Lata Mangeshkar
Encyclopedia
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singer
s in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi
films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Hindi. She is the elder sister of singer Asha Bhosle
, and Hridayanath Mangeshkar
, Usha Mangeshkar
and Meena Mangeshkar. She is the second vocalist to have ever been awarded the Bharat Ratna
, India's highest civilian honour.
Mangeshkar was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world. The claim was that she had recorded approximately 25,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs in 20 Indian languages between 1948 to 1974. Over the years, while several sources have supported this claim, others have raised concerns over its veracity, claiming that this number was highly exaggerated and that Mangeshkar's younger sister, Asha Bhosle
, had more song recordings than she had. In 2011 Guinness officially acknowledged Bhosle as the most recorded artist in music history.
, in the Central India Agency
(now part of Madhya Pradesh
). Her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar
who belonged to a Gomantak Maratha Samaj
family from Goa
, was a classical singer and theater actor. Her mother Shevanti (Shudhamati) who was from Thalner
, Maharashtra
, was Deenanath's second wife. The family's last name used to be Hardikar; Deenanath changed it to Mangeshkar in order to identify his family with his native town, Mangeshi in Goa
. Lata was named "Hema" at her birth. Her parents later renamed her Lata after a female character, Latika, in one of her father's plays, BhaawBandhan. Lata is the eldest child of her parents. Meena, Asha
, Usha
and Hridayanath
are her siblings in sequence.
Mangeshkar took her first lessons from her father. At the age of five, she started to work as an actress in her father's musical plays (Sangeet Natak
in Marathi
). On the first day in the school, she started teaching songs to other children. When the teacher stopped her, she was so angry that she stopped going to the school. Other sources cite that she left school because they would not allow her to bring Asha with her, as she would often bring her younger sister with her.
. Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), the owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company and a close friend of the Mangeshkar family, took care of them.
Mangeshkar sang the song "Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari" which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi-language movie Kiti Hasaal (1942), but the song was dropped from the final cut. Vinayak gave her a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie Pahili Mangalaa-gaur (1942), in which she sang "Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai" which was composed by Dada Chandekar. Her first Hindi song was "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" for the Marathi film, Gajaabhaau (1943).
Mangeshkar moved to Mumbai
in 1945 when Master Vinayak's company moved its headquarters there. She started taking lessons in Hindustani classical music
from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale. She sang “Paa Lagoon Kar Jori” for Vasant Joglekar's Hindi-language movie Aap Ki Seva Mein (1946), which was composed by Datta Davjekar. Mangeshkar and her sister Asha played minor roles Vinayak's first Hindi-language movie, Badi Maa (1945). In that movie, Lata also sang a bhajan
, “Maata Tere Charnon Mein.” She was introduced to music director Vasant Desai
during the recording of Vinayak's second Hindi-language movie, Subhadra (1946).
Following the partition of India
in 1947, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale migrated to newly formed Pakistan
, so Mangeshkar started to learn classical music under Amanat Khan Devaswale. Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, also trained her.
After Vinayak's death in 1948, music director Ghulam Haider
mentored her as a singer. Haider introduced Mangeshkar to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee
, who was working then on the movie Shaheed
(1948), but Mukherjee dismissed Mangeshkar's voice as "too thin." An annoyed Haider responded that in the coming years the producers and the directors would "fall at Lata's feet" and "beg her" to sing in their movies. Haider gave Lata her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda,” from the movie Majboor (1948).
Initially, Mangeshkar is said to have imitated Noor Jehan
, but later she developed her own style of singing. Lyrics of songs in Hindi movies are primarily composed by Urdu poets and contain a higher proportion of Urdu words, including the dialogue. Actor Dilip Kumar
once made a mildly disapproving remark about Mangeshkar's Maharashtrian accent while singing Hindi/Urdu songs; so for a period of time, Lata took lessons in Urdu from an Urdu teacher named Shafi.
“Aayega Aanewaala,” a song in the movie Mahal
(1949) was composed by music director Khemchand Prakash
and lip-synced on screen by actress Madhubala.
(in films such as Tarana and Heer), Shankar-Jaikishan, Naushad
, S. D. Burman, C. Ramchandra
, Hemant Kumar, Salil Chowdhury
, Khayyam
, Ravi
, Sajjad Hussain
, Roshan
, Kalyanji-Anandji, Vasant Desai
, Sudhir Phadke
, Hansraj Behl
, Madan Mohan
, and Usha Khanna
.
Mangeshkar sang many raga
-based songs for Naushad
in movies such as Baiju Bawra (1952), Mughal-E-Azam
(1960), and Kohinoor (1960). Ae Chorre Ki Jaat Badi Bewafa, a duet with G. M. Durrani, was her first song for composer, Naushad. The duo, Shankar-Jaikishan, chose Mangeshkar for Aag
, Aah
(1953), Shree 420 (1955), and Chori Chori
(1956). Before 1957, composer Sachin Dev (S. D.) Burman chose Mangeshkar as the leading female singer for his musical scores in Sazaa (1951), House No. 44 (1955), and Devdas
(1955). However a rift developed between Lata and Burman in 1957, and Lata did not sing Burman's compositions again until 1962.
Mangeshkar won a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
for Salil Chowdhury
's composition “Aaja Re Pardesi,” from Madhumati
(1958). In the early fifties, Lata Mangeshkar's association with C. Ramchandra produced songs in movies such as Anarkali, Albela, Asha, Pehli Jhhalak, Shin Shinkai Bublaa Boo, Azad and Amardeep. For Madan Mohan, she performed for films like Adalat, Railway Platform, Dekh Kabira Roya and Chacha Zindabad.
(1960), composed by Naushad and picturized on Madhubala
, still remains famous . The Hawaiian
-themed number "Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh" from Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai
(1960) was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and picturized on Meena Kumari
.
In 1961, Mangeshkar recorded two popular bhajans, "Allah Tero Naam" and "Prabhu Tero Naam", for Burman's assistant, Jaidev
. In 1962, she was awarded her second Filmfare Award for the song "Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil" from Bees Saal Baad, composed by Hemant Kumar.
On June 27, 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War
, Mangeshkar sang the patriotic song "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo
" (literally, "Oh, People of My Country") in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru
, the then Prime Minister of India
. The song, composed by C. Ramchandra
and written by Pradeep
, is said to have brought the Prime Minister to tears.
