The Diva as Devi Re: # 33
``It was this that made Muzaffar Ali choose Asha Bhosle for Umrao Jaan.`` I am a fan of Asha Bhosle.I hear more songs of Asha than I do of Lata.Lata Mangeshkar might not have been suited for ghazals.If thats your point, I agree to that. ``

Dear Rahul,

The late Madan Mohan would probably turn in his grave reading a statement like this.
Perhaps you are not aware of the fact that Lata Mangeshkar has sung dozens of memorable ghazals for movies during her heyday. Much before anyone even thought of Asha Bhonsle as a serious singer of ghazals, Lata had made great impact with her ghazals in movies.
Examples:
Yun hasraton ki daag;
Unko yesh shikaayat hai;
Mujhse mat pooch mere ishq me;
Aap ki nazron ne samjha;
Hai isee me pyaar ki;
Rehthe the kabhi jinke dil mein;
the list can go on and on , but I think I have made my point.

She was singing great ghazals for great composers much before most of us were even born.In fact, as far as old Hindi film music is concerned, it is Talat Mehmood among the male singers and Lata M among the female singers who are considered to be the best in the ghazal genre.This is not my opinion but that of most music composers of those days.
Lataji is in fact considered to be one of our finest ghazal singers as far as her movie ghazals are considered.Her Urdu diction is supposed to be quite flawless.

True Asha did cut some great albums much later in her life, but by that time, Lata had already made her mark as a great ghazal singer many times over.Why is it that the older music directors like Madan Mohan, Roshan etc... who were famous for the ghazals that they gave music to, always preferred Lata for all their great Ghazals?
Cheers,
Aneesh

The Diva as Devi I am sick and tired of ``intellectual`` write-ups like the one Farzana has written. Firstly, the writer seems to have absolutely no or little knowledge of music and secondly she needs to get her facts right.
For example, she says,
``If she managed some wonderful renditions for Suchitra Sen in Mamta it was entirely due to Madan Mohan’s compositions.``
Statements like the above should be treated with nothing other than disgust.It was Roshan who scored the music for Mamta BTW.
And yes, I reject write-ups like these and writers like Farzana with all the contempt that they deserve.

Aneesh