End of a musical era: Dearth of good singers
Nirendra Dev
....खुश रहना देश के प्यारो,अब हम तो सफर करते है....
(Khush rahena desh ke pyaro, hum toh safar karten haen....)
"Be happy my countrymen, let me go along my journey".
The end of a musical era. The end of an era in a true sense.
Music is once again in social media. This time it's in pain and sorrow
with the nation and the music world mourning the demise of Lata Mangeshkar.
But thankfully the discussions are on good music, soothing music. Not the lyrics of
today's generation nor loud and sound and fury signifying irritation.
But as this write up pays homage to legendary Lata, we must also celebrate the good music
or Bollywood.
Some years ago, people in the media and elsewhere would openly debate about the absence of
soothing music and the dearth of good singers.
In the 1990s, there came an artiste by the name of Kumar Sanu. This is not to discredit him.
He gave some memorable numbers no doubt.
But the fact of the matter is he actually copies or apes Late Kishore Kumar. So much has been
the shortage of the good singers that Kumar Sanu went on bagging Mumbai's prestigious
Filmfare awards for five times in a row.
Kumar Sanu's "Jab Koi baat bigad jae...." of course stands out as a memorable number.
There came in other 'clones' too. Vinod Rathod was one. Even Kishore's son Amit Kumar could
not make it big though he too gave a number of good songs in the era of stars like Kumar Gaurav.
Mohammad Rafi's clones too have been many. Shabbir Kumar, Mohd Aziz, Vipin Sachdeva and even Sonu
Nigam. Of course Sonu Nigam in later years could make a name for himself by some quality works.
Rafi too was a legendary star in his own illustrious merits. A veteran music columnist Amod Mehra used to
say - "Rafi was the only singer who could maintain his own individual style and yet would sound
different for every actor he sang for".
Perhaps it was only in 'sad' songs that Kishore Kumar could beat him. It needs to be stated here that Rafi had
actually done playback singing even for Kishore Kumar.
Rafi has the credit of displaying unique vibration in his voice for Shammi Kapoor. Two numbers here are
worth mentioning, "aaja aaja mein hoon pyar tera" and "Yeh chand sa roshan chehra (filmed on Shammi Kapoor
and Bengal beauty Sharmila Tagore)".
One important fact that needs to be pointed out here is that unlike these days, Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar
and other playback singers of that era could not have the luxury of so called 'dubbing' and so on.
In 1960s and also seventies, the singers would be expected to enter the studio and record the song
synchronising with the musicians at one go. Only luxury to attain perfection was rehearsals more than
once or twice.
Lata Mangeshkar and others such as Rafi deserve all the more accolades because of these factors.
Manna Dey was always the first choice of the composers for classical songs. Rafi also excelled in
some of his master pieces in this category too. Not many can forget the maestro's 'Madhuban mein
Radhika nache rey (Madhuban).
Talking about Lata, one should not forget her sister Asha Bhosle.
O P Nayyar and Asha team gave a number of good songs. It used to be said in 'Bambai' (now Mumbai)
that Rafi had competition also from Asha.
She was equally at ease doing romantic numbers as well as some much popular cabaret numbers.
It perhaps goes to the credit that though was always overshadowed by Didi, Lata, Asha did not let
her sister's works or style influence her style of singing and developing a unique style of her own.
With Lata's death, we ought to lament vanishing of good music too.
ends
It’s important to first find happiness and a sense of fulfillment : Lata Mangeskar had said once !!!
The legendary singer once referred to an interview of Kiran Rao in which she had talked about the same thing, and said, "Bohut khoobsurat bola hai unhone (she has spoken beautifully).
It’s important to first find happiness and a sense of fulfilment within yourself, else the dream of being fulfilled only through marriage or children loses its significance." - 'Hindustan Times'
#Lata Mangeshkar recorded the first song of her career “Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari” in 1942 for a Marathi movie called Kiti Hasaal.
** But the song was removed from the film’s final cut. (Indian Express)
India during Vajpayee government honoured her with Bharat Ratna. The French Govt conferred her with the Officer of the Legion of Honour in 2007, the country’s highest civilian award.
New Delhi
The single biggest lesson from Lata Mangeshkar's life is rejection and failures are part of life.
#Lata Mangeshkar recorded the first song of her career “Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari” in 1942 for a Marathi movie called Kiti Hasaal.
** But the song was removed from the film’s final cut.
But she fought back to stardom and then became a living legend. The melodious voice she had mesmerised people for generations and should easily adapt to new generation's demand, style and mannerism ofthe silver screen stars.
If she gave memorable numbers to Madhubalas, Madhuris had nothing to be upset about. The fans knew what matters most is her voice.
Some of her numbers would be ever memorable.
Take few instances here - "Ae mere dil e nadan, tum gam se na ghabrana... (Tower House).
"Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo..." (the magical number on martyrdom and patriotism.
Such numbers could have been sung by several stars of her era and later, but she gave the soulto the lines.
"खुश रहना देश के प्यारों....
खुश रहना देश के प्यारों
अब हम तो सफ़र करते हैं
अब हम तो सफ़र करते हैं
क्या लोग थे वो दीवाने
क्या लोग थे वो अभिमानी "
Khush rahena desh ke pyaro....ab hum toh safar karten haen"
No man or woman would remain untouched by the magnetic pull of such songs.
Lata also had the blessings to work on numbers such as -'Lag jaa galey ....".
"Mera Saaya Saath Hoga, Mera Saaya"
Humein Aur Jeene Ki, Agar Tum Na Hote
and much later came "Didi tera dewar deewana (for Madhuri Dixit).
She had a number of popular Bengali songs too.
'Mangal deep jele....'
Otho Otho Surjai rey
Aaj mon cheyechhe
# Lata's father ran a theatre company, and Lata grew up with a love of music. The aim of the sisters (Lata and Asha Bhosle) when they took up singing was to carry forward their father’s legacy.
** In Lata’s words, the best music director she worked with and with whom she had a special bond was Madan Mohan. She said in a 2011 collector’s item calendar called Tere Sur Aur Mere Geet,
“I shared a special relationship with Madan Mohan, which was much more than what a singer and a music composer share. This was a relationship of a brother and a sister.” She listed ‘Woh chup rahe’ from Jahan Ara as their favourite collaboration with him.
She was an MP (Member of Parliament) from 1999 to 2005 as nominated member to the Rajya Sabha.
1983 World Cup winning team shall forever remain grateful for her generosity for giving each member of the team rupees one lakh as winning bonus.
- Balvinder Singh Sandhu....
(Sept 28, 2003:
Mumbai, September 28
The main entrance of “Prabhu Kunj”, the residence of the melody queen, Lata Mangeshkar, is lined up with wicker baskets of various hues and colours, carrying fresh sprays of rare orchids, tubular lilies, crimson roses, with little notes wishing her happy 75th birthday today.) - reporting by Jacinta D'Souza in 2003 for PTI
"We join India in paying tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, who passed today at the age of 92. History will mark her contribution to India’s music in golden words. #LataMangeshkar #LataDidi"
- US Embassy in India
After Narendra Modi inaugurated a new hospital complex named after her late father Deenanath Mangeshkar at a function in Pune, Lata, in a brief address, said, "Narendrabhai is like my brother. All of us want to see him become the prime minister. On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I hope our wishes would come true." (Nov 1, 2013)
Lata Mangeshkar sang with legendary Hemant Kumar Mukheree for the first time in 1952. The films, Jaal and Anand Math had their duets.
Nice write up
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