Lata Mangeshkar Turns 87

The nightangle of India turns 87 today on September 28, 2016. Watch some of her most popular songs on her birthday.

Bollywood's most famous singer Lata Mangeshkar was born in Indore on 28 September 1929. Her career started in 1942 and has spanned over seven decades. She is the second vocalist, after M. S. Subbulakshmi, to have ever been awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. She has won several Bollywood movie awards for playback singing but she refused to accept awards from 1969 when she was at the peak of her career as she wanted other singers to be recognized as well. She was later awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. Lata Mangeshkar chose to be single all her life and took care of her siblings. On 27 January 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War, Mangeshkar sang the patriotic song "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, then the Prime Minister of India. The song, composed by C. Ramchandra and written by Kavi Pradeep, is said to have brought the Prime Minister to tears.

On her 87th Birthday, we bring you some of the most popular songs of her career:

Lag Ja Gale from Woh Kaun Thi (1964)

Woh Kaun Thi (Who was she?) was a Bollywood Psychological Mystery Movie directed by Raj Khosla and featured Sadhana, Manoj Kumar and Prem Chopra in the lead roles. The film was a big hit at the box office. Madan Mohan had composed the music of this movie and most of the songs were sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Lag Jaa Gale and Naina Barase were the two most famous songs from this movie. The music became very famous and it was also nominated for the Filmfare award that year.

Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon from Dastak (1970)

This is perhaps one of the most popular songs of the 70s sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The music of this song was composed by Late Madan Mohan. The film Dastak was known for its unusual story line set in a red light area. A newly wed couple, Hamid (Sanjeev Kumar) and Salma (Rehana Sultan), rent a flat, and thus begins their daily turmoil at the knocks (dastak) on their door. The previous occupant was Shamshad Begum (Shakeela), a famous mujrewali. Madan Mohan won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 1971 for this movie. This song has beautiful lyrics penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Has that typical north Indian Brij language.

Naam Gum Jayega from Kinara (1977)

Sung by Bhupinder and Lata Mangeshkar, this was the most famous song from the movie Kinara. Kinara was a romantic drama movie produced and directed by Gulzar. It featured Jeetendra, Hema Malini and Dharmendra in the lead roles. Music was composed by R.D. Burman and Gulzar had pennded the lyrics. Kinara was well received by the masses as well as the critics. A beautiful movie that conveys the joy of being sad, a movie that can be watched on a long and lonely afternoon.

Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi from Masoom (1983)

If there is one Lata Mangeshkar song that is loved by almost everyone, it is this song. Very meaningful and so rich in its lyrics. Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi Hairaan Hu Main was composed by R.D. Burman and sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the 1983 Bollywood movie Masoom featuring Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Tanuja, Supriya Pathak, Urmila Matondkar and Jugal Hansraj. Lyrics were penned by Gulzar. Masoon won 5 Filmfare Award including the one for best music director.

Tere Mere Hoton Pe from Chandni (1989)

One of the most romantic songs in the history of Indian Cinema, this song was composed by Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shiv Kumar Sharma and sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Babla Mehta.