Whatever is written about Lata Mangeshkar by various musicologists, it is a fact that I was a child when I first listened to her song “Aaye Ga, aaye ga, aaye ga, aaye ga aane waala, aaye ga” from the film ‘Mahal’. This film was released in 1949 with the then petite Madhubala in the lead and young Ashok Kumar getting haunted by this song searching for the identity of who was singing it, and was a Kamal Amrohvi directional spree. This song is even heard after more than 60 years, henceforth seems as lilting as ever. Its music composer was Khem Chand Parkash. Famous director Bimal Roy was the editor of this movie. This combination of excellent team work in the black and white days made this movie a memorable one with successful use of light and shadow technique. Alas! Khemchand did not live to see the glory of success of his hit movie ‘Mahal’ as he died 10 days before its release on August 10, 1950. Then I remained mesmerised with Lata’s song “Jhan jhan jhan payal bajje” especially when my aunt the painter Professor Zakia Maalik used to sing it at family dinners. This song was SD Burman’s semi-classical creativity for the 1951 Shahid Lateef’s directional venture ‘Buzdil’ pictured on Nimmi with Cuckoo dancing on classical steps. Kishore Sahu and Prem Naath were part of this movie also.

Lata and Anil Da: Then Anis Biswas composed four lovely songs for Lata in Shahid Lateef’s 1950 movie ‘Aarzoo’. One of such songs was “Kahan tak hum uthaein gham jiyein ab yaa kei mar jaein”. It was a melodious number. The movie clicked with cast Dilip Kumar, Kamini Kaushal and Gope. Another of Lata’s song “Unhain hum jo dil sei bhulane lage” was lilting. I cannot forget the songs “Mera naram karejwa dol gaya” and “Jana na dil sei door aankhon sei door jaa ke”. Incidentally Anil Biswas was a very successful Bollywood music director of 1940’s and ‘50s. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the full orchestra into film music though I have seen him using successfully little orchestra also in some of his songs and they sounded so very well. The movie’s music still bewitches many belonging to that generation; the earnest music lovers. The dohra of the song “Kaya khabar thi keh muhabbat mein yeh din atey hain” followed by the asthai “Woh din kahan gayey bata” by Mangeshkar still haunts me because of simplicity of expression and melody and the innocence with, which Madhubala pictured it in the movie ‘Tarana’. The depth of feelings emerged continues to haunt ardent music lovers, as and when this melody is played. Having said that, my all time favourite duet by Mangeshkar with Talat Mahmud is “Seene main sulagte hain armaan” is an unforgettable melody. Anil Biswas was also mentor of a number of Bombay’s great singers, such as Mahmud, Mukesh and Mangeshkar. Above all, Biswas is also said to have influenced the singing mode of Mangeshkar and helped her come out of groove of Noor Jehan style of singing. Biswas was always very particular about when a singer should or should not break a phrase for a breath. It is also said that it was Biswas who coached Mangeshkar to improve her breath control.

I have mentioned in my book Melody Makers that Biswas, in one of his interviews had said that if Rai Chand Boral was the baap (father) of Hindi cinema music, then he (Biswas) was the chacha (uncle) of Bollywood. It is only when we go through his contributions in music compositions and the way he made use of vocals of Mageshkar; we realise that his egocentric statement was true to its hilt. I did not dislike this statement after listening to “Ritu aye ritu jaye” followed by “Pee bin sunaa jee” sung by Mangeshkar and Manna Dey respectively for the movie ‘Humdard’. Imagine the command of Biswas that he had used for raags in the latter composition: Raags Gaud Sarang, Gaud Malhaar, Jog and Bahaar. Apart from the songs from the movie ‘Tarana’ mentioned above, the other songs that have remained imprinted in my psyche from my childhood are “Mosey rooth gayo mora sanwaria”, “Yun chhup chhup kai tera aana”, “Beimann torey nainwa nindiya na aye”, “Wapas lele ye jawani” all sung by Mangeshkar. Another duet by Mangeshkar and Mahmud is “Nain miley nain huey banwerey”. Finally the songs from films ‘Araam’ (1951), ‘Doraha’ (1952), ‘Aakash’ (1953) and ‘Fareb’ (1953), though were not box-office success, were rare gems like “Balmwa nadan” and “Man mein kisi ki preet basa le” (‘Doraha’); “Saraa chaman tha apna” and “So gayee chandni” also by Mangeshkar (‘Aakash’).

