To mark Lataji’s 80th birthday, AV Max magazine selected 80 songs from her Hindi film repertoire; compositions that exploited her enormous range, melodies no other singer could do better justice to.
Aayega Aanewala, Mahal (49)
Composer: Khemchand Prakash
Lyricist: Naqshab
Under a master composer, a 20-year-old Lata envisioned and executed a pioneering haunting song, a genre she was to rule with authentic ominous tones.
Do Hanson Ka Joda, Ganga Jumna (61)
Composer: Naushad
Lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni
Lata visits the hinterland of Uttar Pradesh to amass a Bhojpuri bounty of Naushad creations in this film, led by this song.
Tumhe Yaad Karte Karte, Amrapali (66)
Composer: Shankar-Jaikishan
Lyricist: Shailendra
Erotica, contrary to her branding, has been Lata’s fiefdom too. And there are few better examples than this ultra-sensuous song she rendered for an on-screen courtesan.
Chalte Chalte, Pakeezah (72)
Composer: Ghulam Mohammed
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi
Even today, the film is as synonymous with Lata as it is with Meena Kumari.
Raina Beeti Jaaye, Amar Prem (72 )
Composer: RD Burman
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
Lata was prime choice for RD Burman’s semi-classical songs. The many nuances with which she embellishes this song shows why.
Ek Pyar Ka Naghma Hai, Shor (72)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Santosh Anand
Yet another spellbinder from Lata and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, with Mukesh forming the potent third force, this is a classic that will never die.
Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein, Bobby (73)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
Erotica mixed with teenage innocence — can there be anything more intoxicating? At 45, Lata sounded even younger than the 16-year-old Dimple and her young co-singer who was 21!
Yeh Dil Aur Unki, Prem Parbat (73)
Composer: Jaidev
Lyricist: Jan Nissar Akhtar
The twists and turns in scale could have been intimidating, but Lata sailed through them. Let’s just say that Jaidev could not have even conceived this one without Lata.
Main Na Bhoolunga, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (74)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal Film: Roti Kapada Aur Makaan
Lyricist: Santosh Anand
This is yet another song that could not have seen the light of the day if Lata did not exist. One of those rare songs that Lata was born to sing.
Roz Shaam Aati Thi, Imtihan (74)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Majrooh
A subdued vocal radiance illuminates this truly modern song.
Yeh Raatein Nayi Purani, Julie (75)
Composer: Rajesh Roshan
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
The unforgettable aura of a night of passion. Rajesh Roshan never surpassed this early diamond in his many future delights for Lata.
Aao Manaaye Jashn-E-Mohabbat, Doosara Aadmi (77 )
Composer: Rajesh Roshan
Lyricist: Majrooh
Rajesh Roshan did match the Julie song with this magnificent ballroom waltz that ranks among Lata’s finest moonlit serenades.
Din-Ba-Din Woh, Trishna (78)
Composer: Kalyanji-Anandji
Lyricist: Anjaan
Lata makes the pain tangible with her husky rendition of this paean to pathos about a soul-mate drifting apart for unfathomable reasons. For equally unfathomable reasons, this song has never got its due.
Satyam Shivam, Satyam Shivam Sundaram (78)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Pt Narendra Sharma
When the film is inspired by your persona, and you get to sing in it, how can you not give your best? And with Lata’s best, plus composers and a filmmaker devoted to her, it can be nothing less than magnificent.
Yashomati Maiyya Se, Satyam Shivam Sundaram (78)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Pt Narendra Sharma
One version for a child, the other for a nubile woman with a hint of sexuality: the magic lay in how Lata and everyone connected with this song gave contrasting colours to both.
Main Tulsi, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (78)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
When the composers, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, term it one of their top favourites from their icon, what else is left to be said?
Dafliwale, Sargam (79)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
A mute heroine sings in her dreams with her lover-boy: Lata’s vitality is palpable in this song, and she was over 50 when she recorded it!
Neela Aasmaan, Silsila (81)
Composer: Shiv-Hari’s
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Hopelessness and loneliness — Lata effortlessly conveys the desolate emotional pitch of the song.
Yeh Galiyan Yeh Chaubara, Prem Rog (82)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Santosh Anand
A celebratory song with a poignant twist: the heroine is celebrating her forthcoming wedding and teasing her childhood buddy that she will soon go away, unaware that he loves her. Only Lata could have got the nuances so right.
Ae Dil-E-Nadaan, Razia Sultan (83)
Composer: Khaiyyaam
Lyricist: Jan Nissar Akhtar
Lata took on the convolutions of this ethereal song as to the manner born.
Man Kyoon Behka, Utsav (85)
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Vasant Deo
Easily, the most nuanced of their 75 duets together, this Lata-Asha combo saw both sisters singing individual and combined lines that seemed to be, incredibly, tailored for them.
Bada Dukh Deena, Ram Lakhan (89 )
Composer: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
One allegation that the Lata / Laxmikant-Pyarelal combination faced was of being completely mass-oriented. Here was proof to the contrary: this song won the Sur-Singar Samsad award for the best classical music-based song of the year.
Yaara Seeli Seeli, Lekin (91)
Composer: Hridaynath Mangeshkar
Lyricist: Gulzar
One listening is all that it takes for this song to be imprinted forever. This is brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar’s foremost pushing-the-envelope gem with Lata.
Tu Saawan Main Pyaas Piya, Parampara (93)
Composer: Shiv-Hari
Lyricist: Lata Mangeshkar
This stunner underscores the tragedy that from the 90s even Lata’s vocals could not make some truly beautiful songs get attention.
(This story appears in the 09 October, 2009 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)