Lata Mangeshkar Interview to NDTV ...Transcript http://movies.ndtv.com/newstory.asp?section=Movies&id=ENTEN20080064177 NDTV's Sreenivasan Jain got talking to Lata Mangeshkar about life, music and the studio Bombay Talkies. Here's are some snippets from the interview.
NDTV: Namaskar. Thank you so much for doing this. The wonderful thing is that when we were talking a little while back. You told me that Bombay Talkies has a special meaning for you. Lata Mangeshkar: Definitely.That is because my playback singing career started with Bombay Talkies. There used to be a studio called Bombay Talkies, who's owners were Ashok Kumar and Watcha. Before that, it was originally owned by Devika Rani. After she left, Ashok Kumar started running it. NDTV: So you got your first break in the Bombay Talkies studio? Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, definitely. NDTV: How did that happen? Lata Mangeshkar: What happened was that I started out as an actress but I never used to like acting. I used to work with master Vinayak. NDTV: Even then you acted in about seven to eight Hindi and Marathi films. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I acted in films but I never enjoyed it as I was very young. I used to hate putting on make up and having to laugh and cry in front of the camera. I used to love singing. I was always attracted to it since childhood. Then in 1947, Master Vinayak passed away and our company, Praful Pictures was shut down. I started playback singing after that. I went to Filmistan and after hearing me sing, Haiderji said that he wanted me to sing for a film. But the owner of Filmistan, Mukherjee Sahib said that my voice will not suit the film's actress as it was too thin. NDTV: He told you that your voice was too thin? Lata Mangeshkar: Well, he didn't tell me directly, but he told the music director and I was rejected. But Master Ghulam Ali Sahib never told me this. He just asked me to leave the studio with him. He was very disappointed with the rejection as he was the one who had discovered Noor Jehan and he was very respected in the industry. So, he took me to the station and we took a train to Malad, where Bombay Talkies was located. There he made me practice for two to three days and after that we recorded the song. NDTV: And this was the song from the film Mahal? Lata Mangeshkar: No, Mahal came later that was by Temton Prakash. This was for the film Majboor where I sang with Mukesh bhaiya and the words were something like Ek Angreji chora chala gaya. NDTV: So will you sing that for us? Lata Mangeshkar: No, I don't even remember the words. NDTV: So, you were discovered after that song? Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, after that I got more films. There was a film called Ziddi that I did with Kishore Kumar. Both of us were new at that time. After that I did Mahal. After that there was no looking back. There were songs like Aayega Ayega... Yes, then Naushad Sahib called me. I did films like Andaaz, Badi Bahen etc. and my songs became hit. NDTV: So, no one must have ever said that your voice was too thin after that! Also, when you entered the scene there were singers like Noor Jehan, Suraiya etc. But they had a different style. Lata Mangeshkar: By the time I started out, Noor Jehan had already left for Pakistan. Surayia was still there but she was not a playback singer. She was an actress who used to sing her own songs. Her voice was good, but after a while her film releases decreased. After that it was just me, Geeta Dutt and after a while Asha (Asha Bhonsle). NDTV: People have often said that your dominance in the field of playback singing was so great that no one else got a chance. How do you respond to such criticism? Lata Mangeshkar: I don't think that is true. I don't think we stopped anyone because at that time we had so much work that we use to refuse entire films. Actually this rumour started when a music director told a playback singer that he couldn't work with her as I wouldn't approve it. So, people started saying that Asha and I were not giving others a chance. NDTV: Which music director said this? Lata Mangeshkar: There was a music director. NDTV: You must reveal this secret to us on Bombay Talkies. Lata Mangeshkar: No, actually the director didn't want to work with her but he didn't know how to turn her down. So, he just said that I wouldn't like it. I came to know about all this much later and people started talking after this. Several other playback singers also started claiming that I was hampering their career. NDTV: Yes, Vani Jairam said that you didn't allow her to sing. Lata Mangeshkar: I have never blocked anyone. I never felt the need to do it as I was very busy myself. NDTV: How were the relations between you and Ashaji? Because both of you are sisters and have had very successful