Looking back at Moushumi Chatterjee’s incredible bonding with Lata Mangeshkar – Times of India

First impressions, they say are the everlasting impressions. When Moushumi Chatterjee, who turns 75 today, was first seen in Hindi cinema as a blind girl in Shakti Samanta’s Anurag, she was singing the sublime sonorous Sun ri pawan and Daka daley teri bansi.
Six years later in Tumhari Kasam Moushumi was no longer blind. She was visually impaired. And still singing in Lata Mangeshkar’s voice, this time one of Rajesh Roshan’s career’s best songs Ae mast hawa yeh to batla.

“I think Lataji sang most of my songs. I knew her from the time she would come home to meet my father-in-law (legendary singer-composer Hemant Mukherjee). Many of my songs sung by Lataji were big hits like Mehengai maar gayi in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Rimjhim gire saawan in Manzil and Dariya kinare ek bungalow in Sabse Bada Rupaiya,” says Moushumi.

She also lets out that the iconic number Hai hai yeh majboori in Roti Kapada Aur Makaan was supposed to be filmed on her.

In Moushumi’s second release Kachche Dhaage Lataji sang a slew of Laxmikant-Pyarelal compositions, all hits like Hai hai yeh ladka and Mera bachpan tu ja.

“Uss waqt ka bachpana kabhi gaya nahin,” Moushumi laughs heartily. She singles out a rare composition by Manas Mukherjee, Bawra kanhaiya dekho mujhko pukare in the film Mahananda as her favourite song sung for her by Lataji.

Then there is Rimjhim gire sawan in Manzil which is hummed to this day. Another RD Burman composition Arrey suno kahani in Zehreela Insaan stands out. Lataji sings the entire backstory of Moushumi’s character in one song.

Basu Chatterjee’s Uss Paar had the legendary Sachin Dev Burman teaming up with Lataji for the twin towers Yeh jab se hui jiya ki chori and Tumne piya diya sab kuch. In the former, Lataji matched Moushumi’s giggles perfectly.

When Moushumi switched to mother’s roles she had Lataji singing the sublime Milne se pehle bichad jayen hum kyon in Pahlaj Nihalani’s Aag Hi Aag. The haunting Bappi Lahiri composition was to be originally sung by Kishore Kumar. It was the mercurial Kishoreda who suggested that Lataji was the better choice for the song.

“In one way or another Lataji was always an important part of my career,” asserts Moushumi.

Funfact: Guddi and Koshish which Moushumi quit both went to Jaya Bhaduri. Neither had Lataji’s vocals.