Legends are forever and singing legends even more. Numerous female playback singers have sung the beautiful old Hindi songs. But just one of them is a Guinness Book of World Record holder for the most recorded artist on the planet. A gifted artist and musical persona, she is among the main 5 women to be awarded the highest non-military personnel grant of India, Bharat Ratna. Affectionately remembered as the Nightingale of Bollywood, she is the one and just, Lata Mangeshkar.
She was naturally introduced to a family with rich musical conventions. Her father, Dinanatha Mangeshkar, was an accomplished traditional singer and stage entertainer. She, the eldest in her family, alongside four kin which included three sisters and one brother, all learned music from their father. As a youngster, she was blessed to learn the nuances of music from maestros like Amanat Khan, Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, and Aman Ali Khan Saheb and the effects of which reverberated over the magnificent old Bollywood Lata Mangeshkar songs.
In the year 1943, her singing career started with "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" for the Marathi movie Gaja Bhaau. However, her significant break came when she moved to Mumbai in 1945 and gained recognition with the song "Dil Mera Toda, Mujhe Kahin Ka Na Chhora" for the movie Majboor. Continuously 1949, she became a sensation with the mega-hit song "Ayega Anewala" picturized on actress Madhubala in the film Mahal and never looked back. Since then, she lent her voice to the biggest female stars of Bollywood from Vaijayantimala, Nutan, Mumtaz to Madhuri Dixit, Kajol, and Preity Zinta.
In her singing career crossing seven decades, it is believed that she sang thousands of old Hindi songs and gave her voice for songs in more than 20 Indian languages. This achieved her the Guinness World Record. In Bollywood, she is inseparable from the melody and contributed greatly to the music evolution in India. The greatest old Hindi songs collection is incomplete without the hits given by this Queen of Melody.
She likewise became the heartthrob of the country and evoked energy in the conscience of Indians with her beautiful voice in "Aey Mere Watan Ke Logo" which even moved the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and others to tears. This earned her the recognition – Voice of the Nation. Her personality and her enchanted voice gave her the chance to collaborate with the best of Music Composers like S.D. Burman, Salil Choudhary, Shankar Jai Kishan, Khayyam and in modern era with the likes of the Oscar winning composer, A.R. Rahman.
She likewise sang some of the most remembered duet songs with legends like Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Mohammad Rafi, the singing stars of the Bollywood's golden era. Few of them include the evergreen "O mere dil ke chain" with Kishore Kumar, ever so well known "kabhi mere dil mein" with Mukesh and the heart contacting "Jhilmil Sitaron Ka Aangan Hoga" with Mohd. Rafi.
The old Bollywood songs of varying dispositions and styles are filled with the pleasant voice of Lata Mangeshkar. It was the Romantic Songs like "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua" or the beautifully sung "Aap Ki Nazron ne Samjha" which made us become hopelessly enamored over and over. She broke the hearts with pitiful songs of the era like "Tere Bina Zindagi se", "Slack Ja Gale", "Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho". Yet, this was only the beginning. The songs like "Dil Vil Pyar Vyar" and in the latter years "Mere Khwabon mein jo aaye" showed the cheerful elements of her singing brilliance.
If you attempt to pick the greatest hits from Lata Mangeshkar's songs, chances are you will discover only jewels. Therefore, after giving a ton of thought, these are the main 10 songs from different genres listed below. Of course, you can differ. You can surely let us know your favorites in the comments below.
Aayega Aanewala
Movie – Mahal, 1949
Pyaar Hua Iqrar Hua
Movie – Shree 420, 1955
Ajib Dastan Hai Yeh
Movie – Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, 1960
Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Doon
Movie – Baharon Ke Sapne, 1967
Honthon Mein Aisi Baat
Movie – Jewel Thief, 1967
Bahon Mein Chale Aao
Movie – Anamika, 1973
Tere Bina Zindagi Se
Movie – Aandhi, 1975
Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na
Movie – Ghar, 1978
Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho
Movie – Aasha, 1980
Mere Khwabon Mein
Movie – Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, 1995
Seniors Today provides an informative article on the topic "10 Lata Mangeshkar Solo Classics as she turns 91". Seniors Today also share articles related to music category.