In 1963, Mangeshkar returned to collaboration with S. D. Burman. She also sang for R. D. Burman's very first film Chhote Nawaab and later for his films such as Bhoot Bangla (1965), Pati Patni (1966), Baharon ke Sapne (1967) and Abhilasha (1969). She also recorded several popular songs for S. D. Burman, including "Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai", "Gata Rahe Mera Dil" (duet with Kishore Kumar
) and "Piya Tose" from Guide
(1965), and "Hothon Pe Aisi Baat" from Jewel Thief
(1967).
During the 1960s, Lata Mangeshkar continued her association with Madan Mohan
which included the songs "Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha" from Anpadh
(1962), "Lag Ja Gale" and "Naina Barse Rim Jhim" from Woh Kaun Thi?
(1964), "Woh Chup Rahen To" from Jahan Ara (1964), and "Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega" from Mera Saaya
(1966).
The 1960s also witnessed the beginning of Mangeshkar's association with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, the music directors for whom she sang the most popular songs in her career. She sang for Parasmani
(1963) which was their first film together.
She also sang several playback songs for Marathi films
, composed by Marathi music directors including Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Vasant Prabhu, Srinivas Khale, Sudhir Phadke
and herself (under the name Anandghan). During the 1960s and 1970s, she also sang several Bengali
songs, composed by music directors like Salil Chowdhury
and Hemant Kumar.
In this period Lata Mangeshkar has recorded duets with Mukesh, Manna Dey
, Mohammed Rafi
, and Kishore Kumar
.
's last film, Pakeezah
released. It featured popular songs including "Chalte Chalte" and "Inhi Logon Ne" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, and composed by Ghulam Mohammed. She recorded many popular songs for S. D. Burman's last films, including "Rangeela Re" from Prem Pujari
(1970), "Khilte Hain Gul Yahaan" from Sharmeelee (1971), and "Piya Bina" from Abhimaan (1973).
Lata Mangeshkar's most notable songs in 1970s were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Laxmi-Pyare) and Rahul Dev Burman
. She recorded several songs composed by Laxmi-Pyare in 1960s and 1970s, many of them written by the lyricist Anand Bakshi
. She also recorded many hit songs with Rahul Dev Burman
in the films Amar Prem
(1972), Caravan
(1971), Kati Patang(1971), and Aandhi
(1975). The two are noted for their songs with the lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri
, Anand Bakshi
and Gulzar
.
In 1973, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
for the song "Beeti Na Bitai" from the film Parichay
, composed by R. D. Burman, and written by Gulzar. In 1974, she sang her only Malayalam song "Kadali Chenkadali" for the film Nellu
, composed by Salil Chowdhury
, and written by Vayalar Ramavarma
. In 1975, she again won the national award, this time for the song "Roothe Roothe Piya" from the film Kora Kagaz
, composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.
From 1970s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar has also staged many concerts in India and abroad, including several charity concerts. Her first concert overseas was at the Royal Albert Hall
, London
, in 1974. She also released an album of Mirabai's bhajan
s, Chala Vaahi Des, composed by her brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar. Some of the bhajans in the album include "Saanware Rang Raachi" and "Ud Jaa Re Kaaga". In the early 70s, she released other non-film albums, such as her collection of Ghalib ghazals, an album of Marathi folk songs (koli-geete), an album of Ganesh aartis (all composed by her brother Hridaynath) and an album of abhangs of Sant Tukaram composed by Shrinivas Khale
.
In late 1970s and early 1980s, she worked with the children of composers she had earlier worked with. Some of these composers included Rahul Dev Burman
(son of Sachin Dev Burman
), Rajesh Roshan
(son of Roshan
), Anu Malik
(son of Sardar Malik), and Anand-Milind
(sons of Chitragupt
).
, Ram Laxman, and A. R. Rahman
. She recorded some non-film songs, including ghazal
s with Jagjit Singh
.
In 1990, Mangeshkar launched her own production house for Hindi
movies which produced the Gulzar-directed movie Lekin.... She won her third National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
for her rendition of the song "Yaara Sili Sili" from the film, which was composed by her brother Hridayanath
. During the 1990s, she recorded with music directors including Jatin-Lalit and Nadeem-Shravan
. She has sung for Rajshri Productions
, including Maine Pyar Kiya
(1989) and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
(1994).
Mangeshkar has sung for almost all the Yash Chopra
films and films from his production house Yash Raj Films
at that time, including Chandni
(1989), Lamhe
(1991), Darr
(1993), Yeh Dillagi
(1994), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai
(1997) and later on Mohabbatein
(2000), Mujhse Dosti Karoge (2002) and Veer Zaara (2004).
A. R. Rahman
recorded a few songs with Mangeshkar during this period, including "Jiya Jale" (Dil Se
), "Khamoshiyan Gungunane Lagin" (One Two Ka Four), "Ek Tu Hi Bharosa" (Pukar
), "Pyaara Sa Gaon" (Zubeidaa
), "Lukka chuppi" (Rang de Basanti
) and "O Paalanhaare" (Lagaan
). She made an appearance in the film Pukar
singing this song.
In 1999, Lata Eau de Parfum, a perfume
brand named after her, was launched.
In 1999, Mangeshkar was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha
. However, she did not attend the Rajya Sabha sessions regularly, inviting criticism from several members of the House, including the Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah, Pranab Mukherjee
and Shabana Azmi
. She stated the reason for her absence as ill-health; it was also reported that she had not taken a salary, allowance or a house in Delhi for being a Member of Parliament.
In 2001, Lata Mangeshkar was awarded Bharat Ratna
, India's highest civilian honor. In the same year, she established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune
, managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation (founded by the Mangeshkar family in October 1989). In 2005, she designed a jewellery collection called Swaranjali, which was crafted by Adora, an Indian diamond export company. Five pieces from the collection raised £105,000 at a Christie's
auction, and a part of the money was donated for the 2005 Pakistan earthquake relief. Also in 2001, she recorded her first Hindi song with the composer Ilaiyaraaja
, for the film Lajja
; she had earlier recorded Tamil
and Telugu
songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Lata Mangeshkar's song "Wada Na Tod" is in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
(2004) and on the film's soundtrack.
On June 21, 2007, she released an album Saadgi, featuring eight ghazal
-like songs written by Javed Akhtar
and composed by Mayuresh Pai.
