Veteran actress and singer Vijayta Pandit recalls the moment when famous singer Lata Mangeshkar apologized to her for dubbing a song in her voice that was composed by music director Aadesh Shrivastava in an exclusive conversation with Bharati S Pradhan for Lehren Retro. The versatile artist also discusses a few hit songs, including Pehla Nasha, Loveria Hua, Woh To Hai Albela and many more, that were later covered by other vocalists in turn leading to a significant negative impact on her music career.
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00:00You had a song that Aadesh had made and Lata ji dubbed it, right?
00:12How do you know?
00:15I remember that Aadesh, who is your husband, Lata ji dubbed his song as well.
00:25When Kanyadaan was being made, there was a song in it.
00:33You can't even hear that song.
00:35O Balma jaanam, mera kang na haaye, chahe tere sang rehna, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
00:48This was the song.
00:50I sang it happily.
00:52It was Aadesh's first song, first film of Kanyadaan.
00:55Veeran is making me sing. I was very happy.
00:57Junior singers, live musicians, 60-70 musicians, it was a very heavy song.
01:05I sang it live and sang it very well.
01:07So, after a few days, I came to know that Sudhakar Bopade said,
01:12look, this is the only solo song of our film and it is the first song.
01:15So, I want Lata ji to sing this song for me.
01:19Because Lata ji didn't sing in Sajan, she didn't sing in any of my films.
01:23So, I said, Lata ji will sing this song for you, Aadesh.
01:26Let Lata ji sing this song.
01:28Aadesh told me, Usha, this song has to be dubbed by Lata ji.
01:32Because Sudhakar ji is singing it, Sudhakar Bopade.
01:35He was the producer.
01:37He had made Sajan, etc.
01:39So, I said, Aadesh, if Lata ji is singing it, then it's fine.
01:45So, he said, look, I am dubbing your voice.
01:48So, Lata ji is singing it.
01:50No other singer is singing it.
01:52I said, yes, yes, let Lata ji sing it.
01:54Who sings like her?
01:56So, no problem, Aadesh, let Lata ji sing it.
02:00Then Lata ji came to do the recording at Sunny Studio,
02:03at the film center, no, at Mehboob Studio.
02:06She came there and Aadesh did a little rehearsal.
02:10So, little by little...
02:13O Sajna Dilbar, O Balma Jaanam,
02:19Mera Kangna Haaye, Chahe Tere Sang Rehna.
02:25I sang as much as Aadesh had made.
02:27Then I made my own taan.
02:31Aadesh made it straight.
02:36I took it as a taan.
02:38So, Aadesh explained it to Didi.
02:41I had taken some places in Antre as well.
02:43So, he thought, these places,
02:45I don't remember what Vijayeta had taken,
02:47but I want those places.
02:49So, he told Lata Didi,
02:51Didi, if you don't mind,
02:53let me tell you something.
02:55Vijayeta had sung this song earlier.
02:57She had sung Scratch for you.
02:59So, if you listen to it,
03:01you will know exactly
03:03what place you have taken here.
03:05You have taken that place.
03:07I said, hey, Vijayeta has sung it.
03:09She said, sing it.
03:11She asked me to sing it on the headphone.
03:13She sang the whole song on the headphone.
03:15And where there were good places,
03:17I sang, Aha, Aha.
03:19Then I took the headphone out of my ear
03:21and said, Aadesh,
03:23Vijayeta has sung it very well.
03:25Why do you want to dub it?
03:27I said, Didi, if you sing it,
03:29it will be something else.
03:31You are my first song.
03:33I want your blessings.
03:35You sing it.
03:37She said,
03:39Didi, you have not sung in any of my films.
03:41If you sing in this,
03:43it will be very good.
03:45The discussion went on for half an hour.
03:47Eventually, she said,
03:49okay, let's sing.
03:51Inside, she went and sang.
03:53O Sajjana, Dil bhai,
03:55O Balma.
03:57The way I had taken the place.
03:59So, in the intro,
04:01she also felt that
04:03Aadesh had not told the place.
04:05The place is in the voice.
04:07Aadesh, the face before the intro,
04:09I heard Vijayeta's voice
04:11again in the headphone.
04:13I heard it.
04:15You see,
04:17how great is the power of bleeding.
04:19She did not think that
04:21Vijayeta is singing,
04:23I should decorate it more.
04:25Or I should add something else.
04:27Nothing.
04:29The way I sang,
04:31I sang that much.
04:33I said to Aadesh Vijayeta,
04:35I am sorry.
04:37I dubbed it on her voice.
04:39She sang very well.
04:41I saw the words of great people.
04:43I dubbed it on her voice.
04:45And I said,
04:47I sang very well.
04:51This song,
04:53this happened in life.
04:55When I spoke to her on the phone,
04:57about this song,
04:59she said, you sang very well Vijayeta.
05:01I dubbed it on her voice.
05:03I said, Didi, you sang it.
05:05You praised me.
