Lata Mangeshkar: A rare purist who catered to popular taste, say critics

Scholars and critics have different interpretations to the phenomenon that is Lata Mangeshkar.
Shruti Sadolikar, classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, said Mangeshkar’s entry into films coincided with the emergence of playback artists who began to replace actor singers. “The parameters of popular entertainment underwent a change after World War II. The playback technique was widely accepted as it cut costand-time overruns,” said Sadolikar.
Referring to her high-pitched and light style which became popular, Sadolikar said it symbolised youth, passion and a certain freshness.“Didi soon left behind her predecessors whose full-throated and nasal style, influenced by the thumri-dadra tradition of music, had become outdated.”
Musicologist Ashok Ranade spoke of the ‘sakhi bhaav’ in her songs which, he said, leads to a heart-to-heart conversation between her and the listener, the latter sharing their deepest thoughts with her as if she was a close friend. “Every listener thinks Latadidi is singing for him/her,” said Sadolikar.
Critic-vocalist Amarendra Nandu Dhaneshwar said though catering to popular taste, she remained loyal in technique and rendition to classical music. “Latadidi cultivated the discipline of ‘raagdaari gayaki’. She would execute a film number with the precision, finesse and clarity of ‘khayaal gayaki’,” he said. Citing a long list of her raag-based film songs, Dhaneshwar said, “Didi spread music literacy across the country.”
Mangeshkar invested a film song with an identity of its own, a genre distinct from ghazal and thumri, said film chronicler Veerchand Dharamsey.
Prakash Joshi, medicoturned-music buff who has a 4,000-plus collection from Mangeshkar’s reper- toire, said her songs transcend class, community and creed, and offer an “elevating spiritual experience … liberates us from the humdrum of life. ” Practically every film composer came to rely on Mangeshkar’s voice. “The music industry would come to a halt if Didi was down with fever,” said Joshi.
Detractors often raised a stink over Mangeshkar’s monopoly, but she paid no attention. “That Latadidi could belt out ‘Bachche man ke sachche’ (‘Do Kaliyaan’) for a nine-yearold Neetu Singh and ‘Aa jaane jaa’, the sizzling ‘Inteqam’ number, with equal ease and elan is a testimony to her talent and tenacity,” said Vyas. “She could croon a garba, a mujra and an Arabic melody with equal felicity, thus celebrating India’s cultural diversity. ”