Dharmendra
Pic: Instagram/aapkadharam
“I cannot express my feelings. It’s really a sad day. I am still sitting in shock and just thinking about all my meetings with Lata didi. I remember my first meeting in the Mehboob recording studios. I was feeling so nervous to meet such a huge legend, but she smiled and welcomed me. I always met her like a newcomer. She would always send me some gifts. I would feel so proud to receive them. All those gifts are still preserved with me. Main phula nahi samata tha unki gifts ko paa kar… I pray to God for her soul to rest in peace.”
Hema Malini:
Pic: Instagram/dreamgirlhemamalin
“I owe my entire career to Lataji as she has sung innumerable songs for most of my films. She always remained connected to me through WhatsApp. She would always say, ‘Aap mujhe bahut achchi lagti hain.’ Also, she would sing a few lines to me on the phone. Lataji had a great love for photography. She has also gifted me loads of lovely saris, which I have treasured. My favourite songs sung by her for my films are Aye dil e nadaan (Razia Sultan) and Naam gum jayega (Kinara).”
Shatrughan Sinha
“It’s a very sad day not for us but for the entire globe. She was the one who always united people cutting across the cast, religion and countries. She is a Bharat Ratna in the truest sense. She sang songs in many languages with ease and comfort. She was a favourite of legendary music directors like Naushad, Shankar–Jaikishan, and legendary actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. There is hardly anyone in the country and abroad who loves music and won’t know Lata Mangeshkar. She is immortal. I was very fortunate to receive her blessings many times. Woh sab ki favorite thi.”
Udit Narayan
“Today is really a very sad day. Sangeet ki devi ab hamare beech nahin rahi. I had cherished a dream of singing along with her while growing up. I think I am the only singer from my generation who has got a chance to sing the most number of songs with Lata didi. There are many memorable songs like Tu Mere Samne (Darr), Tum Kya mile (Saatwan Aasman), Puncham Da’s song Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi (Bade Dil Wala). Didi was cool. While sharing the same stage with her, she would always crack hilarious jokes. She ruled the entire globe through her voice, and she shall be ruling forever.”
Sonu Nigam
Pic: Instagram/sonunigamofficial
“Today is a huge loss to me. I lost my mother in February 2013, and in 2022 in the same month, my second mother has left me. I received loads of love from her. She was a huge Indian personality. The day before yesterday was Vasant Panchami, and the next day Maa Saraswati left all of us.”
Kunal Kohli
Pic: Instagram/kunalkohli
“I met her during the song recordings of my film Mujhse Dosti Karoge at the studio. She was also present when I was working on the background score of the film as she sang a few alaaps. She used to come rehearsed to the studio; she must have been in her 70’s back then. Lataji used to ask me to describe to her the whole situation and the surs. After I told her the surs, she funnily told me, ‘Don’t ever tell anyone’. After the audio release, I sent her a cassette too. It was fun working with her. Her life should be celebrated.”
Dharmesh Darshan
Pic: Instagram/dharmesh.darshan
“I was a 24-year old debut filmmaker when I helmed my first film Lootere. Lataji sang Ae saawan baras zaraa featuring Juhi Chawla and Sunny Deol, which I also penned. I was so excited that she was singing this song. The song became a chartbuster. Then I met her straight after a decade for my film Bewafa where she sang another cult song, Kaise piya se featuring Kareena Kapoor Khan. Interestingly, she remembered my clothing during the recording of my first song. This was Lata Mangeshkar for me. God bless her soul. Om Shanti!”
Madhur Bhandarkar
Pic: Instagram/imbhandarkar
“It is shocking and shattering for me. I was very close to Lataji and her family. On January 1, 2022, I spoke to her to wish her a Happy New Year. She used to love my films and always encouraged me. I met her for the first time in 2003 for my film Page 3 where she sang the cult song Kitne ajeeb and then Daata sun le for Jail in 2009. She was like my motherly figure. My fondest memory of hers is when she used to say, ‘Love you, Madhur’ while hanging up on the phone.”
Zarina Wahab
“It is a huge loss to all of us, and the entire country is mourning. No sooner had we heard Lataji had left for her heavenly abode I was in a shock. Many singers have come and will come, but there will be no singer like Lata Mangeshkar. When she was kept on a ventilator, we were praying for her well-being. Allah unhe jannat de. I remember in my film Sitara, she sang a song for me Thodi si zameen, thoda aasman. Once when I met her at an award function, I touched her feet, and she spoke very sweetly to me.”
Pritam
“Maa Saraswati has left us today. Too heartbroken to say more.. Shraddhanjali Lataji.”
