Paying tribute to a legendary singer with an 80-year profession spanning practically 45,000 songs isn’t any simple job. Yet, that’s exactly what Shreya Ghoshal achieved at her live performance Letters To Lata Didi held at Jio World Garden on Saturday night time. The night was not like the everyday large-scale live performance spectacle. There had been no confetti bursts, fireworks or pyrotechnics; solely pure music, delivered straight from the center. With no costume modifications and no breaks, she sang continuous via greater than 50 songs, every unfolding like a musical letter to the timeless legacy of Lata Mangeshkar, whose voice outlined generations of Indian cinema and music.“Aaj ki yeh shaam mere liye sabse khaas hai”She opened with a conventional Ganesh vandana, adopted by the basic Aayega Aanewala. Setting the emotional tone for the night, Ghoshal addressed the viewers.
“Aaj ki yeh shaam mere liye sabse khaas, most important, sentimental and emotionally close to my heart evening hai. And main shayad kitni bhi tayaari kar loon, aaj ke din ki tayaari poori nahi hai. I think you will sense my vulnerability my emotion today. We are all here celebrating the legacy of Maa Saraswati, hamari pyari Lata Didi. This tribute is from all of us fans, from me and the musicians and isko sametne ke liye humne yeh ek zariya apnaya hai. Didi ko hum itna upar rakhte hain, unka jo sthan bhagwanon ke jagah hai. Hum sab fans ke taraf se hai yeh show and iss legacy ko celebrate karne ke liye aap sab saath mein gaiyega zaroor. I am sure Didi is smiling upon us from the heavens.”Memories, music and ‘letters’The night’s narrative unfolded via music interspersed with audio-visual segments that includes messages and reminiscences from individuals who knew and labored carefully with Lata Mangeshkar. Tributes from Nitin Mukesh, Anandji Shah (Kalyanji-Anandji), Prasoon Joshi, Sachin Tendulkar and Prakash Peters added a deeply private dimension to the live performance. Shreya additionally shared reminiscences of how Lata Mangeshkar’s voice formed her personal musical journey since childhood.“Uss choti si ladki ko zara bhi andaza nahi tha ke yehi woh awaaz hai jo uska haath thaamkar usse uske aane wale kal ki oor le jayegi. I was too young but Lata Ji ke awaaz ne mujhe iss tarah khincha ki maine music se pyaar karna shuru kar diya. We formed a spiritual bond, that’s the asar of her voice. Karoro Bharatiyon ki tarah maine unhe sunne se zyada mehsoos kiya. Aur inn jazbaaton ko hum sabne jiya hai, lekin shayad unhe poori tarah jata nahi sakein. Toh aaj ki yeh shaam unhi unkahi baaton ko inn khaton ke zariye aapko samarpit karte hain.”The first assembly with Lata DidiThe singer additionally recalled her first assembly with Lata Mangeshkar in 2005. “I was recording in her studio and she came there. I ran down to meet her and when she saw me, unhone mujhse kaha, ‘Tum Shreya ho na?’ Main unhe kuch bhi nahi bol payi. I was so stunned, meri bolti bandh ho gayi. Uss din main unse mil nahi rahi thi, mujhe uss din Lata Didi ke darshan ho gaye the. Uss waqt kuch nahi sujha, main thank you bhi nahi bol payi. Aaj mujhe Didi ko thank you bolna hai, for the soul, music you were for me.”Choosing from a legendary repertoireSelecting songs from Lata Mangeshkar’s huge repertoire proved to be one of many largest challenges confessed Shreya. “Today, we are trying to cover all the eras of Lata Didi’s blockbusters,” she mentioned. “There are songs with so many composers including SD Burman, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji and so many hit duets with the likes of Mohamad Rafi, Kishore Kumar. She worked with Laxmikant–Pyarelal for around 35 years and sang around 700 songs with just them. There are so many eras of her songs, her repertoire is simply massive. Ek se ek behtareen gaane hain unke. Main kya chunu? Finally, we just had to pick chits of which ones to sing!”Introducing the track Aa Jaan-E-Jaan, she famous with a smile, “This was probably the only cabaret that Lata Didi ever sang. If you listen to this song you will realise that even in a cabaret there can be so much divinity, spirituality and itna apnapan and pyaar, even though it is a seduction song.” The night featured a number of Lata Mangeshkar duets carried out with singers Javed Ali and Kinjal Chatterjee.A feminist inspirationSpeaking on the eve of International Women’s Day, Shreya highlighted Lata Mangeshkar’s enduring affect past music. “Lata Didi has always inspired us. Woh sabse badi feminist hain and tomorrow we are celebrating Women’s Day. She has inspired us not just as a musician but also as a human being, living by her own terms. She gave us a sense of purpose. Aisi kitni auratein thi 40s, 50s and 60s ke daur mein jinhone kitna kuch iconic kiya.”Music in its purest kindMore than 40 musicians carried out reside on stage, together with the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra and a choir, recreating the grand orchestral really feel of the golden period of movie music. Praising the ensemble, Ghoshal mentioned, “Aaj lag raha jaise Lata Didi ke recording studio mein sab kuch live hota tha, waise hi hum conductor ke haath pe tike hue hain. I feel all this energy is very much missing in today’s film music.”Among the distinguished visitors current had been members of the Mangeshkar household, Nitin Mukesh, Anandji Shah and Shantaben, Sonu Nigam, Prasoon Joshi, Kumarmangalam Birla, Dr Neerja Birla, Virender Sehwag and Anjali Tendulkar.After the live performance, Usha Mangeshkar was invited on stage and blessed the singer. “Aaj mere samne sirf Didi dikh rahi hai aur uski awaaz aa rahi hai mere kaon mein. Bachpan se main Didi ke saath recordings mein jaati thi, aakhri gaane tak. Ek ek cheez yaad aa raha hai. Bahut accha gaya Shreya. Bhagwan aapko hamesha Didi ka ashirwad zaroor denge!”
A standing ovation for the finaleAs the night drew to an in depth, Ghoshal carried out songs akin to Lukka Chuppi, Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, Naam Gum Jayega and Rahein Na Rahein Hum. For the ultimate track — which she described as “a hug from all of us to Lata Didi” — the viewers switched on their telephone flashlights as she sang the immortal Lag Jaa Gale. Overcome with emotion, Ghoshal teared up on stage as the group rose to its toes in a standing ovation.
