Lata Mangeshkar (b. 1929)
Prolific megastar playback singer central to Hindi film music for the past four decades. Allegedly recorded over 25000 songs in 14 Indian languages, although Nerurkar’s compilation (1989) lists a total of 5066 Hindi songs between 1946 and 1989, which should be the bulk of her output. Born in Indore, MP. Daughter of noted Sangeet Natak actor-singer, Dinanath Mangeshkar, started as a child actress in Master Vinayak films. Sang her first song in Vasant Joglekar’s Marathi film Kiti Hasaal (1942), but the song was dropped, making her real début with Joglekar’s Aap Ki Sewa Mein (1947). Came to prominence with Ghulam Haider’s score in Majboor (1948). Worked with all leading music directors, including Anil Biswas, Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishen and C. Ramchandra. Occasionaly composed for Marathi films, starting with Dinkar D. Patil’s Ram Ram Pahuna (1950) and then, under the pseudonym Anandaghan, only for Bhalji Pendharkar (Mohityanchi Manjula, 1963; Maratha Tituka Melavava, 1964; Sadhi Manse, 1965; Tambdi Mati, 1969). Turned producer with the Marathi films Vadal and Jhanjhar (both 1953), Kanchan (1955) and Lekin ... (1990). Since the 50s, possibly following Bhai Bhai (1956), she perfected her apparently effortless, high-pitched voice projection, usually in C sharp, a technique said to overcome the crude sound reproduction on rickety gramophones and in suburban and rural cinemas. Until the late 80s, recorded about 2 songs a day, featuring in almost every Hindi and most other language films. The major Khayal performer, Neela Bhagwat, commented that Mangeshkar’s performances regrettably became the norm for the Indian middle-class notion of feminine beauty in music. Kumar Shahani suggested that only she could have sung the difficult Ektaal-based song, Sangh so javo in his Tarang (1984). She appeared as actress in Pahili Mangalagaur (1942), Mazhe Bal and Chimukla Sansar (1943), Gajabhau (1944), Badi Maa (1945), Jeevan Yatra and Subhadra (both 1946), Mandir (1948) and Chhatrapati Shivaji (1952).