Vishal Bhardwaj pens down the memories that he had with the legendary singer Lata Mangeskar, her innocence, her humor, and above all her melodious heavenly voice.
The celebrated film director and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj is remembering the nightingale voice of India Lata Mangeskar after her demise. He goes down to memory lane and shares a few bits from it in his article.
The director starts the article when he first came to Mumbai to pursue a career as a music composer. He had two vivid dreams at that point; one is to compose Gulzar’s writings and another is to have Lata Mangeskar sing one of his composed songs.
The first dream came to life in 1992. At that time he composed the song ‘Chaddi Pehen Ke Phool Khile Hai’ the iconic song from Jungle Book was written by Gulzar. The second that he had was yet to come true, and Gulzar helped him to ask Lata Mangeskar to share her voice in one of his compositions.
But unfortunately, the movie did not release and the song also remained unreleased. But he shared the experience that he had while recording the song. As he was one of the newcomers at that time, he was terrified and very nervous about the fact that he is recording the legendary Lata Mangeskar.
The veteran composer says that when the voice goddess sensed his nervousness she behaved in a way that she is a newcomer as well. Though she came to the recording studio completely prepared and completed the whole song in one go.
The supremely dedicated soul of her would complete the song in just one sitting; where other singers of that time would do one to two lines in one go. The mountain-sized genius that she was never has taken away the innocence from her.
Vishal Bhardwaj also remembers the instance when he asked her to give the song another go, she would lower her spectacles and just say ‘Why’. That was a very famous gaze, which silently meant that he has given her best already.
Along with her ‘Why’, he also recalls the ‘Chabi ka Guchcha’ (key chain) that she use to carry always. And while she used to sing the key chain would sound with the slightest movement of her hands. In the binging, he used to omit the sound of the keychain, but later on, he realized that even the ‘Chabi ka Guchcha’ sounds melodious.
The unreleased the first song with ‘Theek Nahi Hai’ on her 92nd birthday, last year. And her musical voice will prevail afterward though she is gone.
