This year’s recipient is Madhuri Dixit, just back for good in amchi Mumbai after a lengthy residency in the US, Madhuri has always been self-declared Lata Mangeshkar fan. The highlight of her career, says Dixit, was when Lataji sang ‘Didi tere devar deewana’ and other memorabilia for the actress in ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’.
Says Lataji, “Madhuri is a very fine actress and one of the most beautiful and graceful dancers of our cinema. I always like watching her on screen. ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’ and ‘Devdas’ are my favourites. Whenever we meet we chatter in Marathi.”
Interestingly the function to commemorate her father’s death anniversary would be the second public event Lataji would be seen attending in a month, a rare feat for the super-reclusive singing legend who hardly steps out.
Says Lataji, “The function in my father’s memory is something our family and I don’t miss any year. This year I am just a little worried about the heat which is grown unbearable. As for the other function , for Sachin Tendulkar…how could I miss that? Sachin is like my son. He calls me Maa. His wife Neeta requested me to be there.”
As for singing for Sachin, the Nightingale laughs, “I think people were taken aback because I haven’t sung publicly in a long time. I knew ‘Mera saaya saath hoga’ is Sachin’s favourite song. But I asked him at the function. He got up and said, ‘Yes it’s my favourite song and I’d be honoured if you sing two lines of that song.’ Did I have a choice after that?”
