas),
  • Allah tero naam (Hum Dono),
  • Rasik balma (Chori Chori),
  • Kuch dil ne kaha (Anupama),
  • Baahon mein chale aao (Anamika)
• Prasoon Joshi:
  • Jyoti kalash chalke (Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan),
  • Rasik balma (Chori Chori),
  • Vande mataram (Anandmath),
  • Humne dekhi hai unn aankhon ki mehekti khushboo (Khamoshi),
  • Lukka chuppi (Rang De Basanti)
• Aadesh Shrivastava:
  • Diye jalao pyaar ke (Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke),
  • Solah baras ki baali umar ko salaam (Ek Duuje Ke Liye),
  • Koyal boli duniya doli (Sargam),
  • Maai ri main kaase kahun (Dastak),
  • Kahin kahin se har chehra (Salma Pe Dil Aa Gaya)
• Lalit Pandit:
  • Piya tose naina laage re (Guide),
  • Suno sajna (Aaye Din Bahaar Ke),
  • Mann mohana bade jhoothe (Seema),
  • Kya jaanu sajan (Baharon Ke Sapne),
  • Sharaabi sharaabi mera naam ho gaya (Chandan Ka Palna).
  • I request four more favourites… Sharm aati hai magar (Padosan),
  • Saiyyan beimaan (Guide),
  • Tujh bin jiya udaas re (Poonam Ki Raat),
  • Chalo sajna jahan tak ghata chale (Mere Humdum Mere Dost)
• Ustad Amjad Ali Khan: You want me to select 5′ I like at least 50 of her songs!