Tributes kept pouring in from Bollywood celebrities for Lata Mangeshkar after passing on February 6 due to multi-organ failure at a Mumbai hospital. Celebs mourned the loss of the singing legend by recalling their fondest memories of Mangeshkar. Karisma Kapoor, who has had several Lata Mangeshkar songs picturised on her, from Dil To Pagal Hai to Zubeidaa, shared an evocative throwback picture of the premiere of the Raj Kapoor film Awara (1951) on Instagram.
The picture shows a young Lata Mangeshkar standing next to Raj Kapoor. Karisma shared the photo with the caption, “So many legends together in one frame at the premiere of dadaji’s Awara. Rest in Glory Lata Ji. The Nightingale of India.”
Among the many reasons why Awara refuses to fade out from our memory, one definitely is the Nightingale’s song, Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi, featured in the famous dream sequence choreographed by the dance maestro Uday Shankar’s partner, Simkie.
Rani Mukherjee, the daughter-in-law of Lata Mangeshkar’s long-time collaborator, Yash Chopra, issued a long statement to convey her feelings about the Nightingale’s demise, which she described as the “end of an era”.
“Lataji was truly gifted and blessed,” Mukherjee, who’s married to Aditya Chopra, Yash Chopra’s son and chairman, YRF Films, said. “People would often say that Goddess Saraswati resides in her voice and what a coincidence that she left us one day after Basant Panchami.”
The actress continued, “She has left a big void in all our lives as India has lost its nightingale. She is and always will be remembered as one of the most integral people in the history of Indian cinema. Every actor, past and present, dreamt of lip syncing to her voice.”
She added, “In my career I had the good fortune of being able to do that in my film ‘Mujhse Dosti Karoge’. I will always cherish the memories I have of meeting her. She was kind-hearted and always exuded warmth. There was truly an aura around her.”
Mukherjee concluded by saying, “We as an industry can now celebrate her life and thank her for the countless memories and songs she has left us with. Rest in peace Lataji.”
For Pankaj Tripathi, his personal tribute to the Nightingale was to listen to her songs in solitude. “How else can a broken heart remember you?” he said in his emotional tweet and added, “Thank you for making the world beautiful.”
Remembering the icon, yesteryear’s actress Bhagyashree said, “Lataji was blessed by Goddess Saraswati herself… a voice so melodious that it commemorated many songs for us artistes. I was lucky to have her sing my songs in ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. It is her voice that made them so memorable. It is a great loss for us all ,,, may her soul rest in peace.”
(With IANS inputs)
