A tribute to Lata Mangeshkar( 1929-2022) and her contribution to the music revolution
A tribute to Lata Mangeshkar and her contribution to the music revolution
Legendary vocalist Lata Mangeshkar’s personal story and the support of some of Bollywood’s top music business insiders helped make her a household name as well as a musical icon.
An Indian Brahmin family, Lata Mangeshkar, grew up in the Maharashtrian Brahmin dynasty with three sisters and one brother. She is the eldest of them all. A well-known classical singer and actor in Maharashtra, Deenanath Mangeshkar’s father, was her inspiration. Deenanath’s second wife, Shevanti (later became Shudhamati), was Deenanath’s older sister; Narmada, his first wife, died while Shudhamati was a child.
When she was born, her parents gave her “Hema,” but she was later renamed “Lata,” after a female character in one of her father’s plays, Latika. Goa-born Deenanath took the surname “Mangeshkar” to honor his hometown of Mangeshi, Goa, where he grew up. When it came to her upbringing, her father was strict and disciplined. He didn’t let his kids indulge in frivolity, and he was very picky about how they dressed. Only at the age of five did her father begin to teach her the fundamentals of classical music.
The game-changers:
One of her most traumatic experiences occurred at 13 years old when her father died of coronary artery disease. However, this episode did not mark the end of her singing career; instead, it marked a significant turning point. Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, the Navyug Chitrapat Movie Company owner, looked for her family.
After that, he helped her pursue a career in music and theatre. Because of him, she had the opportunity to sing in the film “Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhari” in Kiti Hasaal that she had a chance to sing in the movie (1942). He also cast her in the Marathi film Pahili Mangalaa-gaur, in which she had a minor role (1942). Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu, from Gajabhaau, was her first ever Hindi song. She was a Marathi singer (1943).
Lata Mangeshkar was not a big fan of the film’s dramatic flourishes because she didn’t care for acting in general or the screenplay in particular. In 1945, Master Vinayak’s company relocated its headquarters to Mumbai, so she moved there. This was a game-changer for her singing career, making her trip more enjoyable.
Ustad Aman Ali Khan of the Bhindibazaar Gharana taught Hindustani classical music to Lata Mangeshkar in Mumbai. In addition to being the most experienced music instructor, he was a Bhendibazaar Gharana-trained Indian classical vocalist and composer: Layakari (rhythmic play) and Sargam (solfa singing) to the Bhendibazaar Gharana. Lata Mangeshkar wouldn’t have been an excellent vocalist if he hadn’t had his training. Badi Maa (1945) was Master Vinayak’s first Hindi film, and the song “Mata Tere Charnon Mein” was sung by Master Vinayak.
In 1948, Vinayak’s death did not stop her career. Her talent as a singer Ghulam Haider, the music director who trained her, had high praise. While working on the 1948 film Shaheed, he presented her to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, who immediately dismissed her due to her voice’s thinness. Haider objected to Mukherjee’s denial and informed him that producers and directors of Bollywood would want Lata Mangeshkar to sing in their movies one day. Because of this animosity between them, he joined her at Bombay Talkies, where the filming for Majboor (1948) was taking place in Malad (Mumbai).
Haider composed the film’s music and was afterward cast as a playback vocalist for the song Angrezi Chhora Chala Gaya, which she sang in her voice. As far as her professional trajectory was concerned, Bombay Talkies was the pivotal event. As a result, she sang in numerous Bollywood films, including Barsaat (1949) and Andaz (1949). Ayega Ayega, a song from the movie Mahal, quickly became the most famous song because of its lyrical content. She was approached to sing in a slew of films after becoming well-known in the business. Then she went on to sing for decades in various movies and languages. In total, she sang more than 25,000 songs, many of which were unknown to the general public.
For Lata Mangeshkar to become a legend, she needed the help of four game-changers: Master Vinayak, Ustad Aman Ali Khan, Ghulam Haider, and Bombay Talkies. She wouldn’t have been able to adorn herself and become a Bollywood legend without their help.