Mangeshkar’s background: We shall proceed ahead by mentioning my favourite songs of Mangeshkar composed by other music composers but prior to that let me give you a brief history of her background.

 
Frome : Daily Times August 08, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part II

Dr Amjad Parvez

She was born in Holkar city, Indore on September 8, 1929. As per prophesy of music director Master Ghulam Haider, she became the most popular playback singer in Bollywood’s history in no time. Sangeet Mahal reports that Lata’s childhood was not stable. After her father Master Dinanath’s death, she was adopted by Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, a close personal friend of the Mangeshkar family, godfather to the five siblings, Lata, Asha, Usha and Meena and brother Hardenath, and a rather famous moviemaker in his own right (better known as Master Vinayak, and also father of movie star Nanda). Master Vinayak desired to play a key role in helping Lata and Asha get started with their careers. 
Lata’s first recording: Master Vinayak started the movie ‘Pahili Managalagaur’ and wanted Lata to sing, but he could not complete the movie. His efforts bore fruit and he succeeded with Vasant Joglekar, a script-writer/assistant director at Navyug to get Lata sing for the 1942 movie ‘Kiti Hasaal’. Finally, one day, music director Sadashivrao Nevrekar brought the shy thirteen year old into the recording studio. The Marathi song “Naachu Ya Gade Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhari” is considered as Lata’s first recording. The song never saw the light of day. Despite this disappointment Master Vinayak at least sensed that the foundation had been laid for a new standard in good female singing. In 1945, the script-writer/director Vasant Joglekar was now directing the Hindi movie ‘Aap Ki Sewa Mein’. The movie took more than two years to get released, but its place in history was secured when Datta Davjekar announced the successful recording of ‘Paa Lagoon Kar Jori Re, Shyam Mo Se Na Khelo Hori Re’ the first released Lata song for any Indian movie in any language.

Master Vinayak also set the stage for the film ‘Bari Maa’ starring Nurjehan with other big stars of that time and at the bottom of the list entered Lata and Asha Mangeshkar. Datta Koregaonkar did the music. Incidentally the film ‘Bari Maa’ has one of the best collections of Nurjehan songs in a single movie before partition of India and hidden among these Nurjehan gems, there is a beautiful devotional song sung by Lata, Maata Tere Charnon Mein. The piece almost went unnoticed.
Master Vinayak’s role in boosting Lata’s career initially: In the years 1942-43, Master Vinayak launched Prafulla Pictures, his third and last motion picture studio. He planned to make six movies under this banner and also direct one movie under Shantaram’s Rajkamal Kalamandir, and he would also act in Shantaram’s ‘Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’. Of the seven movies created by the Master in the remaining four years of his life (1943-47), the first three were in Marathi language and the remaining Hindi/Urdu. All these movies had insignificant role to play by Lata Mangeshkar. All these efforts at least laid a ground for Lata Mangeshkar to enter Bollywood.

