Mumbai: Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on February 6, had collaborated with composer Nikhil Kamath when she rendered the song ‘Jeena Kya Hai Jaana Maine’ for the film ‘Dunno Y 2…Life Is A Moment’ (2015) which was a sequel to ‘Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun’ (2010).
It was, incidentally, the last song that Lata Mangeshkar recorded for a film. As Nikhil Kamath says, legends like her are immortal.
Lata Mangeshkar had become very selective about the songs she chose to sing from 2000 onwards. After a long time, she came behind the mic to render a song for composer Nikhil Kamath for a Zeenat Aman film that remains her last song for a film. Nikhil fulfilled his longstanding dream of working with the legendary Lata.
Lata Mangeshkar collaborated with the composer for the first time on the title track of the film ‘Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun’ that was released in 2010. The film was written and produced by Kapil Kaustubh Sharma, who was also playing one of the two lead characters.
Talking about the same, Nikhil Kamath says: “I feel blessed that I got to work with Lata Mangeshkar ji in this lifetime. Director Kapil Kaustubh Sharma had a great sense of music and he told me that Lata ji’s voice would suit ‘Pal Mein Rishte Badalte Hain’ which was the title song of ‘Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun’ the best.”
Before ‘Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun’, Nikhil Kamath had never worked with the legendary singer. He prepared a rough track and made Rachna, Meena Khadikar’s daughter and Lata Mangeshkar’s niece, listen to it. Rachna liked the song and shared it with Lata. The veteran singer heard the track and called up Nikhil Kamath.
“Lata ji told me on phone that she really liked the song and asked me about the situation it has been created for and how it will be used in the film. Being a perfectionist, she wanted to familiarise herself with every element of the song. On the day we were supposed to record the song, she reached the studio before time.
“She wrote the entire song on a piece of paper and marked out several points as well. She kept standing for more than three hours while recording the song. When I offered her a chair, she smiled and told me she can never sit and sing a song. At the age of 82, she sang the song so beautifully.”