careers. There must have been some rivalry between both of you? Lata Mangeshkar:No, never. That's because both Asha and I had different styles. The other thing is that I am the elder sister. After our father's death I looked after the house. So, naturally all my other siblings were like children to me. And as far as I remember Asha got married in 1947 and she left home after that. Actually, it was her husband who didn't approve of her meeting us. He would not let us meet. Asha would really want to meet us all, especially our mother and Hridayanath but her husband stopped her. NDTV: Why? What was the reason? Lata Mangeshkar: He was angry with me. Because of that we never met for 12 years. He just wouldn't allow her to meet me. We recorded a few duets during this time and even then he used to come with her to ensure that we didn't talk to each other. He went to this extent. NDTV: So, you recorded very few duets. There is one in Aaina. Lata Mangeshkar: We've recorded many duets but there were very few in the beginning. Later on everything became all right. NDTV: So, all this talk about you and Asha being rivals was not true? Lata Mangeshkar: No, to tell you honestly, I've never had a rivalry with any of the playback singers. There were several singers at that time. There was Dora bai, Rajkumari. Shamshad begum, Geeta Dutt etc. So it wasn't just one to two singers, it was several reknowned singers. NDTV: But after you started singing, no one else could match up. And your style is very versatile, like in Mughal-e-Azam. Lata Mangeshkar: At that time there used to be cabaret songs which I didn't like singing. Even Marathi lavanis was something I never sung. I used to refuse if somebody offered me those kind of songs. All the music directors also came to know that I didn't sing those kind of songs. Geeta Dutt used to sing them. There was one music director for whom I never sang and that was Mr O P Nayyar. He used to say that my style of composing is not meant for Lata. So he used to work with Geeta Dutt. So Asha, Geeta and Shamshed Bai used to sing those kind of tracks. NDTV: But for example a song like Ajeeb Dastan had a western kind of tempo. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, there was a western kind of tempo but the song was of my type. Aa Jaane Ja was one of the western kind of songs that I had sung. Even Duniya mein Rahna Hai Toh or Mein Ka Karoon Ram Mujhe Budha Mil Gaya came into that category. They usually sang Loriyaan or sad, romantic songs. NDTV: You used to prefer those kind of songs also. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes. NDTV:A singer of your stature who has recorded about 25,000-30,000 songs. Does it become very difficult to ask you to name a few of your favourite songs. Any films that are your personal favourites? Lata Mangeshkar: In that case there are a lot of films. Like Mughal-e-Azam, Madhumati etc which had a different style. There were a few R D Burman and S D Burman films which were completely different. Even Roshan Lal and Madan Lal compositions were nice. Like the film Taj Mahal. NDTV: You have also sung several patriotic songs. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, like Vande Mataram and Mere Vatan ke Logon. NDTV: And when Pandit Nehru heard this song he was moved to tears. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, that's true. NDTV: The marvellous thing is that you've worked with composers from the previous generation as well as this generation - like A R Rahman. Now you have become very selective. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I sing less these days. NDTV: So, who do you prefer to work with these days? You've already worked with Rahman. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I've worked with Rahman. In Jiya Jale. But I rarely work in films these days. NDTV: So, who are the new composers you like working with? Who do you think is the best? Lata Mangeshkar: There are good people. Rahman is obviously very good. Other than that, to tell you honestly, I don't know the others. I have worked with Anu Mallik, but it was long ago. I don't know what work he is doing these days. NDTV: Who are the new singers you listen to now-a-days? Lata Mangeshkar: Amongst the male singers I think Sonu (Nigam) sings well. Even Udit Narayan is good. Amongst the females I like Alka's voice and Sunidhi has a very different voice and style which I like. NDTV: What do you think about remixes? I've heard that you shut your ears. Lata Mangeshkar: I don't like them at all. I just don't listen to them. NDTV: Now, you've been in Bombay (Mumbai) since your childhood, so what's your opinion on the condition of Mumbai today? Lata Mangeshkar: I think that the present situation of Mumbai is really very bad. You can't even recognise it. It has become difficult to recognise the place