Master Ghulam Haider’s role in discovering Lata as a singer: In a submission, Harjap Singh Aujla writes ‘music composer Master Ghulam Haider’s biggest discovery of singing sensations was in Lata Mangeshkar, whom he discovered not in Lahore, but in 1947 in Bombay. It was a chance meeting between a future singer and a brilliant talent hunter. Like everyone else high and low, while commuting between one recording studio and another in Bombay’s famous electric railway, Master Ghulam Haider saw a frail and anemic looking female teenager mumbling something, perhaps in Marathi. The voice appeared to be very shrill and sweet. Ghulam Haider asked her to sing on his tune. He quickly improvised a tune and asked the girl to sing. The girl rendered the raw tune quite proficiently. An obviously elated Ghulam Haider introduced himself as a music director and asked the girl to show up on a given day for an audition in one of the recording studios. The excited girl reached the studio much before time and waited patiently for her turn. The audition went off smoothly and the girl was approved as a play-back singer. This teenager was none other than the famous icon Lata Mangeshkar. This is how the honour of discovering India’s most brilliant and most prolific singer Lata Mangeshkar went to a music director from Lahore. Ghulam Haider shared the news of his new discovery with two other great composers of film music Anil Biswas and Khem Chand Prakash. Soon the word of mouth spread in the tinsel town and the first set of music directors who came forward to groom Lata Mangeshkar as a playback singer included mostly Punjabis, who had migrated to Bombay from Lahore during the 1940s. Master Ghulam Haider used Lata Mangeshkar’s voice in film “Majboor” (1948). Somehow Lata’s Ghulam Haider tunes did not become very popular. Punjabi block-buster film “Chaman” was planned in Lahore in 1947, but owing to exploding communal strife in the city, the shooting of the film could not even start. 

Frome : Daily Times August 09, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part III

Dr Amjad Parvez 

Music director Vinod of Lahore, a Shagird of Pandit Amar Nath of Lahore was entrusted with the task of composing its music, which he conceived in Lahore but composed in Bombay. Vinod composed two songs for Lata Mangeshkar. Both songs, “Gallian che phirde dhola nikke nikke baal ve” and “Raahe raahe jandiya, akhiyan milande aa” became super hits. Music director Shyam Sunder, who came to Bombay from Lahore during 1943-44, was composing the music of two films “Bazaar” and “Lahore” found Lata’s voice enchanting and captivating. Shyam Sunder was composing highly melodious music during those days. Two of his songs in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar “Baharen phir bhi aayen gi, magar hum tum juda honge” and “Duniya hamare pyar ki yoon hi jawan rahe, main bhi vahin rahoon mera saajan jahan rahe” from film “Lahore” became the most popular songs in 1949. Anil Biswas used Lata Mangeshkar’s voice in films “Anokha Pyar” in 1948 and Khem Chand Prakash used Lata’s voice for film “Ziddi”. All Lata songs became quite popular’. Lata’s Vasant Desai movies, her Datta Koregaonkar connection and her exposure to Rajkamal Kalamandir had all collectively made an impact. She was known in some circles as the little girl with some promise, but none were willing to take a chance, except Master Ghulam Haider as mentioned above. It was in 1948 that his three movies are notable in this range; ‘Majboor’, ‘Padmini’ and ‘Shaheed’. The Majboor song ‘Dil mere toraa, hai mujhe kisi ka na chhora’ is a classic. Also, the Padmini song ‘Bedard tere dard ko seene se lagaa ke’ became popular.

We have already mentioned how Anil Biswas and Khemchand Prakash took notice of Lata being active in looking for a classic, well-modulated voice that would never stray into savage territory. We have already mentioned movie ‘Mahal’ and shall mention the movie ‘Barsaat’ when we come to SK At the same time, Naushad and C Ramchandra picked up on this voice. Lata needed no more help as Master Ghulam Haider’s mission had been accomplished. For Lata Mangeshkar, the rest is history as everything in the world was going her way from 1948 onwards as Nurjehan had already left for Pakistan.

Lata’s music directional and acting spree: In 1950, Lata teamed up with Dinkar Patil and actually scored the music for his movie ‘Ram ram pahune’. She joined Dinkar Patil to find Surel Productions in 1952 and produced Wadal (1953). Datta Koregaonkar’s movies ‘Daaman’, ‘Gumashta’ and ‘Rishta’; were all sung largely by Lata Mangeshkar. Lata did her last acting role in the hindi-marathi dual release; the C Ramchandra-scored ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji’. She never acted again, or scored music under her original name.
Contributions of Lahoris in boosting Lata Mangeshkar as singer: We shall once again revert to Harjap Singh Aujla who writes that up to 1948, the duo of music composers Pandit Husan Lal and Bhagat Ram, who came from Lahore in 1944, were working very hard on another Lahore girl Suraiya who was deeply emotional and was most suitable for sad and sweet music but after the unexpected success of Lata Mangeshkar’s songs in Punjabi film “Chaman”, Pandit Husan Lal and Bhagat Ram decided to work harder on this more versatile singer. For a number of years (1948 to 1957) Husan Lal Bhagat Ram duo groomed the voice of Lata through repeated rehearsals and made her also a master of sad music. The other Punjabi music directors like Hans Raj Behl, Pandit Gobind Ram, Sardul Singh Kwatra, Roshan, Allah Rakha Quraishi, S Mohinder and Khayyam; all Lahoris used Lata Mangeshkar’s voice very extensively in their subsequent urdu/hindi and punjabi films. Madan Mohan groomed Lata Mangeshkar essentially for urdu ghazal singing and he got the most gratifying rejoinder from the knowledgeable listeners. It is therefore time to discuss the successes of Madan Mohan and Lata combination.

