Highlights
- Singer Lata Mangeshkar, who mesmerised millions with her golden voice in a career spanning seven decades, turned 81 today, spending a quiet day with the family even as fans, including famous names, wished her a happy birthday.
- The Bharat Ratna winning singer who has lent her voice to generations of Bollywood actresses from Madhubala to Kajol, is celebrating her birthday in her ancestral home in Kolhapur, said sources close to her.
- "I don't celebrate my birthday. I performed the Puja and 28th September is just like any other day for me," Lata said in an interview.
Singer Lata Mangeshkar, whomesmerised millions with her golden voice in a career spanningseven decades, turned 81 today, spending a quiet day with thefamily even as fans, including famous names, wished her ahappy birthday.
The Bharat Ratna winning singer who has lent her voiceto generations of Bollywood actresses from Madhubala to Kajol,is celebrating her birthday in her ancestral home in Kolhapur,said sources close to her.
"I don't celebrate my birthday. I performed the Pujaand 28th September is just like any other day for me," Latasaid in an interview.
The evergreen singer held the Guinness World Recordsfor having recorded the most songs in the world from 1974 to1991 and continues to be the favourite singer of topfilmmakers like Yash Chopra and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Meanwhile younger sister and fellow singing legend,Asha Bhonsle, led a host of A-listers who wished the singer onTwitter.
"My favourite Female Singer and also my Elder SisterLatadidi celebrates her Birthday today. Too bad I'm in HongKong & can't attend her birthday. Will miss her as I am inHong Kong, but my well wishes are always with Lata didi(sic)," wrote Bhonsle who also posted a old picture of themtogether.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who has collaborated withthe singer in films like
Jail and
Page 3, was among thefirst to wish the acclaimed singer.
"Wishing u Lata Didi many happy returns of theday....May god bless u with good health..love..,nd peace(sic)," Bhandarkar tweeted.
Lata too is an active member of the micro bloggingsite and had posted a message yesterday thanking all her fans.
"I feel fortunate that my birthday falls close to twoof my favourite people- freedom fighter Bhagat Singh andfilmmaker Yash Chopra. I send my best wishes to Yash ji andpray that he lives for another hundred years," Lata hadtweeted.
Starting her career in 1942 with songs in Marathi,Lata's first Hindi song was
Paa lagoon kar jori for VasantJoglekar's movie
Aap Ki Seva Mein in 1946.
Two years later, composer Ghulam Haider gave Lata herfirst major break with the song
Dil mera toda in
Majboorand rest has been history.
Lata went on to record songs for over 1,000 Bollywoodmovies and has sung in more than 36 regional Indian languages.
The singer has lent her voice to some of the mostpopular and evergreen songs in film history including
Pyarkiya to darna kya from
Mughal-e-Azam,
Aaja re pardesifrom
Madhumati and
Bahon mein chale aao from
Anamikaamong hundred others.
Lata continues to lend her voice to select projectsand is excited about her soon to be released duet with
Shehanshah-e-Ghazal Mehdi Hassan.
"Mehdi Saab always wanted to sing with me. In fact hesent me 2-3 recorded songs years back but he had to quitsinging due to his prolonged illness.
"
Tera milna is one of them. I recorded my version in Mumbai and Mehdi Saab's version was recorded in Pakistan ayear back. We have made a duet compiling the two versions,"said Lata.