“I Once Sang A Duet With Hrithik’s Grandmother,” ….Lataji On Her Close Relationship With The Roshans

 The Nightingale of Asia Lata  Mangeshkar received a surprise call  from  Rakesh Roshan, his son Hrithik  Roshan and Rakesh’s  brother music composer Rajesh  Roshan, a day after  she tweeted her birthday-anniversary wishes for Rakesh  and Rajesh’s father the great composer Roshan.

 Lataji says she shares a  special bond  with the entire Roshan family.  “Roshan Saab was very close to me. I  was very fond of  him and his wife Ira .  Do you know I’ve sung a duet with  Iraji? It I think it was a for a Dilip Kumar-Nargis  starrer Anokha  Pyar  in  1948. The music director Anil  Biswas  was  looking for a female  voice to sing a duet with me. Since she  was a trained singer I suggested Iraji’s name. That’s how we sang Ae dil meri wafa mein koi assar  nahin.”

 Lataji  ranks Rajesh Roshan very  high  as a music composer. “Though Raju(Rajesh)’s  elder brother chose  not to  be  a music director  Rakesh has a great  music sense.  Just listen  to  the  songs  Rajesh Roshan composed  for his brother’s films  Kaho Na…Pyar Hai,  Koi Mil Gaya and Krissh.My  association with Rajesh goes  back to  the time he started  his career as a music composer. I sang  Raju’s  songs in his  first two films Kunwara Baap and Julie. My song Yeh raatein nayee purani from Julie  is  one  of my  favourites. Raju wanted to know if  I   had  that song on  my phone. I forwarded  it to him.”

 She  rates  Hrithik  very highly. “He is  brilliant in  every role he  plays.I’ve watch  most  of his films.My favourites are Kaho Na…Pyar Hai and  Guzaarish.”

Lataji has one guzaarish(request) for her old  associates and  friends  in the  film industry.  “I wish they would connect with me once in a  while. Months  and years pass and we don’t communicate.  It felt so nice to  speak to the Roshans after so  long.”