Page 12 - Seniorstoday February 2022 Issue

Cover Story

‘Whatever

skills I’ve

imbibed are

God’s gift’

In July 2019, the late singing legend Lata Mangeshkar spoke to Subhash
K Jha about her life, work, passions and the laughter that led to her be-
ing labelled ‘arrogant’. This we believe was her last extended interview
to any media. This is the link to the full interview: https://seniorstoday.
in/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Arrogant.jpg

How do you assess your own career as a Which is the song that has given you
singer? maximum satisfaction?
If you ask me, I did okay. Achchha hai… (promptly) The songs that I sang for my
Lekin aur bhi achchha ho sakta hai (I did brother (Hridayanath Mangeshkar) in the
well. But I could’ve done better). I’ve never album of Meerabai bhajans Chala Vahi
stopped to admire any of my songs, ‘Wah Des. I always feel that I’ve done justice to
wah kya gaana gaya hai.’ whatever Hridaynath gave me to do. It
has been my must successful endeavour
That’s not for you to say. That’s for us to to date. I’ve also done justice to some of
say, isn’t it? the compositions by Salilda (Chowdhury),
But I know what you don’t. I know the Madan Mohan and Jaidev. Jaidev was the
places where I’ve made mistakes in my most challenging among the composers.
songs. And an artiste should never be He had a sound knowledge of classical
satisfied with what he or she does. There music. He would say, ‘I’ve told her what
should always be hunger to excel. That to do. Now I don’t need to worry.’ Once he
fire….look at Bachchan Saab! That’s what composed a song he left it to me to worry
keeps him going. No matter what your about it. It became my responsibility.
sphere of activity there must always be that And I’d be endlessly worried. I remember
hunger to do better. As a writer I am sure he had composed a Nepali song for me
you also want to do better. With my songs written by the King of Nepal, King Birendra
also I always felt I could do better, even the (Jun Mato Na Mero in the Nepali film
ones that people today think perfect. Maatighar). It was one of the toughest

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