Asha Parekh: “At Lataji’s funeral they were playing my song”

The 1960s ‘Hit Girl’ Asha Parekh is heartbroken after her ghost voice’s demise.

“Lataji’s voice went a long way in creating magic for all of us heroines in the 1960s and 70s. My friends Waheeda (Rahman) and Nanda had their own favourite songs by Lataji. Mine was Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere sang-sang tum bhi gunganaoge..They were playing my song at Lataji’s funeral. This song always made me cry. I was so privileged to have sung it on screen in Shakti Samanta’s Pagla Kahin Ka.”

Shakti Samanta reminds Ashaji of Kati Patang. “The title song by Lataji was so difficult to emote to on-screen. Lataji had sung it to heart-piercing perfection. I was always nervous while performing to her songs. She brought so much craft skill and spontaneity to her songs, it was almost impossible for me to match up to her voice on screen.”

A third song that Ashaji recalls fondly was the title song in Raj Khosla’s Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki. “The title song by Lataji is an epic. One of the reasons I did my brief 15-minute role in the film was the title song. It was the soul of the film. Kitna kuch keh jaati tthi Lataji gaane mein. She mirrored the entire emotional spectrum in her voice. I also love my song in Raj Khosla’s Do Badan, Lo aa gayi unki yaad woh nahi aaye…So many beautiful memories of unforgettable memories flood across my mind. I wanted to meet her. For the last one year I was trying to visit her.I even took her personal number from her doctor. But she was unwell. I’ve also not being keeping good health.”

What Ashaji most cherished about the Goddess Of All Melodious Things was her grace and dignity. “There was something so royal about Lataji. When she entered a room people got to their feet spontaneously. And yet she was so humble. I think she was oblivious to her own talent. There cannot be another Lata Mangeshkar in a million years.”