'Modi had his own cricket team in his school days. He was a good cricketer.'
Residents and pilgrims in Ayodhya are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust meeting, convened amidst serious allegations of embezzlement of temple donations. The controversy has led to a subdued public mood, concerns among devotees about the security of their offerings, and calls for strict action against those responsible, including "big people" behind the alleged scam. Security has been heightened as an SIT investigates and arrests have been made.
'We, the Mangeshkar family, don't wish to be drawn into this controversy and this controversy should end and politics on Didi's name must be stopped.'
Words can barely capture the depth and beauty of Asha Bhosle's voice, at once ethereal and ineffable. Her demise has created a void but the songs she sang will never die.
'I would like to leave behind my small contribution for the historic day when the Ram temple will be consecrated.'
How did a melancholic Kishore Kumar classic from 1964, remixed decades later, become the unlikely soundtrack to a Gen Z protest?
Was this indeed the Lata who had started out with her, as a child star, in Badi Maa (1945)? Raju Bharatan recalls yet another memorable incident from Lata Mangeshkar's incredible life.
I spent almost all my life trying to figure out how anyone could express so many shades of human feeling in her voice, wonders Subhash K Jha.
The voice of one of India's greatest playback singers may have fallen silent, but her music is anything but gone. It lives on in the airwaves, in our memories, in moments we return to without even realising.
Uttam Ghosh pays tribute to the Incomparable Legend, Lataji Mangeshkar, Bharat Ratna.
S D Burman is that unique composer who remained successful right up to his death with his creative engines never running on empty.
'Lataji, Ghalib, Beethoven and Shakespeare are far removed from the normal chain of human civilisation.' 'If they were just role models, how come no one was able to achieve an iota of their perfection?' 'They are a kind of intruders who come as reminders of the rule of mediocrity that prevails.'
Dadra and Nagar Haveli, now a Union Territory, were occupied by the Portuguese in 1783 and 1785, respectively. They continued to be ruled by the Portuguese till an armed revolution liberated them, and the Tricolour was unfurled at Silvassa on 2 August 1954.
'The core group from Pune, which bought arms, trained people, carried out intelligence gathering and participated in all the stages of the battle, consisted of RSS volunteers.' 'The Pune group raised resources with the help of three stalwarts from the film industry.' 'The stalwarts were Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi and C Ramchandra.'
'Whatever we are today, if playback singers are here even today, and that includes me, it is because of Didi.'
'The source of our music, the very notes of music itself have fallen silent.'
Shreekant Sambrani tells himself over and over again, don't lose heart in these dire times, there is asha (hope) still, in the divine voice of Asha Bhosle.
'Salilda and my brother Hridaynath would deliberately make my compositions tough.' 'Their logic was, "You can do it, so why should we not compose accordingly?",' Lata Mangeshkar, who would have turned 94 today, September 28, 2023, once told Subhash K Jha.
She came like a whirlwind to wipe out, in one stroke, practically all female singing competition, recalls Raju Bharatan.
In this special series, Dinesh Raheja explores prominent music duos, and the dynamics that went into the making, and the unmaking.
The award function will be held in Pune.
Subhash K Jha celebrates the Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony by picking some memorable Ram bhajans from movies you may not have heard of.
Lata Mangeshkar has tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms and is undergoing treatment at Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital, her niece said on Tuesday.
Veteran playback singer and actress Sulakshana Pandit passed away on Thursday evening after a prolonged illness, her family said. She was 71.
'I came to hear you sing Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon. I am glad I have heard you sing.'
'Hamara aur Rajsaab ka bahot gehra aur toot bandhan tha. Hum bahot ladte the (we used to fight a lot) but he could make me bend my rules for him.;
The Mangeshkar sisters -- Lata and Asha -- have sung about 80 Hindi songs together.
'She could barely stand on her feet, but she summoned Composer Mayuresh Pai and told him she wanted to do some handpicked Ram bhajans, shlokas and chants for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.'
Music director duos are a unique Bollywood feature, and many have become iconic. In this special series, Dinesh Raheja explores prominent music duos, and their dynamics.
Can anyone forget S D Burman's classic songs in Devdas, Sujata and Bandini?
Playback singers enjoyed the challenge of being pitched against the finest voice God ever created, but they were also wary of Lata Mangeshkar's endless resourcefulness in rendition.
Long before she won royalty rights for playback singers, there was an undisclosed incident in Lataji's life where she not only put a male colleague in place, but also refused to sing with him thereafter.
Jatin-Lalit's music score for Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge is one of the best-selling soundtracks of all times and their Pehla Nasha is a song for the ages.
There is no word from the family so far on where will the ashes be immersed.
'Today, if 50 songs are composed, one or two work. In the 1970s, all 50 would work.'
Who were the mothers who shaped Mahatma Gandhi, Sachin Tendulkar, Narendra Modi and other well-known Indians?
'Finally it was S D Burman who brought us together.'
'I tell the next generation of singers to take a leaf out of Lataji's book.' 'Be it Kavita or Alka, every time I give a song to a singer, I tell them, 'Dhyaan se suno, listen attentively, phir socho, Lataji isse kaise gaati'.'
'It's time we stop thinking only about ourselves.' 'Whether it is love or wealth, give generously.'
