简介：byKenHunt AnyaccountofIndianplaybackmusicmuststartwithLataMangeshkar.Whileitisnotpossibletomorethanlistthemostimportantplaybacksingers,one,becauseofhersupremestature,meritsdetailedattention.BornSeptember28,1929inIndore,India,LataMangeshkarhasbeenactiveinallwalksofIndianpopularandlightclassicalmusichavingsungghazals,bhajansandpop.SheisthesupremevoiceofpopularIndianmusic,anIndianinstitution.Herimportancerestsnotsolelywithherprodigiousoutput.Manyofherperformancesareconsideredtimelessandundatable,althoughhervoicehaschangedandmaturedovertheyears.IneffectshesangthesoundtrackformillionsofIndianslives.Untilthe1991edition,whenherentrydisappeared,theGuinnessBookofRecordslistedherasthemostrecordedartistintheworldwithnotlessthan30,000solo,duetandchorusbackedsongsrecordedin20Indianlanguagesbetween1948and1987.By1990shesupposedlyhadworkedonover2000filmsoundtracksasaplaybacksinger—meaningsheprerecordedthesongstowhichthefilmsleadingladieslipsynched. DinanathMangeshkar,herfather,ownedatheatricalcompanyandwasaclassicalsinger,adiscipleoftheGwaliorschool,andgavehersinginglessonsfromaroundtheageoffive.ShealsostudiedwithAmanAliKhanSahibandlaterAmanatKhan.HerGodgivenmusicalgiftsmeantthatshecouldmasterthevocalexerciseseffortlesslyonfirstpassandfromearlyonshewasrecognizedasbeinghighlygiftedmusically.AlsointhefamilywerebrotherHridaynath,amusicdirector,andsistersMeena,Asha(thefamedAshaBhosle),andUsha.HridaynathssoundtrackworkincludedLekin...(EMIIndiaCDPMLP5206)releasedin1990which,keepingitafamilyaffair,placedLataMangeshkarwelltothefore.Ushaalsobecameaplaybacksinger.OnlyAshaBhoslescareercancompareinanywaywithhersistersawardstrewnoutputalthoughby1994reportswereappearingtotheeffectthatAshaBhoslehadovertakenherbigsistersoutput. LataMangeshkarbeganworkasplaybacksingerinthe1940sandgrewtobecomethemostfamousplaybacksingerofthecentury.Shereceivedherfirstpropernamedcreditunderherownnameinactor/directorRajKapoors1949filmBarsaat(thesoundtrackfromwhichformsathirdoftheBarsaat/Aah/AagalbumonEMIIndiaCDPMLP5188).Shewouldsingforeverymajoractress,includingGeetaBali,Nanda,Nargis,Nimmi,Nutan,Padmini,SadhanaandMeenaShorey.Thesheerscaleofrecordingactivitymakesanyexaminationofherlifeandworksimpossibleinsuchaconfinedspace.