Lata to do an 'Ae Maalik'... for old time’s sake

Lata Mangeshkar has renewed ties with the family of her ���Mukesh bhaiya��� by agreeing to sing an anthem for the late singer���s grandson, Neil Nitin, in Madhur Bhandarkar���s film Jail.
The Nightingale, you remember, 52 years ago sang Ae Malik Tere Bande Hum in V Shantaram���s Do Aankhen Barah Haath ��� a song that inspired prisoners in the film and which continues to move Indians even today.Her song for Jail, Daata Sun Maula Sun ��� written by first-time lyricist Ajay Garg, is on the same lines, said Madhur.
But what has tickled Lata more than this anthem or the fact that she returns to playback singing for Bollywood with it, is that Mukesh���s grandson features in the film. According to the young actor, it was ���Lataji who named me Neil���. She was with Mukesh doing a concert in the US when he passed away. As for the anthem, Madhur is hoping Daata Sun... becomes the new-age Ae Maalik... ���It has the potential to be hummed and sung in schools and colleges for all times to come,��� said the filmmaker.
Strangely, in the last decade Lata has sang just two bhajans that are becoming immortal ��� O Paalan Haare and Ek Tu Hi Bharosa, both for AR Rahman.
She remains in good form even at 80, otherwise. Just the other day the legendary songstress recorded the entire Hanuman Chalisa in four hours flat, a feat that has taken younger singers days if not weeks to complete. Apparently, she went to rehearse and not record the Hanuman Chalisa... but ended up doing the spiritual number in record time. ���I don���t know how it happened,��� Lata told BT. ���I enjoy devotional singing more than any other form of singing.���
Check out Neil Nitin Mukesh���s pics