where I used to stay, where some friends used to stay. Every thing has changed. We used to have an acquaintance called Dr Kapoor who was well-known in the film fraternity.He used to think of me as his sister and I used to visit his place in Versova very often. But now-a-days when I go that side, I can't even recognise where Dr Sahib used to stay. I have to ask. And all the shops on the roads etc. I don't like it at all. Earlier Bombay was very nice. NDTV: Even the name has changed. Lata Mangeshkar: The name has changed and so has the city. NDTV: Why do you think this has happened? Political leaders like Raj Thackerey feel that it is the outsiders who have spoilt Bombay. Do you agree with this? Lata Mangeshkar: No, people from outside will keep coming. After all Bombay is a part of India. So you can't stop the people from other states coming here. Certain people have their own way of thinking. This is absolutely true that lot of people have migrated to Mumbai but who all will you stop? NDTV: But saying things like Mumbai is only for Marathis? Lata Mangeshkar: That is just not possible. Mumbai, I have seen consists of Gujaratis, Parsis, Marathis and Christians. It's a part of Maharashtra, so Marathis were obviously here from the begining. But we can't say things like nobody can come here. NDTV: When you raised the flyover issue, a lot of people were upset about it. Lata Mangeshkar: There's nothing to be upset about. For example, if you are staying at Goregaon how would you know about our condition out here in Peddar road? Peddar road is so narrow that if the flyover comes it will be bad. And I stay at the first floor. NDTV: Then it'll be blocked. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, it'll be totally blocked. I used to joke that people can have their morning tea from my place from the road. The second thing that I could imagine was then people coming there. NDTV: But people say that for of the wellness of the city, one should sacrifice their own interests. Lata Mangeshkar: I don't believe that. Because if Peddar road had been wider, then I wouldn't have objected. I can't leave this place because I have been living here for the last 25 years. NDTV: Once you said that you would leave your place if all this continued. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, I even bought a new flat. NDTV: Where? Lata Mangeshkar: Parel. NDTV: Keeping all these in mind? Lata Mangeshkar: Yes, if that was the case then what was I to do? NDTV: But you never thought of leaving Mumbai? Lata Mangeshkar: No no, How can I leave Mumbai? NDTV: But people said that... Lata Mangeshkar: No. People make up their own stories. I'm sorry to say this but the media blows things out of proportion. Like Asha once said that if Himesh says that R D Burman sings in a nasal way, then he should be slapped. That incident was blown out of propotion. NDTV:But then Himesh appologised for the act. Lata Mangeshkar: Yes. But Asha said those things in anger. Things are blown up unnecessarily. NDTV: We have very little time left but you have refused to sing for us. Lata Mangeshkar: As you know that I sing all the time. Then why should I sing here? NDTV: Ok. But your career has been remarkable. You have sung for everyone, from Madhubala to Preity Zinta. Lata Mangeshkar: It's all due to God's grace. NDTV: I don't think that there is anything that you haven't achieved till date. Filmfare, National awards, everything. You told Filmfare to stop nominating you further. Lata Mangeshkar: I fought a lot with Filmfare because earlier there was no recognition given to singers and song writers. After that I got the first ever Filmfare for the best playback singer for Madhumati. Then I kept winning the award for four consecutive years. But after that I told them to stop nominating me further. Other singers should also get a chance. NDTV: So, there has been no milestone that you haven't achieved. Thank you for talking to us. Lata Mangeshkar: Thank you. --- On Fri, 9/5/08, Sivakumar V V <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Sivakumar V V <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [arr] lata mangeshkar interview on ndtv To: [email protected] Date: Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:32 AM hi its a long time since i wrote to this group but i was so kicked with a little portion of ndtv's srinivasan jains interview with lataji that i wanted to share with u. he was talking abt the 30000 odd songs guinness record & he asked abt todays composers to which she said " obviuosly ARR is very good but apart from that i am sorry to said that ...." and she dragged to which srinivasan jain said u sang for anu malik to which she said "yes that was a while ago ..." i guess that says it all from a legend. cheers from siva in chennai living very near to panchatan record inn
