Late singer Lata Mangeshkar was one of the very few people with whom many generations could connect. Lata Mangeshkar was part of the film industry for over decades. Her soulful voice was undoubtedly sweeter than honey. Here is Lata Mangeshkar's personal and professional life in pics.
The late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar was born on September 28, 1929, in a Marathi-speaking family in Indore. Her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, was a classical singer and theatre actor, while her mother Shevanti was a housewife.
Lata Mangeshkar's siblings include sisters Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar - and a brother, Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
After her father's death due to heart disease in 1942, thirteen-year-old Lata was forced to earn a living for the entire family. She took up singing and acting to make the ends meet.
Lata Mangeshkar had made her music debut with Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari - for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi movie Kiti Hasaal in 1942. Sadly, the song was dropped from the final cut of the movie.
However, she was offered a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie Pahili Mangalaagaur in 1942, in which she sang the song Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai.
Late singer Lata Mangeshkar took Indian classical music lessons from Ustad Amanat Ali Khan but later started training under Amanat Khan Devaswale after Ustad Amanat Ali Khan migrated to newly formed Pakistan after partition.
She trained under Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, who was a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.
With the film industry dominated by singers like Noor Jehan and Shamshad Begum who had heavy nasal voices, Lataji had faced rejection as her soft voice was labeled too high pitched and thin by many.
She got her first major break with the song Dil Mera Toda from the movie Majboor in 1948 but her first major hit was Aayega Aanewaala from the movie Mahal in 1949, which was picturised on Madhubala.
During the 1950s, Lataji carved a niche for herself as an acclaimed singer in the Hindi film industry and her career took a turn for the better.
During that phase, she had collaborated with successful composers like S D Burman, Naushad Ali, Salil Chowdhury, Madan Mohan, and lent her voice to songs to movies like Baiju Bawra (1952), Shree 420 (1955) and Devdas (1955).
She had also won a Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song Aaja Re Pardesi from Madhumati (1958).
However, in the 1950s Lataji had a rift with S D Burman and the two didn't collaborate until 1962.
There was no looking back for Lataji, she went on to sing hits like Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya from Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh from Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960).
As India fought China in 1963, Lataji brought tears in the eyes of then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru with her song Aiye Mere Watan ke Logon.
She then lent her voice to R D Burman's Bhoot Bangla (1965) and Pati Patni (1966), and also recorded several popular songs like Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai, Gata Rahe Mera Dil and Hothon Pe Aisi Baat for S D Burman.
During that period the late veteran singer, Lata Mangeshkar had recorded duets with Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and bagged her second Filmfare Award for Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil from the movie Bees Saal Baad (1962).
In the 1980s, Lataji sang songs for hit movies like Silsila (1981), Chandni (1989) and Maine Pyar Kia (1989).
In the year 1990, Lataji had launched her own production house and produced Gulzar's movie Lekin... (1990)
She went on to win her third National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song Yaara Sili Sili from Lekin…. Coincidentally, the song was composed by her younger brother Hridaynath.
During this phase, Lataji sung with almost every chart-topping singer like Sonu Nigam, S P Balasubrahmanyam, Udit Narayan, Hariharan, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Roop Kumar Rathod and Gurdas Maan.
Lata Mangeshkar also worked with A R Rahman and Jagjit Singh in the 1990s and had lent her melodious voice to almost every Yash Chopra film.
The songs of Hum Apke Hain Kaun…! (1994) and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) were among her biggest hits of this time.
With time, Lataji's star only got brighter.
Pukar (2000), Mohabbatein (2000), Zubeidaa (2001), Rang De Basanti (2006) and Lagaan (2001) all have their best songs written Lataji's name all over them.
Lata Mangeshkar had received many accolades and honours including Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), NTR National Award (1999), Bharat Ratna (2001) and Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1993).
The Guinness Book of Records listed Lata Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in history in the year 1974. This was contested by Mohammed Rafi, who was claimed to have sung more songs than her.
However, in the year 2011, Asha Bhosle was officially acknowledged as the most recorded artist in music history by Guinness, thereby surpassing Mangeshkar.
