So, you were saying something?. Review on Lata Mangeshkar

It is lonely at the top. No one should know that better than the one and only Lataji, who has spent fifty long years over there, unchallenged and unrivalled. This long reign has not been without its share of controversies and I am not surprised.

Such a long spell is bound to evoke jealousy and suspicion from many quarters. Which is why, the Bharat Ratna has answered every allegation against her with the only instrument that she uses best. Her voice. The people of India have rallied behind her through her best and worst phases and even today, a Veer-Zaara evokes more respect and sales than all the albums in the year combined. You can only criticize a person when you have done better. Unfortunately, not many of us do that. We fall prey to yellow journalism and the numerous rumours that we hear every day. Help me clear the clouds.

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Lata Mangeshkar has/had virtual monopoly over Hindi Film music:

The facts:

Raj Kapoor went back to Lata Mangeshkar after delivering three duds which did not feature her voice. The showman did not have a chance to repent his coming back. The music of all the movies that followed (Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Prem Rog, Bobby, Raam Teri Ganga maili) scorched the charts. Previous Raj Kapoor movies had Mukesh and Lata sharing responsibility. In these albums, Lata single handedly delivered the goods and how!

It is common knowledge that Yash Chopra seldom works with anyone other than Lataji. Like to many other directors, she is his Saraswati. And his faith in her has paid rich dividends. Not one of the albums from the Yash Chopra banner (including the ill fated Lamhe) has failed to rake in the money. And the songs from his banner continue to be the bestsellers for their companies to this day. I leave it to you to decide if Yash Chopra's return to romance with Chandni would have been the blockbuster it was without ''Mere haathon mein...''

The Barjatyas are having a hard time. There is no money to keep the studio running. So, they decide to take that one last gamble. Entrust a love story to Sooraj Barjatya who chooses to go back to Lataji to be the voice of his heroine. Maine Pyaar Kiya, an ordinary love story with just the music going for it, makes it BIG. And when Suraj does an encore using Lataji with Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, he delivers the biggest hit of Indian cinema. That gives his music director Raam Laxman enough courage to state that, ''Lata is not God.''. When he uses six of the current generation female voices to replace one Lata Mangeshkar in his next movie, the results were there for all to see. Hey, where is he today?

India's biggest movie to date: Sholay. The music in this movie looks mostly like an afterthought. It has a disinterested Lata singing ''Jab tak hai jaan...''. Yet, this songs goes on to break popularity records. I am sure you must know the reason coz the only thing I can think of is that Lataji's voice is so ingrained into the Indian psyche that it is very difficult to digest anything else.

A historical epic Razia Sultan crashes at the box office. A movie called Libaas by Gulzar does not see the release date. Yet, ''Ae-dil-e-nadaan'' and ''Seeli Hawa Choo Gayi'' are played on every music channel to this day. That's Lata power for you. I can give you umpteen such examples.

Movies come, Movies go. Of course Lataji doesn't have the power to make bad movies work with her voice. But with her voice, even remotely functional scripts have managed to create magic at the turnstiles.

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Lata Mangeshkar's voice lacks versatility:

I have never heard of a funnier statement. I am listing very few examples just to illustrate my point.

Ghazals: For a generation which thinks Ghazals= Begum Akhtar, Jagjit Singh, it is difficult to tell that some of the best ghazals in Hindi movies were sung by Lata Mangeshkar under the Madan Mohan baton. A Marathi girl singing chaste urdu to the most critical audience. How many can attempt ''Hai isi main pyaar ki aabroo'' and get those melting emotions spilling over?

Qawwals: ''Allah, yeh ada kaisi hai'', ''Tere mehfil mein kismat aazmakar''. Just a few examples.

Mujra: Paakezah, Salaam-e-ishq anyone?

Bhajan: I do not even have to name them. ''Allah tero naam'' is my ultimate bhajan.

Cabaret: ''Mere naseeb mein'' ''Oh jaan-e-jaan''

Sensuous and naughty: ''Meri beri ke ber mat todo'', ''Baahon mein chale aao''

Classical: ''Raina beet jaaye'', ''Jo tum todo piya''

Romantic: You really want me to start naming?

I am not even mentioning Marathi natya geet and her work as a music director here.

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Lata Mangeshkar discouraged competition:

It is all very well to speak about another person. If you were at the top in a similar position, where the best of music directors waited for days just to record your voice, would you have passed on the chance to a lesser singer? How many of the other singers have encouraged the next breed to come in? Singers have come and gone. Yet, didi, at 75, with a song as simple as ''Kitne ajeeb'' gets the album selling. What competition are you talking about? Anuradha Paudwal has a whole music company to her name. After accusing Lataji of everything under the sun, where is she now?

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The next time you hear someone talk ill of the voice of india, think about what I have said. People like didi are not born every day. To be born in a non-filmi family and take up the responsibility of looking after them at a very young age is no mean task. From enchanting people across the globe to singing for the soldiers during wartime to setting up one of India's best hospitals, the lady has covered many a territory. She is not Bharat Ratna for nothing!

Happy Birthday Lataji! Meri umr aap ko lag jaaye