Speaking on the book and its genesis Rachana says, “We know her as Lata Mangeshkar, the playback singer. But how many of her fans and admirers know that she took Indian entertainers and their live concerts to a new level?
Rachana Shah is not only Lata Mangeshkar’s favourite niece, but also her closest buddy, privy to all of the Nightingale’s most confidential anecdotes and experiences.
Rachana has gotten together with veteran concerts’ organiser Mohan Deora to pen an account on an aspect of Lata’s virtuosity that has not so far been discussed at length: Her immense achievement as a live performer on stage.
Titled On Stage With Lata (Harper Collins), the book illuminates the songstress as a live performer of indomitable resources and meticulousness.
Speaking on the book and its genesis Rachana says, “We know her as Lata Mangeshkar, the playback singer. But how many of her fans and admirers know that she took Indian entertainers and their live concerts to a new level?
Before she began performing on stage abroad, Indian artistes had to perform at community halls and school grounds. When Didi (that’s what Rachana calls her aunt) agreed with much reluctance to perform in London, the venue had to be the posh Royal Albert Hall where no artiste from the Indian entertainment industry had ever performed before. Thereafter she performed at the most prestigious auditoriums in the world.”
From then began Lata’s incredible journey as a live performer. And Rachana was with her at all of them.
Recalling her association with the singer with enormous fondness, Rachana says, “I was just a teenager when I first went to a concert with her abroad. What I share with Didi is for me and her to know. It can’t be explained to the world. She is not just my aunt. I am her best friend, confidante and most trusted ally. We share everything. She is an open book to me. Hence this book…”
Rachana says the need to speak of Lata’s achievements as a live performer came from Mohan. “He organised her concerts abroad 1975 onwards and has so many incidents, anecdotes and rare pictures from these concerts.
He just needed someone to put them all together. This is where I came in.”
The book contains some precious moments from Lata’s adventures abroad during concerts. In 1976, tragedy struck at a concert in Detroit when singer Mukesh,who accompanied Lata to many of her concerts, died suddenly.
Says Rachana, “Didi had to deal with the crisis. She had to pacify the audience, arrange for Mukesh Saab’s body to be flown back and she made a promise to the audience that she would return to complete the concert in Detroit, which she did.”
On Stage With Lata, edited by Nasreen Munni Kabeer is only the beginning for Rachana.
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