Mumbai: As melody queen Lata Mangeshkar turned 86 on Monday, the Hindi film fraternity wished her a year full of happiness.
Starting her career in 1943 at the age of 13 with the song "Naachu ya gade, khelu saari, mani haus bhaari..." for Marathi film "Kiti Hasaal", she went on to record songs for more than 1,000 films in 36 languages and earned the undisputed queen of melody.
Lata, who started her career in 1942 with Marathi songs, ventured into Hindi cinema with the song "Paa laagu kar jori re" for Vasant Joglekar's movie "Aap Ki Seva Mein".
Composer Ghulam Haider gave Lata her first major break in 1948 with the song "Dil mera toda" in the film "Majboor".
One of her first major hits was "Aayega aanewaala," a song in the movie "Mahal", which was composed by music director Khemchand Prakash and lip-synced on screen by actress Madhubala.
In 1974, the Guinness Book of World Records (as it was then called) listed Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in history, stating that she had reportedly recorded "not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages" between 1948 and 1974.
Some of her hit numbers are "Dil wil pyar wyar", "Bindiya chamkegi", "Tune o rangeele kaisa jaadu kiya", "Mere haathon mein", "Aaja shaam hone aayi", "Dil deewana bin sajna ke" and "Kitne ajeeb rishte hai yaha pe" among many.
Here's what B-Town had to say on her birthday:
Javed Akhtar: On your birthday @mangeshkarlata congratulations to you, us, to India and to the whole world.
Ashoke Pandit: Happy Birthday to #LataMangeshkar ji. May your voice continue to vibrate in the entire universe and spread the message of love and affection.
Rishi Kapoor: Happy Birthday, Lata Mangeshkarji and the late Shaheed Bhagat Singhji! Rima, my sister and son Ranbir share this birthday too. Be proud of it!
Shaan: Happy Birthday Lata ji! Happy Birthday to Voice of Eternal Youth and Divinity! Our Greatest Pride! @latamangeshkar
Kailash Kher: I am in US. Today is the birthday of India's melody queen, and goddess Saraswati's avtaar (incarnation)... congratulations to the universe.
Sonu Nigam: Happy Birthday to the goddess of vocalists...your contribution in every Indian music lovers' life is unmatchable. Thank you for your love.
Hansal Mehta: Happy Birthday to India's most beautiful woman. Happy Birthday Lata Mangeshkar. Thanks to your songs life is less empty.
Vikas Khanna: Happy Birthday to the voice of India. #LataMangeshkar You unite our souls.
Ayushmann Khurrana: Birthday wishes to the motherboard of indian music industry @mangeshkarlata di!