Lata Mangeshkar records songs for Madhur Bhandarkar Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahan Par for Page 3
(2005), Daata Sun Le for Jail
(2009) and, Kyun Yahan Hota Hai was recorded years ago for Corporate (2006), but is only being used in Heroine (2012).
movies under the pseudonym of Anand Ghan.
She won Maharashtra State Government's Best Music Director Award for the film Sadhi Manase. The song "Airanichya Deva Tula" from the same film received best song award.
(1969), Padma Vibhushan
(1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award
(1997), NTR National Award
(1999), Bharat Ratna
(2001), ANR National Award
(2009), three National Film Awards
, and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
. She has also won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
s. In 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, in order to promote fresh talent. She was later awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
in 1993.
In 1984, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh
instituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award in honour of Lata Mangeshkar. The State Government of Maharashtra also instituted a Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1992.
In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Lata Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded "not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages" between 1948 and 1974. Her record was contested by Mohammed Rafi
, who was claimed to have sung around 28,000 songs. After Rafi's death, in its 1984 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records stated Lata Mangeshkar's name for the "Most Recordings", but also stated Rafi's claim. The later editions of Guinness Book stated that Lata Mangeshkar had sung no fewer than 30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987.
Although the entry has not been printed in Guinness editions since 1991, several sources claim that she has recorded thousands of songs, with estimates ranging up to figures as large as 50,000. However, even the earliest Guinness claim of 25,000 songs (between 1948–1974) was claimed to be exaggerated by several other sources, with one of them stating that the number of songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Hindi
films till 1991 was found to be 5250. Mangeshkar herself stated that she does not keep a record of the number of songs recorded by her, and that she did not know from where Guinness Book editors got their information. In 2011 Bhosle was officially acknowledged by Guinness as the most recorded artist in music history, surpassing Mangeshkar.
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
s in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Hindi. She is the elder sister of singer Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
, and Hridayanath Mangeshkar
Hridayanath Mangeshkar
Hridaynath Mangeshkar is a composer/singer from India known for his eclectic compositions and a well-respected body of work. He is the younger brother of Indian music icons Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle...
, Usha Mangeshkar
Usha Mangeshkar
Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati songs soundtracks.She is daughter of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar & Shevanti . She is the younger sister of singers, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle and elder to her music-director brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar...
and Meena Mangeshkar. She is the second vocalist to have ever been awarded the Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
, India's highest civilian honour.
Mangeshkar was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world. The claim was that she had recorded approximately 25,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs in 20 Indian languages between 1948 to 1974. Over the years, while several sources have supported this claim, others have raised concerns over its veracity, claiming that this number was highly exaggerated and that Mangeshkar's younger sister, Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
, had more song recordings than she had. In 2011 Guinness officially acknowledged Bhosle as the most recorded artist in music history.
Early life
Lata Mangeshkar was born in Sikh Mohalla, IndoreIndore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, in the Central India Agency
Central India Agency
The Central India Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire, which covered the northern half of present-day Madhya Pradesh state. The Central India Agency was made up entirely of princely states, which were under native rulers...
(now part of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
). Her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar
Deenanath Mangeshkar
Dinanath Mangeshkar was a well-known Marathi theatre actor, a renowned Natya Sangeet musician and an exceptional Hindustani classical vocalist....
who belonged to a Gomantak Maratha Samaj
Gomantak Maratha Samaj
Gomantak Maratha Samaj is a Konkani speaking community found in Indian state of Goa.They are known as Naik Maratha Samaj and Nutan Maratha Samaj Karwar in Karnataka and Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra respectively.-Origin:...
family from Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, was a classical singer and theater actor. Her mother Shevanti (Shudhamati) who was from Thalner
Thalner
Thalner , the first capital of the Faruqi kings, stands on the Tapi river, in Shirpur tehsil about 46.67 km. north-east of Dhule in the Maharashtra state of India. It was fortified by a strong fort which played a very significant role in the history of Khandesh. Situated on the banks of the...
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, was Deenanath's second wife. The family's last name used to be Hardikar; Deenanath changed it to Mangeshkar in order to identify his family with his native town, Mangeshi in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. Lata was named "Hema" at her birth. Her parents later renamed her Lata after a female character, Latika, in one of her father's plays, BhaawBandhan. Lata is the eldest child of her parents. Meena, Asha
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
, Usha
Usha Mangeshkar
Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati songs soundtracks.She is daughter of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar & Shevanti . She is the younger sister of singers, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle and elder to her music-director brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar...
and Hridayanath
Hridayanath Mangeshkar
Hridaynath Mangeshkar is a composer/singer from India known for his eclectic compositions and a well-respected body of work. He is the younger brother of Indian music icons Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle...
are her siblings in sequence.
Mangeshkar took her first lessons from her father. At the age of five, she started to work as an actress in her father's musical plays (Sangeet Natak
Sangeet Natak
Sangeet Natak in Marathi language literally means Musical Drama. As the name suggests, this form of drama combines prose as well as poetry in form of songs to convey the story. In a manner, they are much similar to Operas. Sangeet Natakas played a vital role in the development of Marathi theater...
in Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
). On the first day in the school, she started teaching songs to other children. When the teacher stopped her, she was so angry that she stopped going to the school. Other sources cite that she left school because they would not allow her to bring Asha with her, as she would often bring her younger sister with her.
Early career in the 1940s
In 1942, when Mangeshkar was 13, her father died of heart diseaseHeart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
. Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), the owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company and a close friend of the Mangeshkar family, took care of them.
Mangeshkar sang the song "Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari" which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi-language movie Kiti Hasaal (1942), but the song was dropped from the final cut. Vinayak gave her a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie Pahili Mangalaa-gaur (1942), in which she sang "Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai" which was composed by Dada Chandekar. Her first Hindi song was "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" for the Marathi film, Gajaabhaau (1943).
Mangeshkar moved to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in 1945 when Master Vinayak's company moved its headquarters there. She started taking lessons in Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale. She sang “Paa Lagoon Kar Jori” for Vasant Joglekar's Hindi-language movie Aap Ki Seva Mein (1946), which was composed by Datta Davjekar. Mangeshkar and her sister Asha played minor roles Vinayak's first Hindi-language movie, Badi Maa (1945). In that movie, Lata also sang a bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
, “Maata Tere Charnon Mein.” She was introduced to music director Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai was a Indian film music composer, most remembered for his score in V. Shantaram film, like Do Aankhen Barah Haath , Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje , Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi .-Early life:He born in 1912 into a wealthy family in Sonwad village,...
during the recording of Vinayak's second Hindi-language movie, Subhadra (1946).