Madan Mohan & Lata: As per my book ‘Melody Makers’, my memories of Madan Mohan Kohli date back to his music in the movie ‘Daikh Kabira Roya’ in which Lata sang ‘Meri veena tum bin roye’ in Raag Aheer Bhairon. Lata’s ghazal ‘Tu pyar karey ya thukraei hum to hein terey diwanon mein’ was also from this movie. A series of lovely melodies by Lata like ‘Hum pyar mein jalney walon ko chain kahan, araam kahan’ from the movie ‘Jailor’ and ‘Unko yeh shikayat hei keh hum kutch nahin kehte’ and ‘Yun hasraton key dagh muhabbat mein dho liye’ from the movie ‘Adalat’. ‘Haqeeqat’ and ‘Woh chup ranein to merey dil kei dagha jaltey hein’ from ‘Jehan Ara’ kept on haunting me for a long time. Before these songs came into being, Lata’s songs from a B class movie ‘Anparh’ with Dharmender’s debut with outstanding actress Mala Sinha like ‘Hei issi mein pyar ki aabroo’ and ‘Aap ki nazron nein samjha pyar kei qabil mujhey’ had left a deep impact on melody lovers.

 
Frome : Daily Times August 10, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part IV

Dr Amjad Parvez

This combination of Lata and Madan Mohan's command on composing and rendering ghazals and other melodious songs has been unmatched. Madan Mohan's inculcation with big masters of music visiting father like Ustad Faiyyaz Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Malika-e-Mausiqui Roshan Ara Begum, Begum Akhtar, Siddheshwari Devi and Talat Mehmood, all renowned names in the field of classical music and Ghazal singing in his house must have left a mark in his psyche. Otherwise how could he create compositions such as "Maine rang li aaj chunariya" from 'Dulhan Ek Raat Ki' and "Baiyan na dharo". In those days, apart from low cast films, Madan Mohan did get a Nutan film 'Dulhan Ek Raat Ki' and he composed the lovely number "Sapnon mein agar mere tum aao". Again I would not be doing a justice to Madan Mohan-Lata combination  if I do not mention his compositions such as 'Sapne Mein Sajan Sey' and Do Ghari Woh Jo Paas' (with Muhammad Rafi) pictured on beautiful Madhubala from the movie 'Gateway of India' and 'Rukey Rukey Sey Qadam' from the movie 'Mausam' pictured on Sharmila Tegore. My all time favourite however is Lata's 'Aaj Socha To Ansoo Bhar Aei Mudatein Ho Gaein Muskurae/ Mudatein Ho Gaeein Muskuraye' from Chetan Anand's 1972 movie 'Hanste Zakhm'. The Sitar introduction and interludes takes one's breath away. It was filmed on Priya Rajvansh in a club sequence with KN Singh flirting with her and she remembering her love for Nivin Nishchol in flashbacks; an excellent portrayal. Another of Lata's crooned song from this movie is 'Betaab Dil Ki Tamana Yehi Hai". These songs were penned by none other than Kaifi Aazmi.