05:07I got 10 Filmfare Award.
05:09I think that I
05:11got bad.
05:13At that time, I heard
05:15Jo Jeeta Vohi Sikandar,
05:17the first Nasha,
05:19you sang that song first.
05:21But your voice got dubbed.
05:23Someone else sang it.
05:25That song,
05:27actually it has a story.
05:29Lalit made this song in piano.
05:31We were sitting together.
05:33We were not married.
05:35And Jatin is your brother.
05:37He is my real brother.
05:39When Lalit made this song,
05:41I liked it very much.
05:43I used to hum it.
05:45I used to hum it.
05:47His first film, Jo Jeeta Vohi Sikandar,
05:49was signed.
05:51He said, I will sing this song to Mansoor.
05:53He will like it.
05:55When I sang this song to Mansoor,
05:57he said, it is good.
05:59We will all work again.
06:01He was not very much convinced
06:03with the song.
06:05But Lalit said, Mansoor,
06:07don't cancel this song.
06:09I will make a scratch
06:11and sing it to you.
06:13Then you will come to know exactly
06:15what I have thought about this song.
06:17Lalit sang this song.
06:19He had a music room in Sheetal.
06:21He prepared this song with
06:232-4 musicians.
06:25He asked me to sing this song.
06:27He also called Udit.
06:29Udit, you come to the music room.
06:31I want to sing this song
06:33to Mansoor.
06:35We both
06:37sat in his studio.
06:39Udit Narayan?
06:41Yes, Udit Narayan.
06:43I sang. It was a good song.
06:45I sang the ad-lib
06:47beautifully.
06:49He sang this song to Mansoor.
06:51He said, it is wonderful.
06:53We will work on this.
06:55We will keep this song.
06:57Eventually, we kept that song.
06:59After this, he was doing
07:01the final recording in the film center.
07:03He again called me.
07:05Usha, this is the final recording.
07:07You come to the studio.
07:09He also called Udit.
07:11Udit and I
07:13sang together in the film center.
07:15Mansoor was there.
07:17He was sitting
07:19peacefully in a corner
07:21and was doing something.
07:23As soon as I sang the ad-lib,
07:25he left his laptop
07:27and sat next to the
07:29recordist.
07:31He said, it sounds so wonderful.
07:33It was an ad-lib.
07:35Even if you
07:37don't say anything,
07:39I have heard it.
07:41What was
07:43love?
07:45I have heard it.
07:47I have heard it.
07:51I have heard it.
07:53I have heard it.
07:55He sang like this.
07:57He was very happy.
07:59The song was recorded.
08:01After a few days,
08:03I remembered in the recording,
08:05only Viju Shah
08:07was there.
08:09There were
08:11not many people.
08:13The song got
08:15selected.
08:17After a few days,
08:19I came to know that
08:21Sadhna was dubbing.
08:23Jatin told me,
08:25Usha, the song
08:27you sang,
08:29it is getting dubbed.
08:31I said, it is getting dubbed?
08:33I sang so well.
08:35He said, I don't know what happened.
08:37Suddenly, Kalyanji
08:39called
08:41Nasir Hussain
08:43and asked him to dub it.
08:45Sadhna Sargam.
08:47I said,
08:49the song was so well sung.
08:51It was his first song.
08:53It was my first song
08:55that came to the market.
08:57As a singer, I would have got
08:59the recognition.
09:01I was very upset about it.
09:03Why was it rejected?
09:05Why Sadhna?
09:07I said, no problem.
09:09Let it go.
09:11It is her first film.
09:13Let it go.
09:15Later on,
09:17when he was dubbing
09:19for this song,
09:21Jatin was not very happy.
09:23He said,
09:25Usha, you have sung
09:27such an ad-lib.
09:29I have been singing
09:31Sadhna Sargam for two days.
09:33But I am not able to catch
09:35the typical Marathi tone.
09:37I am not liking it.
09:39I said, why are you getting it dubbed?
09:41He said, it is her first film.
09:43People are saying Sadhna.
09:45I said, no problem.
09:47The song was a hit.
09:49It was a super hit.
09:51But I was left behind.
09:53But this has happened to you
09:55many times, right?
09:57You sing
09:59and someone else dubs it.
10:01It has happened many times.
10:03In fact,
10:05I sang almost all the songs
10:07of Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman.
10:09My heart is in my chest.
10:11My heart is in my chest.
10:13You are in my chest.
10:17Oh, my first desire.
10:23Oh, my last desire.
10:27I love you.
10:29What I had said,
10:31that was out of this world.
10:33Because I am an actress.
10:35The feeling and expression
10:37that I sing,
10:39that was difficult.
10:49This we sang, myself and Kumar Shano.
10:51This was also a very good song.
10:53This was also dubbed.
10:57One more.
11:01Yes, we sang all the songs.
11:09I am gone.
11:11I am in love.
11:13I am in love.
11:15My intonation was very good.