Following the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan Bhendibazaarwale migrated to newly formed Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, so Mangeshkar started to learn classical music under Amanat Khan Devaswale. Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, also trained her.
After Vinayak's death in 1948, music director Ghulam Haider
Ghulam Haider
Ghulam Haider was an early film music composer who worked both in India and Pakistan. Ghulam Haider was born in Hyderabad, Sind in 1908.-Erly Life:...
mentored her as a singer. Haider introduced Mangeshkar to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee
Sashadhar Mukherjee
Sashadhar Mukherjee was a producer in Hindi films. He is part of the distinguished Mukherjee clan of Bollywood.Main article: Mukherjee-Samarth family...
, who was working then on the movie Shaheed
Shaheed (1948 film)
Shaheed is a 1948 Hindi film directed by Ramesh Saigal. It starred Dilip Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Chandra Mohan and Leela Chitnis. The film depicts India's struggle for independence. It had lyrics by Qamar Jalalabadi and music by the great Ghulam Haider...
(1948), but Mukherjee dismissed Mangeshkar's voice as "too thin." An annoyed Haider responded that in the coming years the producers and the directors would "fall at Lata's feet" and "beg her" to sing in their movies. Haider gave Lata her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda,” from the movie Majboor (1948).
Initially, Mangeshkar is said to have imitated Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan
Noorjehan or Noorjehan was the adopted stage name for Allah Wasai who was a legendary singer and actress in British India and Pakistan. Her career spanned seven decades...
, but later she developed her own style of singing. Lyrics of songs in Hindi movies are primarily composed by Urdu poets and contain a higher proportion of Urdu words, including the dialogue. Actor Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar , is an Indian actor and a former Member of Parliament.He lives in Pali Hill, Bandra in Mumbai, India. He is commonly known as "Tragedy King",and is described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray....
once made a mildly disapproving remark about Mangeshkar's Maharashtrian accent while singing Hindi/Urdu songs; so for a period of time, Lata took lessons in Urdu from an Urdu teacher named Shafi.
“Aayega Aanewaala,” a song in the movie Mahal
Mahal (1949 film)
Mahal is a 1949 Indian Hindi film directed by Kamal Amrohi and starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala....
(1949) was composed by music director Khemchand Prakash
Khemchand Prakash
Khemchand Prakash in हिन्दी खेमचन्द प्रकाश was one of the greatest music composers in Hindi film industry. He belongs to Sujangarh, Churu. His father was a dhrupad singer and a kathak dancer in the royal court and boy Khemchand got his first training of music and dance from his father...
and lip-synced on screen by actress Madhubala.
1950s
In the 1950s, Mangeshkar sang songs composed by various music directors of the period, including Anil BiswasAnil Biswas (composer)
Anil Biswas was a famous Indian film music composer from 1935 to 1965, who apart from being one of pioneers of playback singing, is also credited for the first Indian orchestra of twelve pieces and introducing orchestral music and full-blooded choral effects, into Indian cinema...
(in films such as Tarana and Heer), Shankar-Jaikishan, Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...
, S. D. Burman, C. Ramchandra
C. Ramchandra
Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar was a renowned music composer in the movie industry of India. In the composer's role, he mostly used the name C. Ramachandra, though he also used the names Annasaheb , Ram Chitalkar Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar(Marathi: रामचंद्र नरहर चितळकर /सी.रामचंद्र ) (1918–1982) was...
, Hemant Kumar, Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
, Khayyam
Mohammed Zahur Khayyam
Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known as Khayyam, is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades .He has won three Filmfare Awards for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan, and a lifetime achievement award in 2010...
, Ravi
Ravi (music director)
Ravi Shankar Sharma , often referred to mononymously as Ravi, is an Indian music director, who has composed music for several Hindi and Malayalam films...
, Sajjad Hussain
Sajjad Hussain (composer)
Sajjad Hussain was an Indian film score composer.- Biography :Sajjad Hussain was born in 1917 in the Sitamau, which as at that time, a village in the Central India Agency. As a child, he was taught sitar by his father Mohammed Amir Khan. He learnt veena, violin, flute and piano during his teenager...
, Roshan
Roshan (music director)
Roshanlal Nagrath , better known simply by his first name Roshan, was a Bollywood film music composer. He was the father of the actor and film director Rakesh Roshan and music director Rajesh Roshan and grandfather of Hritik Roshan.-Early life and education:Roshan was born in Gujranwala, Punjab,...
, Kalyanji-Anandji, Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai was a Indian film music composer, most remembered for his score in V. Shantaram film, like Do Aankhen Barah Haath , Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje , Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi .-Early life:He born in 1912 into a wealthy family in Sonwad village,...
, Sudhir Phadke
Sudhir Phadke
Sudhir Phadke was an accomplished Marathi singer-composer from India. He was regarded as an icon of the Marathi film industry and Marathi Sugam Sangeet for five decades...
, Hansraj Behl
Hansraj Behl
Hansraj Behl was an Indian music composer, who composed music for Hindi and Punjabi films.-Early life and education:Born in Ambala, Punjab, Hansraj received his early education in music from Pandit Chunnilal.-Career:...
, Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan Kohli , better known as Madan Mohan, was a famed Bollywood film music director of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s...
, and Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna is an Indian music director. Regarded as the first established female music director in the Indian film industry, she remained active for more than 3 decades from 1960s to 1980s. She is still active making some music for some movies and television-serials, more than 40 years after her...
.
Mangeshkar sang many raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
-based songs for Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...
in movies such as Baiju Bawra (1952), Mughal-E-Azam
Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-E-Azam is a 1960 Indian historical epic film produced under the banner of Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt Ltd, and directed by K. Asif. With its unmatched production, K. Asif's magnum opus took nine years and $3 million to complete this movie. This was when a typical Bollywood film...
(1960), and Kohinoor (1960). Ae Chorre Ki Jaat Badi Bewafa, a duet with G. M. Durrani, was her first song for composer, Naushad. The duo, Shankar-Jaikishan, chose Mangeshkar for Aag
Aag (1948 film)
Aag is a 1948 Bollywood film which is produced, directed by and stars Raj Kapoor. The film marked the debut of Raj Kapoor as producer and director and was the first film produced by his R.K Banner. It was also the first of many films he did with actress Nargis. Premnath, Nigar Sultana, Kamal...