Songs that make you feel good
There isn’t a single Lata Mangeshkar song that we haven’t all heard, so picking a favorite is nearly impossible. As a result, her songs were effectively performed and had heartfelt melodies. Thanks to the powerful lyrics, it’s hard not to feel moved to tears when listening to her music. Her songs depict the full range of human emotions, from joy to sorrow, and her songs are a window into the soul of India itself. Only a severe music enthusiast can make such a determination!
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1993), Filmfare Special Awards (1994) for “Didi Tera Devar Deewana” from the film Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievements (1999), NTR National Award (1999), Bharat Ratna (2001), Filmfare Special Awards (2004) presented with a golden trophy, and many others. Filmfare’s Best Female Playback Award went to her four times as well.
In her honor, the Madhya Pradesh State Government established the Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1984. 1989 saw her awarded honorary doctorates from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya in Khairagarh, and Shivaji University Kolhapur, all in the field of Indian classical music. In 1992, the Maharashtra State Government reinstituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award. Officer of the French Legion of Honor in 2009, France’s highest honor.
Then there were the various accolades and prizes she got. She came in 10th place in Outlook India’s Greatest Indians poll in 2012.
She competed in a singing competition when she was a child, and there were 114 entrants. In that competition, she earned first place and received a musical instrument called the Dilruba as a prize. He tried playing the instrument after seeing it with her, and however, the agency broke when he played it. It was her father who comforted Lata Mangeshkar when she began to cry and told her, “This is nothing; people will offer you many gifts and prizes in the future for your singing.” When Lata Mangeshkar earned an award, she remembered her father’s words.
Lata Mangeshkar’s top ten hits:
“Ayega Ayega” from the Mahal (1949)
Rasika Balma, a Chori Chor native (1956)
From Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, the song Ajeeb Dastan Yeh (1960)
When I See The Taj Mahal, I’ll Think of You (1963)
Lag Ja Gale, from the film Woh Kaun Thi (1964)
Mera Saaya (1966)
In the year 1972, Pakeezah’s Chalo Dildaar Chalo
A song from Masoom, Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi (1983)
Toh Yeh Jana Sanam from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Chura Lo from Mohabbatein is Humko Humise Chura Lo (2000)
Beyond the songs for films, she also sang a patriotic song in 1963 called Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo.
Commotion on the tarmac
When Lata Mangeshkar lived at Prabhu Kunj, located on Peddar Road in Mumbai, there was no place like home. When she first went to Mumbai in 1945, she witnessed the city’s commercial transformation. While the town was once a peaceful and pleasant place to live, it has since descended into chaos. On top of that, her issue began when MSRDC suggested building a 4.1-kilometer flyover on the nearby Pedar Road.
Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar’s sister, slammed the plan. In 2001, the Pedder Road Residents Association led a delegation to meet with the previous chief minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh. They threatened to leave Mumbai if the flyover was completed, so they had to put the project on hold while they figured out what to do next. As the buildings are so close to the road, it is evident that a flyover could generate a lot of problems for the occupants.
Only because Lata Mangeshkar lived nearby and was adamantly opposed to the flyover’s construction up until this point has it been delayed.
Covers that kill
The COVIS-19 pandemic has been catastrophic worldwide, and many people have died in India as a result of this pandemic. In 2020, the entire country was put on lockdown, and people were confined to their homes for months at a stretch. Bollywood has suffered dramatically as a result, with many artists and professionals finding themselves out of work. Aside from that, the epidemic claimed the lives of several notable artists and actors. Many people were saved from the disease because of the government’s and health professionals’ support.
In 2020, Amitabh Bachchan, often known as “Big B,” and family members Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan tested positive with COVID-19 (she was quarantined at home with her daughter). The Nanavati hospital in Mumbai, where Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan are being treated, is recognized as a center of excellence. After a few days in the hospital, they were well enough to go home.
