Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar left for heavenly abode on Sunday morning at the age of 92. Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the singer at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital revealed that the iconic singer passed away due to miltiple organ failure. Known as the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar sang songs in more than 36 languages. In her long career, Lata worked with the greatest of Indian composers and music directors, yet, there was a music director who remained aloof from Lataji. With haughty pride -- and yet he rose to the top echelons of the music industry -- the incomparable O.P. Nayyar.
"I found Lata's voice too thin, too shrill, which did not suit my compositions," Nayyar had once said, claiming he was "the only music director who succeeded in Bollywood without Lata's voice". He added: "I needed a more vivacious, richer, healthier voice of, say, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Ghosh-Dutt, Asha Bhosale."
During the film 'Aasmaan' in 1952, OP Nayyar decided to make a song for his co-actress and wanted Lata Mangeshkar to sing for a side actress and not the main lead. Lata ji did not like this proposal. Since she was a renowned singer, she did not want to sing for a co-actress instead of lead. Lata Mangeshkar refused to sing. This pricked OP Nayyar and he announced at the same time that he would not make any song with Lata Mangeshkar. RIP Lata Mangeshkar: Do you know the legendary singer started her career as an actor?
However, after this incident, OP Nayyar made many superhit songs with Lata Mangeshkar's sister Asha Bhosle. The famous OP Nayyar and Asha teaming up proved beneficial to both.
The 1960s also witnessed the beginning of Lata's association with the legendary musical duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, for whom she sang the most popular songs of her career. Starting 1963 their association grew stronger over the years and Lata went on to sing over 700 songs for the composers over a period of 35 years, most of which became huge hits.
Also Read: End of an Era: Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away at 92
(With Inputs from IANS)
