Celebrating Lata Mangeshkar’s Birth Anniversary: The day she believed Kishore Kumar was following her and sought composer Khemchand’s help
Lata Mangeshkar, often referred to as the voice of India, has left a lasting legacy of beautiful melodies. On her 95th birth anniversary, let’s remember a funny incident she shared about her first meeting with the legendary Kishore Kumar. Initially, Lata thought Kishore was following her, which led her to report him to music composer Khemchand Prakash. Want to know what happened next? Keep reading!
According to Hindustan Times, Lata Mangeshkar recalled a memorable moment with Nasreen Munni Kabeer, author of Lata Mangeshkar: In Her Own Voice, involving Kishore Kumar during the recording of their first duet.
During a train journey from Grant Road to Malad, Lata spotted a familiar face boarding at the next stop, unaware that it was Kishore Kumar. Upon reaching Malad and heading to Bombay Talkies studio, Lata chose a horse-drawn carriage for the long journey, and to her surprise, Kishore Kumar did the same, leading to a humorous misunderstanding.
While working with music director Khemchand Prakash on the film Ziddi (1949), Lata had an amusing encounter with Kishore Kumar. Unfamiliar with him at the time, she believed he was following her. Alarmed, Lata expressed her concerns to Khemchand Prakash, narrating how they traveled together and arrived at the studio together. She recollected, “I asked Khemchand ji: ‘Uncle, who is this boy? He’s following me.'”
Khemchand Prakash clarified the misunderstanding, revealing that the person she thought was following her was Kishore Kumar, the younger brother of actor Ashok Kumar. That day, Lata and Kishore recorded their first duet, Ye Kaun Aya Re Karke Sola Singar, laying the foundation for a musical partnership that enchanted audiences for years.
Lata Mangeshkar, the iconic singer whose voice defined an era, left a lasting impact on the world. With over 25,000 songs in multiple languages and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989, her legacy as the ‘Nightingale of India’ lives on in the hearts of fans and aspiring artists.
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