To commemorate Lata Mangeshkar’s 90th birthday, Ravindra Natya Mandir hosted a 12-hour long musical event. The unprecedented concert, on September 28, celebrated the doyenne’s music and every attendee was treated to pedhas. The hall was packed and outside, visitors signed warm greetings on a huge white board. The nightingale didn't attend the event, titled Lata 90, but her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar conducted a programme of Marathi songs. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over the launch of the Marathi book Lata , after which 51 solo Hindi film songs were rendered.
Over the weekend, three other tribute concerts were conducted in the Amrit Lata series by Ashok Hande at Thane's Gadkari Rangayatan, Borivali's Prabodhankar Thackeray Hall and Ravindra Natya Mandir. The celebrations don't end there. On October 13, singer Sanjeevani Bhelande will perform popular Mangeshkar hits composed by Madan Mohan in a show titled Lag Ja Gale at Bandra's Rangsharda Auditorium.
One may expect classics like 'Yun Hasraton Ke Daag' ( Adalat , 1958), 'Mera Saaya' ( Mera Saaya , 1966) 'Woh Bhooli Dastan' ( Sanjog , 1961), 'Baiyan Na Dharo' (Dastak, 1970) , 'Naina Barse' and 'Lag Ja Gale' (both Woh Kaun Thi? , 1964). Rana Chatterjee will join in on the duets.
Mumbai sees numerous tributes to Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. Though there are dedications to Geeta Dutt, Manna Dey and Talat Mehmood, besides shows based on music directors or lyricists, the fact remains that most young singers are inclined to perform the hits of the four main playback maestros. For instance, all singers at Lata 90 — Sarita Rajesh, Savani Ravindra, Suvarna Mategaonkar, Sampada Goswami, Nirupama Dey, Sonali Karnik and Radhika Nande — were obviously steeped in the Lata style. Each song brimmed with melody and nostalgia, and the musicians led by Avinash Chandrachud were superb. But a few things need to be mentioned.
One is that the sound mix seemed erratic. The horns sounded too loud and the guitars weren't clearly heard. Some singers were shrill on the higher register, and the volume for different singers varied. Secondly, some had starting problems — their first note or line seemed off, though they quickly made up.
At such shows, the compère plays a crucial role. The job involves sharing facts and narrating anecdotes, adding humour and interactivity. Too much talk is taboo, and good stage presence is an asset. Hridaynath Mangeshkar regaled the audience with past incidents, and yet explained the creation of songs. In the Hindi section, R.J. Gaurav maintained the right balance. On October 13, Bhelande plans to host the show herself. She definitely has a glowing repertoire of songs. After all, the Lata Mangeshkar-Madan Mohan combination was one of the most magical ever.
