Lata Mangeshkar: “Krishanji Was The Power Behind The Raj Kapoor Throne.”

“Her going brings back flashes of all the times that we shared  at Raj Saab(Kapoor)’s  recordings.  Krishnaji seldom attended these recordings. But Raj Saab made it a point to play our recordings to  his wife much before anyone else heard them, just like he would rush to show his films to her first.She’d always  call me if she liked a song. And the  ones she liked were big hits.I’d say Krishnaji was the power behind Raj Saab. The support system without which he couldn’t have achieved  what he did. While he was consumed by cinema and other passions,  she looked after their  five children with the same passion that he poured into his cinema. Her five children were her  universe right till the end. She  bore with a  lot  of pain for the sake  of  the children. Planning  lunches with her children, their  companions  and  grandchildren remained  her  only passion  till the end. I must tell you Krishnaji was the best hostess I’ve ever encountered. The birthday parties that she organized  for Raj Saab were a culinary  epic.  She personally supervised the menu and  all the arrangements. There would be  Chinese and Punjabi dishes side  by side. She  loved to feed  all her loved ones.I  attended some of the birthday parties organized by her. They weremindblowing. I  spoke to Krishnaji some time ago. She  told me  about her failing health. She  said she wanted to come and see me. But was unable to because of her failing health. Luckily for her she went while she  was still in full control of her senses and conscious  of  the people around her and  very articulate. I remember Bhupenda(Assamese  composer BhupenHazrika) came to my house on a Ganpati festival  before his death with Kalpana Lajmi. He couldn’t recognize me  or anyone, didn’t know where he was. Krishnaji went surrounded  by her loved ones. Her children and grandchildren loved her. Do you  know I share my birthday with Krishnaji’s daughter Ritu and  grandson Ranbir?  Raj Saab and Krishnaji’s  children are also very fond of me, as I of them. Once when I met Ritu  she asked me, ‘You and I share the same birth date. So how come I  don’t have a voice like you?’  Krishnaji had devoted all her attention  to bringing up her  children. Unke khatir unhone bahotsahaa(she tolerated a  lot because of her children). I’d Raj Saab thought  with his heart.  Krishnaji was more stable  and  practical. I am sure Raj saab is delighted to be reunited with her.They completed one another.”