Never considered myself as special: Lata Mangeshkar

By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS) Lata Mangeshkar turns 90 on September 28. The playback legend opened up in an exclusive chat.

SKJ: It is that time of the year again?

Lata: You mean my birthday? What's so special about it? It's like any other day, isn't it?

SKJ: No Didi. I would say it is the day the most gifted singer of civilisation was born...

Lata: Aap aisa sochte hain yeh aapka badappan hai (if you think this way it's your greatness). I've never thought of myself as special.

SKJ: Some of the world's greatest artistes, statesmen and connoisseurs of music have declared you the greatest ever...

Lata: I never thought of myself as special even when those who have heard and appreciated my singing said I was. For me, the constant effort in life has been to better myself as a person and an artiste.

SKJ: Javed Akhtar says your singing epitomises perfection. How can you improve on perfection?

Lata: Oh, there are so many of my songs that are considered flawless but are actually flawed. I can hear those flaws that you can't. And believe me, I cringe every time I hear those flaws in my singing.

SKJ: Can you point out some of your 'flawed' songs?

Lata: No, why should I? Don't you prefer to keep believing that they are flawless?

SKJ: You have said you constantly strive to improve yourself as a human being. In what way?

Lata: My biggest personality flaw was my fierce temper. Even as a child I had a major temper issue. I would get angry very quickly. This changed as I grew older. Then there came a time when my temper vanished. Now I don't get angry at all. I sometimes wonder what happened to my fierce temper.

SKJ: In spite of your incomparable talent and success I've always seen you as being humble. How did you manage to remain unaffected by your phenomenal success?

Lata: I have always been like that. I was taught by my parents to forgive and forget when wronged by anyone. I've tried to follow that.

SKJ: Didi, I know of so many who have taken advantage of your generous and forgiving nature...

Lata: God bless them. I've never been vain or arrogant about my abilities, because I feel if I can sing well it is a gift that I've got from God and my parents. I always treated my singing as a special privilege. I nurtured it as a privilege.

SKJ: What advice would you give to upcoming aspiring singers?

Lata: Riyaaz (practice). Every singer who is serious about singing must do riyaaz. To this day I try to do my riyaaz as frequently as possible.

SKJ: Despite your partiality towards popular singing, you are extraordinarily adept at singing classical songs in films such as "Man mohana bade jhoothe" ("Seema") and "Mose chal kiye jaa" ("Guide").

Lata: The filmy classical song is not pure classical. Given a chance I'd have loved to sit with a tanpura on a stage to perform uninterrupted for two hours. But where was the time? I was recording songs round the clock.

SKJ: Any unfulfilled dreams?

Lata: I loved photography and painting. I wish I had time to pursue these interests.

SKJ: What is your message to the world?

Lata: Do your dharm and respect your karm. Success will follow. Nothing comes without hard work.