11:23My heart
11:25has stopped.
11:27My heart
11:29has stopped.
11:31I don't know
11:33how crazy
11:35someone calls me.
11:37I don't know
11:39how crazy
11:41someone calls me.
11:43Sometimes I count the stars.
11:45Sometimes I dream.
11:47Sometimes I count the stars.
11:49Sometimes I dream.
11:53Now
11:55the lord of this heart
11:57is God.
12:01How did you feel?
12:03I was very sad.
12:05Your heart breaks, right?
12:07Yes, my heart breaks.
12:09I sang a lot of songs.
12:11I sang a lot of songs.
12:13I did a rehearsal for Aati Kya Khandala.
12:15Really?
12:17Jatin came to my house
12:19and asked me to sing a song
12:21with Aamir Khan.
12:23I said, what is the use,
12:25I will sing and you dub it.
12:27He said, if you sing well,
12:29we will keep you.
12:31I said, I will sing well
12:33You did it with Aamir Khan?
12:35No, I did it separately
12:37with Aamir Khan.
12:39When the recording
12:41day came,
12:43I found out that
12:45madam was singing.
12:47I said, how is this possible?
12:49I do a rehearsal and someone else is singing.
12:51I do a rehearsal and someone else is singing.
12:53I didn't even sing that song.
12:55In fact, that song
12:57That is Alwila
12:59That is Alwila
13:13When you sing properly,
13:15there is a different mood.
13:17I sing roughly.
13:19Jatin did my rehearsal for this song.
13:21Do you know, my last song
13:23I was very upset and tired
13:25that I sing and
13:27someone else sings.
13:29I dubbed one of my last songs.
13:31Lalit said, Usha,
13:33if you sing this song, it will be very good.
13:35I said, I will dub it.
13:37What is the use?
13:39He said, if you sing well, I promise.
13:41Jatin talks like this.
13:43I promise, I will keep your song.
13:45I said, okay,
13:47I will give my last try.
13:49I tried. The song was
13:51from Prakash Jha's film
13:53Dil Kya Kare.
13:55It was the title song.
13:57Jadoo Sa Chhaane Laga
14:01Kuch Yaad Aane Laga
14:05Kuch Bhool Jaane Laga
14:09Kuch Yaad Aane Laga
14:13Kya Na Kare Kya Kare
14:17Yeh Dil Kya Kare
14:21Recording Hui Aisa
14:23I sang it with so much
14:25heart and soul.
14:27It was a super hit song.
14:31It was a beautifully arranged song.
14:33I was very happy.
14:35Jatin said, this song will be
14:3799% done.
14:39In the meantime, Udit Narayan came.
14:41Udit said, Jatin,
14:43don't make me sing today.
14:45You are singing in a very good mood.
14:47Don't disturb her.
14:49Let her sing and then
14:51you can dub for me.
14:53I was sitting here.
14:55He sat there and I completed the song.
14:57When I came in after singing,
14:59there was a part that I made.
15:01Diwana
15:03Pagal Sa Dil
15:05Aakhon Ke
15:07Kajal Sa Dil
15:09Lahirate
15:11Aachal Sa Dil
15:13I made the lower taans.
15:17I did everything.
15:19When I sang the song,
15:21Udit Narayan came to Jatin
15:23and said, Jatin,
15:25I have a request.
15:27He said, don't dub this song.
15:29Vijay Dadaji
15:31has sung it in a very good mood.
15:33Keep it.
15:35He had sung Pehla Nasha with me.
15:37He knew what I sing.
15:41When Jatin said,
15:43I have kept this song.
15:45It is a very good song.
15:47When Prakash Shah heard the song,
15:49he was there only.
15:51Jatin told Prakash Shah.
15:53Lalit was not there in the recording.
15:55Jatin made me do it.
15:57I told Prakash Shah,
15:59Vijay Dadaji has sung it very well.
16:01Don't dub it.
16:03He said, okay.
16:05He said, I am a music director.
16:07I can understand
16:09what he has sung.
16:11No one can sing on it.
16:13I am a music director.
16:15He said,
16:17Lalit, Jatin,
16:19Jatin, don't worry.
16:21We will do something about it.
16:23We will listen to it.
16:25We will decide about it.
16:27Jatin understood
16:29that it will be dubbed.
16:33He said,
16:35Lalit, give me the track.
16:37He said, no.
16:39He will give you the track.
16:41He said, I will make Ajay Devgn sing it.
16:43He was the producer of this song.
16:45Kajol and Ajay.
16:47After that, Jatin
16:49got very angry.
16:51He said, Usha, let's go.
16:53We went in the car.
16:55Jatin said, Usha,
16:57I have fought with the director
16:59for the first time.
17:01He didn't agree.
17:03But I know, as a singer,
17:05the song you have sung is difficult.
17:07Don't worry.
17:09We will work on it.
17:11I have dubbed a lot.
17:13Don't worry.
17:15This is how that song also went away from me.