I must not forget the songs from Sadhna-Manoj's movie 'Woh Kaun Thi' like 'Lag Ja Galey Keh Phir Yei Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho' and 'Naina Barsey Rim Jhim' and of course 'Jo Hum Ney Dastaan Apni Sunai' and the songs from Sunil Dutt-Sadhna starrer movie 'Mera Saya' like 'Tu Jahan Jahan Bhi Ho Ga Mera Saya Saath Ho Ga' and 'Nainon Main Badra Chaaei'. About Yash Chopra getting Madan Mohan's rejected tracks from the latter's son Sanjeev Kohli library and Lata singing 'Tere Liye', 'Aisa Dais Hei Mera' (with Udit Narayan, Gurdas Mann & Pritha Majumdar), 'Yei Hum Aa Gaeye Hain Kahan' (with Udit Narayan), 'Do Pal' and 'Kyun Hawa' (with Sonu Nigum), 'Hum Tau Bhai Jaise Hain', Tum Paas Aa Rahe Ho' (with Jagjit Singh) and 'Jane Kyun', she said about singing for 'Veer-Zaara' (2004): "Madan Mohan was like my brother. Yashji's like my brother. I felt I had gone back in time."

Some of memorable songs by Lata for Madan Mohan are 'Aankhon Aankhon Mein Un Sei', 'Preetam Meri Duniya Main Do Din Tau Rahe Hote' and 'Sanwari Soorat Mun Bhai Re Piya Tori Sanwari Soorat Mun Bhai' from 1951 movie 'Ada' with lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Prem Dhawan, 'Ja Ja Re Ja Sajna Kahe Sapno Mein Aaei Ja Kei Dais Paraye', 'Jana Tha Hum Sei Door Bahane Bana Liye' and 'Un Ko Yei Shikayat Hei Keh Hum Kutch Nahi Kehte' from 1958 movie 'Adalat' starring Nargis and Pardeep Kumar. Lyrics were penned by Rajinder Krishen, 'Woh Jo Milte They Kabhi Hum Sei Diwano Ki Tarah/Aaj Yun Milte Hain Jaise Kabhi Pehchan Na Thi' from 1963 movie 'Akeli Mat Jaaiyo' starring Meena Kumari and Rajinder Kumar with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. We have already mentioned two songs of 1962 movie 'Anparh' above. The others by Lata are 'Jiya Lei Gayo Ji Mora Sanwariya', 'Woh Daikho Jala Ghar Kisi Ka' and 'Rang Birangi Rakhi Lei Kar Aai Behna'. Lyrics were penned by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. 1952 Nargis-Raj Kapoor film 'Ashiana' had six lovely songs by Lata namely 'Main Na Janu Mere Dil Ko Yei Kaya Ho Gaya', 'Mera Qarar Lei Ja Mujhe Beqarar Kar Ja', 'Mere Piya Sei Koi Ja Kei Keh De Jeewan Ka Sahara Teri Yaad Hei', 'Mukh Mor Na Laina Sajna Dil Bechain', 'Sama Hei Bahar Ka Lei Lei Maza Pray Ka' and 'Tum Chand Kei Saath Chale Aao' penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri. 1953 Naseem Bano movie 'Baghi' had a lovely song 'Baharain Hum Ko Dhoondhain Gi Na Jane Hum Kahan Haun Gei' again a Majrooh penned number. A semi-classical number 'Jaa Re Badra Bairi Ja Ja Ja Re' penned by Rajinder Krishen was from 1960 movie 'Bahana'. Another hit number 'Bairen Neend Na Aaye' was from Kishore Kumar-Anita Goha 1959 film 'Chacha Zindabaad', penned by Rajinder Krishen. I have mentioned a classical based song 'Bainyan Na Dharo Balma' from Rehana Sultan-Sanjeev Kumar 1970 movie 'Dastak' already. The other Majrooh penned numbers are 'Hum Hain Mata-e-Kucha-o-Bazzar Ki Tarah' and 'Maai Ri Maai Ka Sei Kahun Peer Apni Ji'. 1970 Raj Kumar-Priya Rajvansh film 'Heer Ranjha' had two lovely songs by Lata 'Doli Charhde Heer Nei Bain Kiya Ho' and 'Do Dil Toote Do Dil Haare'; the latter became very popular because of climax in its composition in the antaras.

Frome : Daily Times August 11, 2014