“Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai,” a line from Gulzar’s song “Naam Goom Jayega” in the 1977 film Kinara, beautifully captures the essence of Lata Mangeshkar‘s voice. Over an illustrious career spanning more than eight decades, Mangeshkar recorded thousands of songs in over 36 Indian languages. From her haunting rendition in the 1949 film Mahal to the iconic track in Rang De Basanti (2006), her music continues to resonate with audiences, with many songs attaining classic status. But have you ever wondered what it took to sing these timeless pieces across different eras, often with minimal technological support?
Lata was afraid to sing Mahal’s ‘Aayega Aanewala’
“Aayega Aanewala,” which the late singer Lata Mangeshkar called one of her favorite songs from Kamal Amrohi’s film Mahal, was also one of the most challenging pieces to record for the then 20-years-old Lata Mangeshkar.
In an interview with CNN IBN, Lata Mangeshkar recalled, “You wouldn’t believe how I was made to record for it. When the first stanza comes, they told me, ‘We want it to sound like the voice is coming from far away.’ Back then, we didn’t have much technical backing like today. I was made to stand at a distance from the microphone and was told to walk and sing, and reach in time near the mic to sing the part that has Aayega. I had to do this for about 25 times. Every time when they thought something was off, they would request me to sing it all over again. I was quite scared to sing this song as I was expected to walk and be in time to sing Aayega on mic. It was quite difficult. I couldn’t do it. But, somehow, I managed. I think that’s why I remember the song till date.”
Lata was made to stand in a different room for Mughal-e-Azam’s ‘Pyar Kiya Toh’
There are rumors that Lata Mangeshkar recorded the iconic song “Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya” from Mughal-e-Azam in a bathroom to achieve an echoing effect. However, this is not true.
In the same interview, Lata Mangeshkar revealed, “No, I wasn’t made to sing from a bathroom. When we recorded the song, they wanted the last line to echo, but again technology wasn’t so advanced back then, so we had to do it manually. So Naushad made me stand in a different room, I sang from there, then I came a little near to the mic and sang again. This way, I sang from different places. Basically, I had to go through circus all over again to have that song sound right. But, the bathroom story is not true.” She laughed as she revealed the true story.
What Nehru told Lata: ‘You made me cry’
Lata Mangeshkar’s songs not only resonated with audiences but also stirred deep emotions. One poignant instance involved India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who was moved to tears upon hearing her sing “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo.” This performance took place on Republic Day in 1963, just months after the Indo-China war, which had claimed the lives of many Indian soldiers.
Recalling the incident, Lata Mangeshkar told CNN IBN, “It was a time when all of us were upset. We had gone to do a program in Delhi. Our then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, as well his daughter Indira Gandhi along with other ministers were also present there. When I sang the song, Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo, I didn’t realise he would love it so much. I just gave my best. But I had never imagined he would tear down after listening to the song. When I finished singing and went inside, our director, Mehboob Khan came looking for me, when he found me, he was like, ‘Chalo, the PM is calling you’. I was stunned. I was like, ‘Why?’ and he simply pulled me there and made me stand before the Prime Minister. When he saw me, he was like, ‘Beta, you made me cry today.’ After saying this, he left.”
She added, “The next day, I had to return to Bombay as my sister was getting married. By the time I reached Bombay, the news had gone viral. Headlines read, ‘Didi made the PM cry’. This got so insane that after that incident, every time I went to perform at shows, some or the other politician would sit In the front row and cry. And then there used to be a different headline about them.”
Lata stood for 10 hours to sing ‘Lukka Chuppi’
Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 92, is fondly remembered for her greatness and humility. Filmmaker Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra, who collaborated with the legendary singer on his film Rang De Basanti (2006), shared a memorable story from their time recording the song “Lukka Chuppi,” composed by A.R. Rahman.
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In an interview with O2India, the filmmaker shared, “After the music and Sargam was made for the song, Lata Mangeshkar called me and asked, “Son, may I go to Chennai to record?’ I told her, “AR Rahman told me he would come to Mumbai, you please don’t trouble yourself.’ She said, “No, it’s better to go to his space.’ That’s how humble she was.”
He added, “She went three days before the recording date. And as soon as she reached the airport in Chennai, she wanted to go straight to the studio. I requested her, ‘Please go to the hotel and rest for some time’. But, no, we went to the studio where AR Rahman received her and straightaway she said, let’s hear the composition. After hearing, she said, ‘Can we rehearse it?’ She got the composition recorded in a cassette, which she could hear on her walkman and she rehearsed for three days.”
Rakyesh recalled, how the singer, even in her late 70s, stood for about eight to ten hours to record the song. He said, “On the fourth day, when she came to record the song, she asked, ‘Why the mic is placed so low? It should be adjusted higher.’ When we said, ‘We thought you would sit and record’, she said, ‘No, I can’t sit and sing.’ Then she started jamming with Rahman. This went on for the next 8 to 10 hours and she refused to sit on the chair this whole time. Usually what happens, when you want to sing a particular word in a particular manner, singers sing that word again, but she would sing the entire para–all the four lines or six lines. It felt like I was in the Disney World witnessing greatness on both sides.”
Today marks the 94th birth anniversary of the legendary singer, who continues to live in the memories of millions as her songs continue to inspire many.
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