Uttam Singh Remembers Lata Mangeshkar as “Living Saraswati,” Reflects on Changing Music Trends
MUMBAI, Maharashtra — Veteran music composer Uttam Singh has shared memories of his long association with the late playback legend Lata Mangeshkar, describing her as the embodiment of Goddess Saraswati and recalling the reverence she commanded across the Hindi film industry.
Speaking to IANS, Singh said Mangeshkar was treated with unmatched respect by everyone involved in filmmaking, from producers and directors to actors and technicians.
“I have always seen Lata ji as Goddess Saraswati. We worship Saraswati because we belong to the arts, and living Saraswati was only and only Lata ji,” Singh said. “I worked with her for almost 40 years, starting around 1965–66. I kept working with her and arranged many songs with her.”
He said there was a time when nearly everyone associated with a film hoped to have Mangeshkar’s voice in their project.
“When a film started, people used to say, ‘Just get Lata ji to sing,’” Singh said. “Producers, directors, music directors, writers, cameramen, actresses, actors — everyone wanted Lata ji’s voice in their film.”
Singh described himself as a fortunate musician, noting that his very first song, from the film Painter Babu, was sung by Mangeshkar along with Mahendra Kapoor.
“If I had 10 songs, eight of them were sung by Lata ji,” he said. “It was the blessing of my Saraswati, who gave me so much love.”
He also spoke about being honored with awards named after the legendary singer, calling them deeply meaningful. Singh said the recognition he is currently receiving marks the third such award in her name, following earlier honors from the Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments.
Reflecting on current trends in Hindi film music, Singh criticized the growing reliance on remakes of older songs, arguing that it reflects a lack of depth in contemporary compositions.
“Old music is still going on. No matter how big today’s films are, they keep using old songs,” he said. “This is wrong. New songs are being created, but why don’t they last? Because there is no depth, no melody, no music, no strong lyrics.”
He added that many modern songs appear briefly, serve their purpose for dance sequences, and are quickly forgotten, unlike the enduring classics of earlier decades.
Singh’s remarks underscored both the lasting legacy of Lata Mangeshkar and his concern about the direction of popular film music today. (Source: IANS)
