Rahman and Lataji tune in together again
By IndiaFM News Bureau, August 30, 2005 - 03:56 IST

India’s Nightingale and Music maestro are gearing up to create magic yet again. Yes, we’re talking about none other than Lataji and A.R.Rahman. The duo has paired up to record a song for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti. Lata Mangeshkar will be flying down south to Rahman’s territory and can barely manage to conceal how glad she is to work with him.

Rahman has already composed the tune for the song keeping Lataji in mind. From the outcome of Jiya Jale in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se, which was their first creation together there is no doubting that their work is as perfect as it can get. Jiya Jale had become such a rage that Lata Mangeshkar was requested to sing it at every concert that she did. But the inside story to this song is that there was a little friction from Rahman’s side while recording it. However, he let Lataji take the song forward the way she wanted it and we all know how great that sounded. The other songs that this musical pair has worked on together are ‘O Paalan Haare’ for Lagaan, ‘Door Kahin Ek Aam Ki Baghiya’ for Zubeida and a prayer song for Boney Kapoor/Raj Santoshi's Pukar.

The fact is that Lataji has worked with a number of new-generation composers and loves the idea of doing so. The youngest composer she recorded with is Shamir Tandon for the song ‘Kitne Ajeeb Rishte’ in Page 3. But the sticky part is that she feels they feel uncomfortable around her. Well, Lataji, we’ve decided to put you at ease by saying that from the end product of all your songs it sure looks like everything is going fine behind the scenes.

Oh please, oh, for the love of god, someone please stop her. I can't take it anymore. Veer-Zaara was the last straw.

I think ARR's songs by Lata are the only decent ones in the last 20 years.

Ik Tu Hi Bharosa (Pukar)- Picturized on Lata herself.

O Paalanhare(Lagaan)- Picturized on Bhuvan's mother, an older character, so its acceptable.

Jiya Jale (Dil Se)- Okay, picturized on Preity Zinta, but Lata only sings in a limited range that, for the most part, does not show off her flaws.

I don't remember the Zubeidaa song, and I can't listen to it right now, so no comment.

In VZ she often sings at a high pitch and her voice is strained.

Lata was the best singer ever. But Please Lataji start singing bhajans if you really cant quit singing.

Lata Mangeshkar is doing irrepairable damage to her legacy. She should quit singing irrespective of which producer/music director approaches her and specially she should tell Yash Chopra to take a walk. Having said that, "Paalan Haare" from Lagaan is my favorite song/bhajan from that film and I think Lata did an excellent job singing it. She should have let that be her swan song.