Shobhna Samarth Birthday Special: Her unique association with Lata Mangeshkar

During her lifetime of unique achievements, Lata Mangeshkar had many unprecedented ‘firsts’ to her credit. She was the only playback singer to have sung for two generations of actresses: Babita and her daughters Karisma and Kareena, Mala Sinha and her daughter Pratibha Sinha, Dimple Kapadia and her daughter Twinkle. For Babita, Lataji sang hits like Rimjhim ke geet saawan gaye (Anjana), Akele chain chale aao (Raaz), Bekhudi main sanam (Haseena Maan Jayegi), Kab tak huzoor roothe rahoge (Aulad), Sheeshi bhari gulab ki (Jeet). For Karisma and Kareena, Lataji sang in Zubeida and Mujhse Dosti Karogi, respectively. For Mala Sinha, Lataji sang numerous timeless hit. For her daughter Pratbiha she sang all the eight  composition of Ram Laxman in Pratibha’s debut film Mehboob Mere Mehboob. For  Dimple Kapadia, Lataji sang a mélange of memorabilia in Bobby, Lekin and Rudaali. For Dimple’s daughter Twinkle Lataji sang in Jab Pyar Kissise Hota Hai. Sadly, Lataji once joked, the other legendary actresses she sang for did not have daughters or did not have daughters who became actresses for whom she could have sung. There is only Bollywood family, which had the singular privilege of having Lataji sing for  three generations. Lataji sang for Shobhna Samarth (in Narsimha Avtar in 1949 where she had two solos Charan tumhare phool hamare, Hari ko bisaro na), for Shobhna’s two daughters Nutan and Tanuja, and  Tanuja’s daughter Kajol . During  one of our conversations  I  remember speaking  about her vocal  contribution to the Smarth family. Lataji agreed  it was some  kind of  a record. “I don’t know  if any other playback singer  has sung for  three generations of actresses. For Shobhnaji I sang a few songs only. But for Nutanji I sang  almost all her  songs. She  was a  singer  herself and she  emoted to my songs to  perfection. In  her film Seema  I had sung a classical   number Mann Mohana Bade jhoothe. Nutanji  brought out all the intricacies  of  the  composition on screen. She actually sang along on screen  when I  did her playback.For Nutanji’s sister Tanuja  I did  fewer  songs than Nutanji. But I remember  singing  some really  lovely songs in Bengali films, like Sachin Dev Burman’s Sham  bhayee   bin shyam in Chaitali.” Kajol  and Lataji got musically  connected in  Dilwale   Dulhaniya Le Jayenge where Lataji sang the  chartbusters Tujhe  dekha toh ye jaana sanam and Mere khwabon mein  jo aaye  for  Kajol. The reference point that Aditya  Chopra  gave composers Jatin-Lalit   for the song Mere  khwabon mein jo aaye was Lataji’s Bhai battoor from Padosan. In Padosan, while singing Bhai battoor, Saira Banu throws a pillow across the room, stands on a sofa and dances…Kajol does  all of that. Recalling the recording  of Mere khwabon mein jo aaye Lataji said, “I always asked who will be singing my song on screen. When I was told it was Kajol, I was instantly reminded of my long  association with that family.” 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. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.