Raining Melody

One evening, Lata Mangeshkar casually strode into ���Swar Lata���, a recording studio in Andheri West that���s named after her.
���She may live in Peddar Road, but comes all the way to record only at this studio,��� we���re told. ���Sometimes she comes simply to listen to music. She enjoys spending time here.���
So, in she walked, with no entourage, all she needed by her side was her favourite bhaanji, Meena tai���s daughter Rachna.She sat herself down, comfortably handling her trademark ankle-length plaits, and began discussing the song ��� Daata Sun, Maula Sun ��� with music director Shamir Tandon and filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar.
The conversation was punctuated by a lot of other things ��� her book, the singing styles of legends like Raj Kapoor, Madhur���s weight loss (seven kilos), the hep new form of T20 cricket, hippier cargo pants (���Why the need of so many pockets? I don���t like them,��� she said), racism in Australia, plans of singing the Hanuman Chalisa... After a cup of coffee, the songstress was all set! Studio hand Mike adjusted head phones in place, Lata sang, and all listened. Wah, wah was in abundance, sur, taal, raga in perfect symphony, the lyrics clear... At 79, the singer that is Lata Mangeshkar, stood upright, and showcased fire in that belly. No short cuts, forever humble, she surrendered to suggestions, music and song.
���Singers these days will rehearse once and give a hundred takes, Latadi will come prepared. She���ll rehearse a hundred times and give one take,��� shared Shamir Tandon. ���The song symbolises divinity, and divinity is equal to Lata Mangeshkar,��� said Madhur, who believes that ���Jail is now sanctified by Latadi���s presence���.
���The song isn���t picturised on anybody; it plays in the background. You see, inmates wake up to a devotional song; Daata Sun, Maula Sun is that devotional song,��� said Lata, ���Four years ago, I sang a song for Page 3 ��� Kitne Ajeeb, and it became special. I���m working with the same team again, and feel that Daata Sun will become special, too. It���s got that quality about it.��� About when we���ll get to hear Lata next, she simply said, ���You���ll get to hear me again and again. Why should I ever stop singing?���