, Aah
AAH
AAH or Aah is a three-letter acronym or word that can refer to:*AAH, Arlington Academy of Hope Arlington Academy of Hope, non-profit organization that helps Ugandan children reach their full potential*Iah, an ancient Egyptian god of the moon...
(1953), Shree 420 (1955), and Chori Chori
Chori Chori
Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...
(1956). Before 1957, composer Sachin Dev (S. D.) Burman chose Mangeshkar as the leading female singer for his musical scores in Sazaa (1951), House No. 44 (1955), and Devdas
Devdas (1955 film)
Devdas is a 1955 film directed by Bimal Roy, based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel, Devdas.In 2005, Indiatimes Movies ranked the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.-Plot:...
(1955). However a rift developed between Lata and Burman in 1957, and Lata did not sing Burman's compositions again until 1962.
Mangeshkar won a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
The Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film song....
for Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
's composition “Aaja Re Pardesi,” from Madhumati
Madhumati
Madhumati is a 1958 Hindi film produced and directed by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The music was composed by Salil Choudhury with the lyrics by Shailendra. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Vyjayantimala, Pran, and Johnny Walker. It was one of the earliest films to...
(1958). In the early fifties, Lata Mangeshkar's association with C. Ramchandra produced songs in movies such as Anarkali, Albela, Asha, Pehli Jhhalak, Shin Shinkai Bublaa Boo, Azad and Amardeep. For Madan Mohan, she performed for films like Adalat, Railway Platform, Dekh Kabira Roya and Chacha Zindabad.
1960s
Mangeshkar's song "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" from Mughal-E-AzamMughal-e-Azam
Mughal-E-Azam is a 1960 Indian historical epic film produced under the banner of Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt Ltd, and directed by K. Asif. With its unmatched production, K. Asif's magnum opus took nine years and $3 million to complete this movie. This was when a typical Bollywood film...
(1960), composed by Naushad and picturized on Madhubala
Madhubala
Mumtaz Jahan Begum Dehlavi, known by her stage name Madhubala was a Hindi movie actress. She starred in several successful movies in the 1950s and early 1960s, many of which have attained a classic status...
, still remains famous . The Hawaiian
Music of Hawaii
The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles, ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. Hawaii's musical contributions to the music of the United States are out of proportion to the state's small size. Styles like slack-key guitar are well-known...
-themed number "Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh" from Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai is a 1960 Hindi movie produced by S. A. Bagar and directed by Kishore Sahu. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari, Nadira, Tun Tun, Helen and Om Prakash. The films music is by Shankar Jaikishan. One of the most famous songs in the film is Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh sung by...
(1960) was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and picturized on Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari , born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema...
.
In 1961, Mangeshkar recorded two popular bhajans, "Allah Tero Naam" and "Prabhu Tero Naam", for Burman's assistant, Jaidev
Jaidev
Jaidev Hindi:जयदेव वर्मा , was a music composer in Bollywood films, most known for his work in films: Hum Dono , Reshma Aur Shera , Prem Parbat and Gharonda ....
. In 1962, she was awarded her second Filmfare Award for the song "Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil" from Bees Saal Baad, composed by Hemant Kumar.
On June 27, 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
, Mangeshkar sang the patriotic song "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo
Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo
"Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" is an Indian patriotic song written in Hindi by Kavi Pradeep and composed by C. Ramchandra commemorating Indian soldiers who died during the Sino-Indian War...
" (literally, "Oh, People of My Country") in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, the then Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. The song, composed by C. Ramchandra
C. Ramchandra
Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar was a renowned music composer in the movie industry of India. In the composer's role, he mostly used the name C. Ramachandra, though he also used the names Annasaheb , Ram Chitalkar Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar(Marathi: रामचंद्र नरहर चितळकर /सी.रामचंद्र ) (1918–1982) was...
and written by Pradeep
Pradeep
Kavi Pradeep , born Ramchandra Baryanji Dwivedi, was a renowned poet and songwriter who is best known for his patriotic song, Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo, written as tribute to the soldiers who had died defending the country, during the Sino-Indian War.His first recognition came for his patriotic lyrics...
, is said to have brought the Prime Minister to tears.
In 1963, Mangeshkar returned to collaboration with S. D. Burman. She also sang for R. D. Burman's very first film Chhote Nawaab and later for his films such as Bhoot Bangla (1965), Pati Patni (1966), Baharon ke Sapne (1967) and Abhilasha (1969). She also recorded several popular songs for S. D. Burman, including "Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai", "Gata Rahe Mera Dil" (duet with Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
) and "Piya Tose" from Guide
Guide (film)
Guide is a 1965 Hindi film starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman. It was directed by Vijay Anand, who also contributed to the screenplay. The film is based on the critically acclaimed novel, The Guide, by R. K. Narayan, and is widely considered to be one of the masterpieces of the Indian film...
(1965), and "Hothon Pe Aisi Baat" from Jewel Thief
Jewel Thief
Jewel Thief is a 1967 Indian Hindi film. Produced by Navketan films , the film is directed by Dev's brother Vijay Anand. Music is by S.D. Burman and the lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The film is a crime thriller, and stars Dev Anand, Vyjayantimala, Ashok Kumar, Tanuja, Faryal, Anju Mahendru,...
(1967).
During the 1960s, Lata Mangeshkar continued her association with Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan Kohli , better known as Madan Mohan, was a famed Bollywood film music director of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s...
which included the songs "Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha" from Anpadh
Anpadh
Anpadh is a 1962 Hindi film. The film stars Mala Sinha, Balraj Sahni, Shashi Kala and Dharmendra. The music is by Madan Mohan and the lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. The film focuses on the importance of education for girls...
(1962), "Lag Ja Gale" and "Naina Barse Rim Jhim" from Woh Kaun Thi?
Woh Kaun Thi?
Woh Kaun Thi? is a 1964 black-and-white Indian movie directed by Raj Khosla, starring Sadhana, Manoj Kumar and Prem Chopra. The film became a hit at the box office. Its success had Khosla directing Sadhana in two more suspense thrillers: Mera Saaya and Anita .-Plot:On a dark stormy night, a...
(1964), "Woh Chup Rahen To" from Jahan Ara (1964), and "Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega" from Mera Saaya
Mera Saaya
Mera Saaya is a 1966 Indian Hindi film directed by Raj Khosla. The film was a remake of Marathi film called Pathlag. The film's music is by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. The film stars Sunil Dutt and Sadhana. This is director Raj Khosla's third film with Sadhana after Ek Musafir...
