The Nightingale of India , Lata Mangeshkar , with her three octaves spinning, honey-sweet voice, has been the prima donna of Hindi film music, for over five decades. The eldest child of a Gujarati mother and a Marathi Stage actor-singer father, Dinanath Mangeshkar, Lata trained under her father during her childhood.
Lata made her debut as a playback singer in the marathi film ‘Kiti Kasaal’. Lata Mangeshkar had to act in quite a few Marathi as well as Hindi films due to economic necessities. Lata got her break in Hindi playback singing in the film ‘Majboor’ (1948). The very next year, the films ‘Andaaz’, ‘Barsaat’ and ‘Mahal’, steered Lata towards the pinnacle of success.
Gradually, her record of hit songs made Lata the most powerful woman in the film industry, She continues her perennial search for perfection. She has recorded over 25,000 songs in 14 major languages. Even at this age she sings for many new actresses.