As well as Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, and Aamir Khan, several other actors were afflicted by the virus, but all recovered. Despite this, not everyone was able to avoid the virus. As a result of exposure to COVID-19, actors such as Bikramjeet Kanwarpal and Satish Kaul (who played Ram in Mahabharat) have died. Wajid of Sajid-Wajid and Shravan of Nadeem-Shravan, two well-known music directors, perished due to the epidemic.
Considering everything, it’s safe to say that Lata Mangeshkar was extremely fortunate not to have been infected by the virus during the last two years, as many others in Bollywood were.
This year, Lata Mangeshkar tweeted a prayer that everyone would be rid of the COVID-19 epidemic on January 1st, 2022. She was infected with the virus a few days later, which is terrible. Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital received her. Sadly, she passed away on February 6th, 2022, after a battle that lasted more than 28 days at that hospital.
She was taken to the same hospital in 2019 for pneumonia, but Lata Mangeshkar could recover from the illness. She would have recovered if COVID-19 had not been present. There is a lot more to consider than just where you’re going to have your therapy, though. To have survived, she would have had to be transported to the Nanavati Hospital instead. Even though Breach Candy was near her home, she did not have a good run this time. Nanavati Hospital is merely a 10-minute walk from Amitabh Bachchan’s home, yet it would take him 40 minutes or more to get there from Prabhu Kunj.
She would have lived longer if Lata Mangeshkar hadn’t been infected with COVID-19.
Using digital music as a tool
The term “genre” refers to the numerous forms of music that falls under the umbrella term “genre.” Music genres have evolved significantly during the past few decades. The Bollywood music industry was dominated by classical music in the 1940s when Lata Mangeshkar began her career as a playback vocalist. The entire song had to be recorded in a single take because the audio was recorded straight onto photographic films at the time. Although the music industry’s tastes have altered throughout time, rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic music are still popular. To begin with, R.D. Burman introduced electronic rock and jazz into Indian films in the 1960s.
He then introduced electronic fusion and world music in the 1990s with A.R. Rehman. This has occurred because of the rise of digital technology in music production. Before electronic instruments like a musical synthesizer or digital piano were available, music-making was a very different experience. The creation of remixes and hip-hop tracks has gotten easier since the introduction of digital DJ controllers and mixers. Many musicians like Yo Yo Honey Singh and Badshah have been able to bring rap (a form of hip-hop) to India because of this.
On the other hand, singing without the aid of any technology will always be seen as indigenous. Apache Indian, a reggae singer from the United Kingdom, rose to fame in the 1990s with songs like “Chok There,” which used rapping as a prominent element. When reggae first became famous, it gave rise to hip-hop. Nevertheless, Baba Sehgal is widely regarded as the pioneer of Indian rap music, and his hit single “Thanda Thanda Pani” was a huge success back in the ’90s.
The methods and genres used to create music will continue to evolve with technological advancements. The world has altered dramatically since the introduction of numerous computer technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (A). Thanks to AI, we can now accomplish a plethora of activities, from social networking to video gaming. It’s also beginning to alter the way music is made. Computerized Reasoning AIVA, short for Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist, is a computer program that can create music.
An organization in France called SACEM recognized it as the first virtual music composer in the world to be recognized by collecting fees for artists and sharing their rights to original composers and music publishers. As of February 2016, AIVA specializes in classical and orchestral music composition. ‘Genesis’ and ‘Among the Stars’ were issued by AIVA in November 2016 and 2018, respectively, and the band is a published composer.
In addition to automated music composition, it is now possible to make a computer sing. XiaoiceSing, a singing robot developed by Microsoft Technology Center Asia, can sing on any given musical score. With the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Yamaha is developing a Vocaloid (software that sings) that can mimic the voice of Hibari Misora, the famed Japanese singer.
Thanks to this new technology, music production will soon be a piece of cake rather than an uphill battle. However, it will never match the famous voices of singers like Lata Mangeshkar, whose voice was given to her by God.
When Lata Mangeshkar’s father died early, she had to support her family by working in the film industry. She wouldn’t be a household name if her father didn’t die so young. In addition, the Bombay talkies were a significant factor in her success. She is no longer with us, yet her evergreen melodies will live forever.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