(1966).
The 1960s also witnessed the beginning of Mangeshkar's association with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, the music directors for whom she sang the most popular songs in her career. She sang for Parasmani
Parasmani
This film is the first independent film together of the musical duo Laxmikant Pyarelal. Before this they have worked under many musicians separately as well as together. This film also marks the beginning of the long relationship between them, Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi."Hasta Hua Noorani Chehra" is...
(1963) which was their first film together.
She also sang several playback songs for Marathi films
Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema refers to films produced in the Marathi language in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is the oldest and pioneer film industry in India...
, composed by Marathi music directors including Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Vasant Prabhu, Srinivas Khale, Sudhir Phadke
Sudhir Phadke
Sudhir Phadke was an accomplished Marathi singer-composer from India. He was regarded as an icon of the Marathi film industry and Marathi Sugam Sangeet for five decades...
and herself (under the name Anandghan). During the 1960s and 1970s, she also sang several Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
songs, composed by music directors like Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
and Hemant Kumar.
In this period Lata Mangeshkar has recorded duets with Mukesh, Manna Dey
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammad Rafi , was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He was awarded National Award and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India....
, and Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
.
1970s
In 1972, Meena KumariMeena Kumari
Meena Kumari , born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema...
's last film, Pakeezah
Pakeezah
Pakeezah is a 1972 Indian film. It was directed by Kamal Amrohi who was known for his perfectionism. The music is by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad...
released. It featured popular songs including "Chalte Chalte" and "Inhi Logon Ne" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, and composed by Ghulam Mohammed. She recorded many popular songs for S. D. Burman's last films, including "Rangeela Re" from Prem Pujari
Prem Pujari
Prem Pujari is a 1970 Bollywood film produced, directed and written by Dev Anand for Navketan films. The movie stars himself, Waheeda Rehman, Shatrughan Sinha, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri, Amrish Puri. The film's very popular music is by S. D. Burman....
(1970), "Khilte Hain Gul Yahaan" from Sharmeelee (1971), and "Piya Bina" from Abhimaan (1973).
Lata Mangeshkar's most notable songs in 1970s were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Laxmi-Pyare) and Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
. She recorded several songs composed by Laxmi-Pyare in 1960s and 1970s, many of them written by the lyricist Anand Bakshi
Anand Bakshi
Anand Bakshi was a popular Indian poet and lyricist.-Early days:Anand Bakshi was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930. His ancestors were from Kurree, near Rawalpindi, and had origins in Kashmir. His mother, Sumitra, died 1940, when he was 10...
. She also recorded many hit songs with Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
in the films Amar Prem
Amar Prem
Amar Prem is a 1971 Hindi film directed by Shakti Samanta, based on a story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and starring Sharmila Tagore, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra and Madan Puri....
(1972), Caravan
Caravan (1971 film)
Caravan is a 1971 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Nasir Hussain and Sachin Bhowmick wrote the screenplay. Hussain's brother Tahir Hussain is credited as producer. It starred Jeetendra and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Aruna Irani , Helen and Madan Puri...
(1971), Kati Patang(1971), and Aandhi
Aandhi
Aandhi is a 1975 Indian movie supposedly based on then-prime minister Indira Gandhi's life, but in reality, it was inspired by Tarkeshwari Sinha, apart from Indira Gandhi. It was directed by Gulzar...
(1975). The two are noted for their songs with the lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri
Majrooh Sultanpuri
Majrooh Sultanpuri was an Urdu poet, lyricist and songwriter...
, Anand Bakshi
Anand Bakshi
Anand Bakshi was a popular Indian poet and lyricist.-Early days:Anand Bakshi was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930. His ancestors were from Kurree, near Rawalpindi, and had origins in Kashmir. His mother, Sumitra, died 1940, when he was 10...
and Gulzar
Gulzar (lyricist)
Sampooran Singh Kalra , known popularly by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in...
.
In 1973, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners are given below. Lata Mangeshkar is the oldest winner in this category, whereas Anjali Marathe is the youngest winner; while K. S. Chithra been awarded for the maximum number of times .-Superlatives:...
for the song "Beeti Na Bitai" from the film Parichay
Parichay
Parichay is a 1972 Indian film directed by Gulzar, based on a Bengali novel, Rangeen Uttarain by Raj Kumar Maitra.. The movie is inspired by The Sound of Music, but at the same time is not an exact copy of the original.-Plot:...
, composed by R. D. Burman, and written by Gulzar. In 1974, she sang her only Malayalam song "Kadali Chenkadali" for the film Nellu
Nellu (1974 film)
Nellu is a 1974 Malayalam film directed by Ramu Kariat based on the award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala. The film is about the tribal people of the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. It stars Prem Nazir and Jayabharathi in the lead roles...
, composed by Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
, and written by Vayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma , often known as Vayalar, was a modern Malayalam poet and lyricist. His famous works include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha, Oru Judas janikkunnu.-Biography:...
. In 1975, she again won the national award, this time for the song "Roothe Roothe Piya" from the film Kora Kagaz
Kora Kagaz
Kora Kagaz is a 1974 Hindi film produced by Sanath Kothari and directed by Anil Ganguly. The film stars Vijay Anand, Jaya Bhaduri, A.K. Hangal, Achala Sachdev and Deven Verma. The films music is by Kalyanji Anandji...
, composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.
From 1970s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar has also staged many concerts in India and abroad, including several charity concerts. Her first concert overseas was at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1974. She also released an album of Mirabai's bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s, Chala Vaahi Des, composed by her brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar. Some of the bhajans in the album include "Saanware Rang Raachi" and "Ud Jaa Re Kaaga". In the early 70s, she released other non-film albums, such as her collection of Ghalib ghazals, an album of Marathi folk songs (koli-geete), an album of Ganesh aartis (all composed by her brother Hridaynath) and an album of abhangs of Sant Tukaram composed by Shrinivas Khale
Shrinivas Khale
Shrinivas Vinayak Khale , also known as Khale Kaka, was an Indian composer/music director from Maharashtra, India. He was one of the most respected artists in the Marathi music industry for over six decades...
.
In late 1970s and early 1980s, she worked with the children of composers she had earlier worked with. Some of these composers included Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
(son of Sachin Dev Burman
Sachin Dev Burman
Sachin Dev Burman , also credited as Burman da, Kumar Sachindra Dev Barman, Sachin karta or S. D. Burman, was one of the most famous music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also achieved great success as a Bollywood music director in his own...
