Imitation is Not Durable: Lata Mangeshkar on Ranu Mondal’s Success

The legendary singer reacted to Ranu Mondal’s viral success with the song ‘Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai’.

Lata Mangeshkar reacts to Ranu Mondal’s viral success. 

(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

Lata Mangeshkar has reacted to singer Ranu Mondal’s recent rise to fame, after her rendition of the legendary singer’s ‘Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai’ from the 1972 film Shor went viral on the Internet, saying that “imitation is not a reliable and durable companion for success”.

The internet sensation also got her big Bollywood break recently when music composer Himesh Reshammiya got her to record two songs, ‘Teri Meri Kahani’ and ‘Aadat’, for his film Happy Hardy and Heer. Yesterday Himesh also posted a video on his Instagram account, where Ranu is seen singing a recreation of the song ‘Aashiqui Mein Teri’ from the film 36 China Town.

In an interaction with IANS, Lata Mangeshkar said, “Agar mere naam aur kaam se kissiko bhala hota hai toh main apne-aap ko khush-kismat samajhti hoon (If anyone gets benefited from my name and work then I feel fortunate).”

“Be original. By all means sing the evergreen songs by me and my colleagues. But after a point the singer must seek and find his or her own song. If Asha (Bhosle) had not insisted on singing in her own style, she would have remained in my shadow forever.”

Lata Mangeshkar

She went on to say that many “aspiring singers get short-term attention, but it won’t last”.

“But I also feel imitation is not a reliable and durable companion for success. By singing my songs or Kishore da’s (Kishore Kumar), or (Mohammed) Rafi Saab’s, or Mukesh bhaiyya or Asha’s (Bhosle) numbers, aspiring singers can get short-term attention. But it won’t last,” she said.

Lata Mangeshkar, who tuns 90 later this month, also offered some advice to aspiring singers like Ranu in her interview. “Be original. By all means sing the evergreen songs by me and my colleagues. But after a point the singer must seek and find his or her own song. If Asha (Bhosle) had not insisted on singing in her own style, she would have remained in my shadow forever. She is the biggest example of how far individuality can take one’s talent to.”