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Untold facts about Lata Mangeshkar revealed in a book
By
IANS
Kolkata: How many of us know that Lata Mangeshkar's real name was Hema? A new book on her is not only a compendium of all her songs but also chronicles some unknown facts about the singing legend.
Snehasis Chatterjee, a musicologist and a big fan of Lata, has released a book on the Indian 'nightingale' titled "Lata Geetikosh". He claims that his book provides authentic information about her life and career.
For instance, when she was born her parents, Dinanath and Shevanti Mangeshkar, named her Hema and she lent her voice for the first time for a Marathi movie "Kiti Hasaal" in 1942, but the song was not released. It was her song "Nathli chaitrachi navlai" in Marathi film "Pahili Mangalagaur" (1942) that was the first to see the light of day.
She even acted in 10 films, including "Pahili Mangalagaur", "Badi Maa" (1945), "Jeevan Yatra" (1946), "Mandir" (1948), along with cameos in "Chhatrapati Shivaji" and "Pukar" (2000).
That's not all. The book also reveals that Lata used to compose songs under the pen name of Anandaghan. She also composed the music for two Bengali songs - "Tare ami chokhe dekhini" and "Ami nei", which were sung by the versatile Kishore Kumar.
She also composed tracks for five Marathi movies including "Ramram Pahune".
There is more information in the book - Lata also produced the Marathi movie "Vadaal" (1953) and Hindi films "Jhaanjhar" (1953), "Kanchan" (1955) and "Lekin" (1990).
She was also the producer of the Hindi TV serial "Kuchh Paya Kuchh Khoya" (1989).
Asked what had prompted to write the book, Chatterjee told IANS: "It is very disappointing that till date there are no authentic compilations of Lataji's songs.
"The paperbacks available at roadside bookstalls are all full of errors. Even the media feeds the public wrong information about the total number of songs she has sung so far," he added.
"I have always been a diehard Lata fan. But I hit upon the idea of bringing out an authentic compendium of her songs back in 1990 when I started collecting recordings of her songs," Chatterjee said.
In 2001, Chatterjee even figured in the Limca Book of Records for this effort.
"Lataji has so far rendered 7,000 songs in various languages, including both film and non-film songs. I have all her songs in the form of gramophone records, cassettes, audio and video CDs.
"No one can challenge me with a song that is not included in my collection. Even Lataji has acknowledged my work and sent me her best wishes," Chatterjee maintained.
Snehasis Chatterjee, a musicologist and a big fan of Lata, has released a book on the Indian 'nightingale' titled "Lata Geetikosh". He claims that his book provides authentic information about her life and career.
For instance, when she was born her parents, Dinanath and Shevanti Mangeshkar, named her Hema and she lent her voice for the first time for a Marathi movie "Kiti Hasaal" in 1942, but the song was not released. It was her song "Nathli chaitrachi navlai" in Marathi film "Pahili Mangalagaur" (1942) that was the first to see the light of day.
She even acted in 10 films, including "Pahili Mangalagaur", "Badi Maa" (1945), "Jeevan Yatra" (1946), "Mandir" (1948), along with cameos in "Chhatrapati Shivaji" and "Pukar" (2000).
That's not all. The book also reveals that Lata used to compose songs under the pen name of Anandaghan. She also composed the music for two Bengali songs - "Tare ami chokhe dekhini" and "Ami nei", which were sung by the versatile Kishore Kumar.
She also composed tracks for five Marathi movies including "Ramram Pahune".
There is more information in the book - Lata also produced the Marathi movie "Vadaal" (1953) and Hindi films "Jhaanjhar" (1953), "Kanchan" (1955) and "Lekin" (1990).
She was also the producer of the Hindi TV serial "Kuchh Paya Kuchh Khoya" (1989).
Asked what had prompted to write the book, Chatterjee told IANS: "It is very disappointing that till date there are no authentic compilations of Lataji's songs.
"The paperbacks available at roadside bookstalls are all full of errors. Even the media feeds the public wrong information about the total number of songs she has sung so far," he added.
"I have always been a diehard Lata fan. But I hit upon the idea of bringing out an authentic compendium of her songs back in 1990 when I started collecting recordings of her songs," Chatterjee said.
In 2001, Chatterjee even figured in the Limca Book of Records for this effort.
"Lataji has so far rendered 7,000 songs in various languages, including both film and non-film songs. I have all her songs in the form of gramophone records, cassettes, audio and video CDs.
"No one can challenge me with a song that is not included in my collection. Even Lataji has acknowledged my work and sent me her best wishes," Chatterjee maintained.
Reader's comments(2)
1
First of all i congratulate Snehasis for such hard work. As a Maharashtrian, I
knew some things of this information eg. her first films as an actor, as a music
director. But I did not know about her being the music director for Bangla
films.
I had heard that her name was 'Hridaya' but did not know that she was named as
Hema.
knew some things of this information eg. her first films as an actor, as a music
director. But I did not know about her being the music director for Bangla
films.
I had heard that her name was 'Hridaya' but did not know that she was named as
Hema.
Posted by:
meghana apte
2
Hai,
Madam Lathaji has so far sung 7000 songs as written by Mr Chatterji. I wonder it
could be true. Starting her career in early forties, I am sure, it should have
been even more than that.
In fact it is only Hindi and other North Indian movies with songs that were
always on the high in the past as compared to South Indian movies. And, the
major span of the past it was she who was blessed for the top in singing in
Indian movies in general.
We have hardly seen anybody else challenging her status as an Indian singer.
With this fact, I am sure sure there should be more than 7,000 songs tagging her
superiority whereas the later singers like Mr.S.P.Balasubramaniam who started in
earlier in late sixties his career in films as singer has already crossed 10,000
songs.
I think that there should be either printing error or research error in
comfirming
the numbers of Lathaji's songs.
Please give a rethinking on her numbers for a factual information because I am
also the one among lakhs of fans of hers.
Thanking,
Srinath.
Madam Lathaji has so far sung 7000 songs as written by Mr Chatterji. I wonder it
could be true. Starting her career in early forties, I am sure, it should have
been even more than that.
In fact it is only Hindi and other North Indian movies with songs that were
always on the high in the past as compared to South Indian movies. And, the
major span of the past it was she who was blessed for the top in singing in
Indian movies in general.
We have hardly seen anybody else challenging her status as an Indian singer.
With this fact, I am sure sure there should be more than 7,000 songs tagging her
superiority whereas the later singers like Mr.S.P.Balasubramaniam who started in
earlier in late sixties his career in films as singer has already crossed 10,000
songs.
I think that there should be either printing error or research error in
comfirming
the numbers of Lathaji's songs.
Please give a rethinking on her numbers for a factual information because I am
also the one among lakhs of fans of hers.
Thanking,
Srinath.
Posted by:
Srinath
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