), Rajesh Roshan
Rajesh Roshan
Rajesh Roshan is a Hindi cinema music composer.-Personal life:Rajesh Roshan is the son of Hindi film composer Roshan and younger brother of film director and actor Rakesh Roshan...
(son of Roshan
Roshan (music director)
Roshanlal Nagrath , better known simply by his first name Roshan, was a Bollywood film music composer. He was the father of the actor and film director Rakesh Roshan and music director Rajesh Roshan and grandfather of Hritik Roshan.-Early life and education:Roshan was born in Gujranwala, Punjab,...
), Anu Malik
Anu Malik
Anu Malik , born Anwar Sardaar Malik, is a famous music director in the Hindi film industry. Son of veteran music director Sardar Malek, Anu Malik made his debut as a music composer in the year 1977. After a considerable period of struggle, the 90's welcomed Anu with hits like 'Phir Teri Kahani...
(son of Sardar Malik), and Anand-Milind
Anand-Milind
Anand and Milind are an Indian music directors duo consisting of Anand Shrivastav and his younger brother Milind. They have composed music for over 200 Bollywood films and are the sons of 60s music director, Chitragupta.-Career:...
(sons of Chitragupt
Chitragupt
Chitragupta Shrivastava , better known by his first name alone, was an Indian film music director of the 1960s.-Career:...
).
1980s onwards
From 1980s onwards, Lata Mangeshkar worked with music directors including Shiv-HariShiv-Hari
Shiv-Hari refers to the Indian music director duo of Shivkumar Sharma, an eminent Santoor player and Hariprasad Chaurasia, a virtuoso flutist. The duo has worked on Indian classical music pieces as well as major Indian movie scores.-Classical:...
, Ram Laxman, and A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
. She recorded some non-film songs, including ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s with Jagjit Singh
Jagjit Singh (singer)
Jagjit Singh ; born Jagmohan Singh; was a prominent Indian Ghazal singer, composer, music director, activist and entrepreneur...
.
In 1990, Mangeshkar launched her own production house for Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
movies which produced the Gulzar-directed movie Lekin.... She won her third National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners are given below. Lata Mangeshkar is the oldest winner in this category, whereas Anjali Marathe is the youngest winner; while K. S. Chithra been awarded for the maximum number of times .-Superlatives:...
for her rendition of the song "Yaara Sili Sili" from the film, which was composed by her brother Hridayanath
Hridayanath Mangeshkar
Hridaynath Mangeshkar is a composer/singer from India known for his eclectic compositions and a well-respected body of work. He is the younger brother of Indian music icons Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle...
. During the 1990s, she recorded with music directors including Jatin-Lalit and Nadeem-Shravan
Nadeem-Shravan
Nadeem-Shravan was a music director duo in the Bollywood film industry of India. The duo derives its name from the first names of its two principals, Nadeem Saifi and Shravan Rathod....
. She has sung for Rajshri Productions
Rajshri Productions
Rajshri Productions Pvt. Ltd. is a Hindi film production company. Rajshri partially works as a film distributor also. On 15 August 1947, Tarachand Barjatya established Rajshri Pictures Ltd., the film distribution division of Rajshri....
, including Maine Pyar Kiya
Maine Pyar Kiya
Maine Pyar Kiya , English: I Fell in Love) is an Indian Bollywood film directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya, starring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree...
(1989) and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
Hum Aapke Hain Kaun...! is a 1994 Hindi film directed by Sooraj Barjatya, and produced by Rajshri Productions. It is a remake of Rajshri's earlier movie Nadiya Ke Paar . Hum Aapke Hain Kaun is considered to be one of the most successful Hindi films ever...
(1994).
Mangeshkar has sung for almost all the Yash Chopra
Yash Chopra
Yash Raj Chopra is an Indian filmmaker, film director, screenwriter, and a highly successful Bollywood producer. Waqt, Deewar, Kabhi Kabhie, Silsila, Lamhe, Chandni, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Veer-Zaara are some of his highly popular movies...
films and films from his production house Yash Raj Films
Yash Raj Films
Yash Raj Films is an Indian Entertainment company set up by Yash Chopra, an Indian film director and producer who is considered an entertainment mogul in India.-Initial years:...
at that time, including Chandni
Chandni
Chandni is a Hindi film released in 1989. The film stars Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna, and was directed by Yash Chopra....
(1989), Lamhe
Lamhe
Lamhe is a 1991 Hindi film directed by Yash Chopra and starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. The story was written by Honey Irani. The film was critically acclaimed, had exceptional music, and did brilliant business in UK. Unfortunately, it was not a box-office success in India...
(1991), Darr
Darr
Darr: A Violent Love Story is a 1993 Bollywood psychological thriller film directed by Yash Chopra. It is the story of an obsessed lover and the lengths he goes to get his girl who is already happily married to Sunil Malhotra . It is the second film in which Shahrukh Khan played the role of a...
(1993), Yeh Dillagi
Yeh Dillagi
Yeh Dillagi is a 1994 Bollywood film, produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Naresh Malhotra. It is an adaptation of the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina. It stars Akshay Kumar, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan. Karisma Kapoor has a special appearance. The film was a big success in 1994...
(1994), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai
Dil To Pagal Hai
Dil To Pagal Hai is a Bollywood comedy/drama, released October 31, 1997, depicting the love lives of dancers in a musical dance troupe. The tag line is "Someone somewhere is made for you..." It was directed by Yash Chopra. It stars Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor, with an extended...
(1997) and later on Mohabbatein
Mohabbatein
Mohabbatein , is a 2000 Indian Bollywood film directed by Aditya Chopra. The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan in pivotal roles, along with six young debutantes. Aishwarya Rai appeared in flashbacks as Khan's lover. The movie was filmed at Oxford, England and Longleat...
(2000), Mujhse Dosti Karoge (2002) and Veer Zaara (2004).
A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
recorded a few songs with Mangeshkar during this period, including "Jiya Jale" (Dil Se
Dil Se
Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film...
), "Khamoshiyan Gungunane Lagin" (One Two Ka Four), "Ek Tu Hi Bharosa" (Pukar
Pukar (2000 film)
Pukar is a Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Namrata Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa and Om Puri. The film was critically acclaimed and a moderate success at the box office...
), "Pyaara Sa Gaon" (Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor...
