Ek Sunehri Sham Thi to Mohabbat Ke Isharon Mein, here are some of the unsung romantic songs by Lata Mangeshkar

Chand Kyon zard hai (Do Shikari) :

An absolute gem of a love ballad from an obscure unseen Rekha-Vinod Khanna-Biswajeet starrer from 1979 in which the Nightingale is in peak form, negotiating the summits and sighs of Chitragupta’s composition with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel and the spontaneity of a monsoon shower. This masterpiece on romantic yearnings is written by Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza. Composer Chitragupta was very dear to Lataji. “He was a prolific super-talented composer. Among his love songs, this one went unnoticed. A pity that songs were often eclipsed when a movie didn’t run. My other romantic song that Chitraguptaji is known for is  Dil ka diya jalaa ke gaya yeh kaun meri tanhai mein  from  Opera House. You prefer  Chand kyon zard hai.  I prefer    Dil ka diya,"  Lataji’s lilting laughter said it all.

Mohabbat Ke Isharon Mein(Dushman Dost):

Even Lataji didn’t remember this luminous latent lyrical masterpiece composed by R D Burman for a 1980s’ potboiler. When I played it for her she was, for a change, impressed by her song. It is a truly heartbreaking love ballad, remarkable for the way it expands on the theme of heartbreak using Anand Bakshi’s anguished words to show what a one-way street love can be for those who don’t get it back. And what words Bakshi wrote for Lataji’s evocative throat:  Milan ki tamanna liye nazar yun bhatakti rahi judai ki diwar se wafa sar patakti rahi…wah! Incidentally, R D Burman was agonized by the obscurity that this love ballad had to face due to inept marketing

Tum agar roooth na jao toh main ek baat kahun:

This is an architectural marvel, a monumental ode to love composed by the great Jaidev who composed such gems for Lataji as Allah tero naam (Humdono) and Tumhe dekhti hoon (Tumhare Liye). There is no detail of the song anywhere. When I sent the number to Lataji she remembered recording the song and described it as ‘bahot khubsoorat’ gaana which was recorded for a film but got shelved. It later surfaced in another album titled Jaidev Unheard in another voice. But the original version by Lataji is a tour de force.

Ek Sunehri Sham thi (Aao Pyar Karen):

Not too many female music composers have risen to make their presence in Bollywood. Usha Khanna did. And some of her most beautiful love ballads were sung by the Goddess Of All Melodious Things. Ek sunehri sham thi as written by the underrated Rajinder Krishen, possesses a gossamer delicacy. The notes are woven with the intricacy of Kashmiri embroidery. Said Lataji about the song, “Usha Khanna was very talented. And one of the rare women among composers in Hindi cinema. She never got her due. But I remember her songs,  Ek sunehri sham  conveys the peaceful feeling during an evening spent with someone very dear.”

Sooni sooni raahein rahon pe nigahen  (Phir Janam Lenge Hum):

Lataji always wondered why this love song of  birha  (separation) did not get counted among her best songs. She loved the composition and regarded it among Bappi’s best. “It is very beautifully written and composed.” Bappi laments the song’s lack of popularity. “It is one of my favourite love songs. Mata Saraswati—that’s what I call Lataji—has sung Gauhar Kanpuri’s lyrics as if every word shatters her heart. I composed this number in Hindi and Gujarati. I recommend it as my favourite Valentine song.”

 Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based film critic who has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. He tweets at @SubhashK_Jha.