‘Lata Mangeshkar had a fantastic sense of humour, vivid memory’, recalls music composer Lalit Pandit

Music composer Lalit Pandit of the famous duo Jatin-Lalit, who worked on most of Lata Mangeshkar’s songs in the last two decades, has many memories of the music icon but what stands out the most for him is her crackling sense of humour that helped break the ice. Jatin-Lalit worked on many film albums with the singing legend, who passed away on Sunday due to multiple organ failure at the age of 92.

“She was a jewel. There was no other Lata Mangeshkar, there is none and there won’t be any. I will celebrate her life, today and always,” an emotional Pandit told PTI.

The composer said Mangeshkar had a sharp memory.

“What not many know is, she had a fantastic sense of humour and she would always remember things. Her memory was vivid. If she met you, she’d remember you, if you shared something with her, there’s no way she’s forgetting it,” he recalled.

Mangeshkar’s voice was a major reason in making “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”, whose music Jatin-Lalit composed, a runaway hit as songs “Mere Khwabon Mein”, “Tujhe Dekha To”, “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna”, and “Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko” became popular with music lovers and Lata fans in the late 1990s.

In 2000, she also memorably sang “Humko Hami Se Chura Lo” and “Zinda Rehti Hain Mohabbatein” for “Mohabbatain” for the composer duo.

“I feel fortunate that in the last two decades, she has sung most of her songs with us,” he said.

Pandit said it was an incredible feeling to work with her as his father Pandit Pratap Narayan trained with Mangeshkar’s younger brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

“I remember our family coming here from Kolkata, we were poor. Lata didi would support us, feed us when we were children. I didn’t even remember this, but she did. I used to sing songs of Pancham da (RD Burman) with her. She always remembered us. I still remember how proud she was when she learnt that we were also entering the music field, professionally,” the music composer added.

Remembering the time right before the recording of the “DDLJ” song “Mere Khawabon Mein Jo Aaye”, Pandit said he felt “restless” and “scared”.
“I just didn’t know how that would work and then she walked in. I realised that Lata didi sensed I was nervous.

“So she talked about our families, of the time when we were growing up. At that moment, she became our friend. That broke the ice. The recording went on so smoothly.”

Pandit said Mangeshkar’s dedication towards her work was a lesson that he would never forget.

“What I remember very well today, which I never forgot, was the lesson she taught me during that song. About focusing on the words, correct pronunciation, looking at a song in absolute detail. I carried that lesson always,” he said.