), "Lukka chuppi" (Rang de Basanti
Rang De Basanti
Rang De Basanti is a 2006 Indian drama film written and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. It features an ensemble cast comprising Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Madhavan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth Narayan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and British actress Alice Patten in the lead roles...
) and "O Paalanhaare" (Lagaan
Lagaan
Lagaan is a 2001 Bollywood sports film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Aamir Khan, who was also the producer for the film, stars with Gracy Singh in the lead roles; British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne play the supporting roles...
). She made an appearance in the film Pukar
Pukar (2000 film)
Pukar is a Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Namrata Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa and Om Puri. The film was critically acclaimed and a moderate success at the box office...
singing this song.
In 1999, Lata Eau de Parfum, a perfume
Perfume
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
brand named after her, was launched.
In 1999, Mangeshkar was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
. However, she did not attend the Rajya Sabha sessions regularly, inviting criticism from several members of the House, including the Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah, Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,...
and Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
. She stated the reason for her absence as ill-health; it was also reported that she had not taken a salary, allowance or a house in Delhi for being a Member of Parliament.
In 2001, Lata Mangeshkar was awarded Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
, India's highest civilian honor. In the same year, she established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation (founded by the Mangeshkar family in October 1989). In 2005, she designed a jewellery collection called Swaranjali, which was crafted by Adora, an Indian diamond export company. Five pieces from the collection raised £105,000 at a Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction, and a part of the money was donated for the 2005 Pakistan earthquake relief. Also in 2001, she recorded her first Hindi song with the composer Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
, for the film Lajja
Lajja (film)
Lajja is a 2001 Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film is based on the plight of women in India. The movie recounts the story of four women, and stars some of the best known names in Hindi cinema, including Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Mahima Chaudhry, Jackie Shroff, Anil...
; she had earlier recorded Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Lata Mangeshkar's song "Wada Na Tod" is in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories, scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological...
(2004) and on the film's soundtrack.
On June 21, 2007, she released an album Saadgi, featuring eight ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
-like songs written by Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
and composed by Mayuresh Pai.
Lata Mangeshkar records songs for Madhur Bhandarkar Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahan Par for Page 3
Page 3
Page 3 may refer to* Page Three, a feature which contains topless girls in several tabloid newspapers, particularly notable in the United Kingdom* Page 3 , a Bollywood film by Madhur Bhandarkar* Page3, a feature on ESPN.com...
(2005), Daata Sun Le for Jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
(2009) and, Kyun Yahan Hota Hai was recorded years ago for Corporate (2006), but is only being used in Heroine (2012).
Music direction
Lata Mangeshkar composed music for the first time in 1955 for Marathi movie Ram Ram Pavhane. Later in 1960s, she composed music for following MarathiMarathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
movies under the pseudonym of Anand Ghan.
- 1960 - Ram Ram Pavhana
- 1963 - Maratha Tituka Melvava
- 1963 - Mohityanchi Manjula
- 1965 - Sadhi Manase
- 1969 - Tambadi Mati
She won Maharashtra State Government's Best Music Director Award for the film Sadhi Manase. The song "Airanichya Deva Tula" from the same film received best song award.
Production
Lata Mangeshkar has produced four films:- 1953 - Vaadal (Marathi)
- 1953 - Jhaanjhar (Hindi), co-produced with C. Ramchandra
- 1955 - Kanchan (Hindi)
- 1990 - Lekin (Hindi)
Awards and recognitions
Lata Mangeshkar has won several awards and honors, including Padma BhushanPadma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
(1969), Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
(1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award
Maharashtra Bhushan Award
The Maharashtra Bhushan is a highest and prestigious award presented annually by the government of Maharashtra state in India.When the Shivsena- BJP alliance came to power in 1995, it proposed to institute this award.The Mahrashtra Bhushan was first awarded in 1996. It was initially conferred in...
(1997), NTR National Award
NTR National Award
The NTR National Award is an annual award to recognize people for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Indian film industry.NTR National Film Award is an award instituted in the honor of an Indian Film Actor, director, producer, and a politician, N.T. Rama Rao by the state of Andhra...
(1999), Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
(2001), ANR National Award
ANR National Award
The ANR National Award is an annual award to recognize people for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Indian film industry.The Award was instituted in the honour of versatile actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao or ANR. ANR National Award was first awarded to veteran bollywood actor Dev...
(2009), three National Film Awards
National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners are given below. Lata Mangeshkar is the oldest winner in this category, whereas Anjali Marathe is the youngest winner; while K. S. Chithra been awarded for the maximum number of times .-Superlatives:...
, and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
The Bengal Film Journalists' Association is the oldest Association of Film critics in India, founded in 1937, by the inspiration and determination of the handful of pioneers amongst the then thin section of scribes that were drawn to film journalism with a lofty mission to serve the developing...
. She has also won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
The Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film song....
s. In 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, in order to promote fresh talent. She was later awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films....
in 1993.
In 1984, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
instituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award in honour of Lata Mangeshkar. The State Government of Maharashtra also instituted a Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1992.
In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Lata Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded "not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages" between 1948 and 1974. Her record was contested by Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammad Rafi , was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He was awarded National Award and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India....
, who was claimed to have sung around 28,000 songs. After Rafi's death, in its 1984 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records stated Lata Mangeshkar's name for the "Most Recordings", but also stated Rafi's claim. The later editions of Guinness Book stated that Lata Mangeshkar had sung no fewer than 30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987.
Although the entry has not been printed in Guinness editions since 1991, several sources claim that she has recorded thousands of songs, with estimates ranging up to figures as large as 50,000. However, even the earliest Guinness claim of 25,000 songs (between 1948–1974) was claimed to be exaggerated by several other sources, with one of them stating that the number of songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
films till 1991 was found to be 5250. Mangeshkar herself stated that she does not keep a record of the number of songs recorded by her, and that she did not know from where Guinness Book editors got their information. In 2011 Bhosle was officially acknowledged by Guinness as the most recorded artist in music history, surpassing Mangeshkar.
See also
- Playback singerPlayback singerA playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
- Asha BhosleAsha BhosleAsha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
- List of Indian playback singers
- Bollywood songsBollywood songsBollywood songs, more formally known as Hindi movie songs, are songs featured in Bollywood films, often performed in item numbers.The language of Hindi movie songs, generally termed Hindi, can be complex. Some songs are saturated with Urdu and Persian terms and it is not uncommon to hear use of...