Out of the close to 30,000 songs in Lata Mangeshkar’s extensive oeuvre, Kadhali Chenkadhali is the only song that she has sung in Malayalam. The song, composed for the 1974 film Nellu, witnessed the coming together of two other legends along with Lata — music composer Salil Chowdhury and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma. But, much before that, Chowdhury had tried to get her to sing in Malayalam, for Chemmeen, in 1965.“Vayalar Ramavarma had initially written Kadalinakkare Ponore from a woman’s angle. Salil Chowdhury got Yesudas, who was a beginner then, to sing a track, which they took to Lata Mangeshkar in Mumbai. She was reluctant to sing in Malayalam, saying that it would take her time to learn the pronunciations. She also said that Yesudas’s track sounded good, which in the end was used in the movie. But Salil Chowdhury did not give up his wish, and went back to her when he was composing for Nellu. The song Kadhali Chenkadhali became a hit, although there were issues with pronunciation,” says music critic Ravi Menon. Jayabharathi, who acted with Mohan in the song on screen, says that she is proud to have lip-synced to Lata’s much-loved song. “During that period, I was acting in a lot of films and I probably did not realise the importance of acting in a song sung by her, that too her only song in Malayalam. It was only years later that it sunk in. Here is a legendary singer, who has been singing even before I was born and to give expression to her voice on screen is something I am really proud of. I am sad to hear of her passing away,” Jayabharathi told The Hindu.
A reference point
For singer Sujatha, Lata Mangeshkar has been a reference point in singing difficult songs, in which mixed emotions have to be expressed. “Whenever I am in the studio and faced with difficult songs, often it is songs by legends like Lata which serve as a reference, for she has to her credit songs of every genre and every imaginable human emotion. When I was in A.R. Rahman’s studio to sing Hai Jaana for Pukar, I was confused when he told me that it is a club song that should reflect sadness, passion and romance. Then he gave me Lata’s song Aa Jaane Jaan as a reference and that helped me understand what he wanted. She had such a blessed, full life. She will always remain one of the greatest influences in my life,” says Sujatha. Yesudas, who first met Lata Mangeshkar on that trip with Salil Chowdhury and Ramu Karyat to Mumbai to get her to sing in Chemmeen, got an opportunity to sing with her years later in Trishul (1978) in the song Aap Ki Mehki Huyi Zulf composed by Khayyam. Later, Salil Chowdhury brought them together for Hum Nahin Dukh Se Ghabrayenge from Jeena Yahan. They went on to sing a few more songs together. M.G. Sreekumar had the opportunity to sing with her in A.R. Rahman’s Jiya Jale from Dil Se (1997), which had him rendering the Malayalam lines and Lata singing the Hindi lines.
Condolence
But, beyond all these songs, for music aficionados in Kerala, the vast treasure trove of songs that she has sung over the years in various languages, has been a part and parcel of their daily life. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his condolence message, said that she holds a special place in the heart of several generations of people, who have grown up with her songs.
