Sameer Anjaan on Lata Mangeshkar: She had a great sense of humour and she loved to tell stories – Exclusive! – Times of India

He narrates an interesting episode from the time the song was recorded. He adds, “When she arrived for the recording we just sat and chatted for one and a half hours. I was feeling very happy that I had finally entered the main fray of film music. But the producer was scared that it was his first film, too and Lata didi was not going to the microphone and he kept thinking the shift would end up in overtime and cost him more money. Lata didi, got up, did one rehearsal and finalised the song in just her first take. Had she not done that, the producer would have ended up paying for an hour of overtime. The way she sang on her first take, she was flawless and the producer, who was sweating, was seen beaming with a wide smile.”

Sameer also reveals, “The best part of working with Lata didi was that she was extremely humorous and lively to talk to. There was a naivety and childish energy behind her persona. She was always like a young girl. She had great knowledge and wisdom, but that ever green spirit. She used to crack so many jokes. She used to entertain us by recalling stories of her recording sessions with Kishore Kumar.”

Even when the music directors, singers and lyricists had a standoff with producers many decades ago, Lata Mangeshkar took a firm stand. Sameer reveals, “She had called Javed Akhtar and pledged her support for the fraternity. She stood by her peers at all times. Lata Didi was an institution for us all. She deserved every accolade, every honour like the Bharat Ratna and more.”

Finally, Sameer likes to emphasise on Lata Mangeshkar’s ability to connect with people. He says, “She had a great rapport with all Prime Ministers and our honorable PM Narendra Modi ji also used to frequently speak to Lata Didi on phone. We are truly blessed that we worked and shared time with her. She is and will always be a legend.”