Mohan Deora organised several shows for lata Mangeshkar and has now co-authored a book titled On Stage With lata. In an interview, he tells AKSHITA RAWAT how through her dedication, hard work, and beautiful voice, the iconic singer effortlessly captured for decades hearts of millions of people not only in India but also in other countries across the globe
Do you have a favourite show among the many international tours of lataji which were organised and promoted by youIJ
My favourite performance during the 23 years and over 50 shows was the first performance we had at the Shrine Auditorium in los Angeles, CA on May 9, 1975. This show helped set the stage for what she was as a performer and what she brought to this side of the world. Prior to this concert when Indian performers came to America, they commonly played in high school auditoriums and small convention halls. This was the first time somebody was performing in a mainstream auditorium, that too one that has hosted most of the larger bands and singers of the world as well as being host to multiple Academy Award (The Oscars) ceremonies. The auditorium had over 6,000 people in attendance. Never before had an artiste from India come here and put on a musical performance of this magnitude. When the show was over, the crowd was on its feet begging for more. This show for me proved that we could do this.
What do you think makes lataji stand out from the other singers of her timeIJ
There are many things that I feel made her stand out amongst other singers of her time. One of the main qualities was her attention to detail and the amount of time she put into rehearsing. She would also have all those involved in the performance come to the auditorium two hours before the show to do sound checks and go through the playlist one more time. On top of this, lataji was very punctual. After every performance there would be a meeting amongst her family and trusted advisers where every aspect of the show would be reviewed and analysed. Though she was so highly regarded she did not rest on this. She wanted to ensure that she was doing everything she could do to have a successful show. If this meant meeting for hours after the show to review it, even if tired from the travel and performance, this is what she would do. All of these qualities are what led to her standing apart.
Did you face any resistance while organising an Indian playback singer’s concerts in foreign countriesIJ
We did face a lot of resistance early on in the process. Many of the concert hall’s management and administration were wary of us being able to pay the rent. Before her no Indian had ever tried to perform at such venues. In fact, at the Felt Forum in New York they were very worried that we would not be able to sell tickets. Typically, the venue will print out all the tickets and provide them to the organisers for sale. But the management at the Felt Forum printed only a small batch of tickets at the start, feeling we would have trouble selling even this small amount. When these tickets were sold we would provide them with the money and they would print more tickets. It was quickly realised by them that this would not work. The tickets sold quickly and they could not keep up with the demand going this route. They began to see that this show would not only pay the rent but would be a sell-out. They then printed off all the tickets and provided them to us for sale. Over time this resistance disappeared. Though they had never heard of lataji before this time they all now realised the power that her voice commanded over the Indian public.
How did her concerts influenced the Western music charts vis-à-vis recognition of Indian film musicIJ
Recently Bollywood movies with their elaborate song and dance routines have become popular in the West. lataji has influenced Indian music for close to 70 years and through her this has helped the music grow around the world.
The book reveals that lataji went against the norms of the male dominated society. Your viewsIJ
lataji was an artiste who transcended gender or race. The beauty of her voice was all that mattered and due to this she became the legend that she is.
lata-Kishore duets are everyone’s favourite. Can you tell us more about themIJ
They recorded thousands of songs together over the years. They performed during the Golden Eras of Indian music. lataji was a much more reserved performer. She would command your attention by her sheer presence. Kishore Kumar wouldn’t simply walk onto the stage but come prancing out. He was a much more boisterous performer. While on stage these opposing styles would blend together to put on unmatched chemistry and performances.
Though vastly different personalities they had a fun relationship and were able to joke around with each other like this. An example of this is the impromptu moment that comes to mind is when Kishore said, on the spot, “Ab aapke saamne ek our duet pesh karenge. lata bataaengi nahin wo kaunsa duet hai (We are going to sing another duet for you, but lata won’t tell you which one it is.) They then started signing “Shaayad meri shaadi ke khayal dil mein aaya hai” and in the middle weaved in two other duets. This was not practiced; it was done on the spot. They ended this sequence with lataji saying “Piya, dekho ki ye jalte hain” (Sweetheart look! The night lamps have now been lit). Kishore replied “Bujha deta hoon” (So let me put them out). To which lataji replied, “Achcha to hum chalte hain”. (Well, then I had better be going). She then proceeded to leave the stage. Kishore looked startled and said “lata has left! You guys (the audience) do not desert me too.” He then proceeded to sing more of his songs. This was an unscripted moment and had the audience laughing as the two intertwined many songs on the spot.
The book follows the bond of lataji and late Mukesh sir. How did his sudden demise, as told in the book, affect herIJ
This event had a profound effect on lataji. She was very close to Mukesh and considered him a brother. She felt that she should be the one to inform Mukeshji’s wife of what happened. She was deeply saddened and did not know what she was going to say. He was instrumental in bringing her to the US. She said that Mukeshji had told her to never leave a job until it was finished. Due to this she was committed to coming back the following year and doing shows in Detroit and Philadelphia, the shows that were cancelled from his death.
Did lataji have to face any kind of rivalry during her careerIJ
We did not get into this type of thought process. We were singularly focused on bringing lataji there and putting on the best shows we could.
You have seen lataji’s journey from being a playback singer to a performer on stage. Did you see any changes in her by the end of her stage journey in 1998IJ
When we first started, she would come on stage and perform her songs. She did not speak with the audience but would enthral the crowd with her voice. As time went by people clamoured for more. Over the years she would start speaking with the crowd more. In fact, by the end of the shows she was introducing not only her songs but the other artistes as well and became a singer to an emcee and performer on stage.