This interview article is from a 2002 filmfare magazine.

The hit and dust had barely died down on her chart-buster Humko humhi se chura lo from Mohubbatein when she bounced back with the title song in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. How does she do it?

Lata Mangeshkar seems completely oblivious of the magic formula. In and out of Mumbai to fulfill various political, social and cultural commitments, the diva of all melodious things speaks on how it's been only khushi, no gham for her during the past one year:

The past year has been quite an eventful one for you.
I was awarded the Bharat Ratna. That was a big event. Unfortunately, the day the announcement was made, a devastating earthquake razed Bhuj. When I heard about it in London, I planned a relief concert immediately. I was so touched when singers like Alka Yagnik, Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan and Suresh Wadkar readily agreed to sing for the concert.

Did you feel your song in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham would become so huge?
You mean during the recording? Nahin aisa mujhe kuch nahin laga. When I went for the recording, I was in a hurry. In a couple of hours I recorded five or six stanzas. Nowadays, I don't get any kind of vibes about my songs. Earlier I could feel a song was special while singing it. (Laughs) It's another matter that some of those songs didn't click at all.
There were two songs composed by Khayyam saab, Aap yun faaslon se guzarte rahe and Apne-aap raaton mein chilmanein sarakti hain in a long-forgotten film, Shankar Husain. Such lovely songs! No one knew when they came and went.
The other day I heard a song of mine Saqiya kareeb aa from a film I had never heard about before— Prabhat. Pataa hi nahin chala yeh picture kab ayee, kab gayi. I heard the song on television in Pune. 1 just sat back to watch it. I don't even remember when it was recorded. When a film doesn't click, the songs are forgotten. Earlier some songs used to click independent of the film. This happened with Satyam Shivam Sundaram. At other times, songs that I didn't like became instant hits. Like Main teri dushman dushman tu mera in Nagina.

Any music that you liked in particular in 2001?
I loved Rahman's music in Lagaan. I'd give him full marks for creating a perfect ambience with his music. He hits just the right notes. Gaane bilkul ussi time ke lagate ham. Rahman has always been a perfectionist.
Earlier, most composers went by the mood of the film. When Naushad saab did Baiju Bawra, he composed raga-based numbers. Rahman recreated the ambience of the last century. His music played a big hand in the success of Lagaan. I liked my sister Asha's song Madhuban mein jo Kanhaiya. The picturisation was also wonderful. I'm glad she won awards for the song. She deserved them.

Ashaji has won quite a number of awards recently.
And she deserves each one of them. Never mind if some people think she received recognition a little late. I remember Sachin Dev Burman didn't get any award for his music in Guide although he had received a telegram saying he had won the award. But it went to another composer. At least, Asha has got her due. She won the Dadasaheb Phalke award. Jo bahut badi baat hai. Not too many people from our industry have won it.

The Mangeshkar family opened a hospital in Pune last year. Would you consider that your greatest achievement in recent years?
Haan haan, definitely. This was our most cherished project. I've wanted to build a hospital for the last 14 years. Back then, we could procure only an acre of land. We held several charity shows for The Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation and Dinanath Pratishthan (the charitable institution named after my father). I remember doing a show in Pune to collect money for the proposed hospital. A host of politicians and stars had attended. But we couldn't collect enough money. Still, we continued to help individuals in need of medical assistance in our own way.

Then how did the hospital actually happen?
When Sharad Pawarji became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he asked my brother Hridayanath about the hospital. On hearing of our problems, he immediately sanctioned seven acres of land in Pune. We had problems on that land as well. However a charitable institution Cyan Prabodhini in Pune came forward to help us.
They set the ball rolling for the construction. Within 18 months it was complete. I did a stage show on December 16, 2001 to collect money for our cause. I've an Arab fan who considers me his sister. When he got to know about the hospital plans, he quietly sent money and medical equipment. Even humble fans and friends like my doodhwala came forward with their token donations. I treasure every penny people gave me. We're now putting finishing touches to the eighth floor of the hospital.

Any hospital which you're involved with has got to be automatically therapeutic.
Thirty per cent of the sick are treated free of cost. I've always felt concerned about health care in this country. I remember we had a maidservant who had gone to a doctor for a headache and the doctor extracted her tooth. And we all know what happened to Sridevi's mother in America. In our hospital, everyone has a smile on his or her face.

Do they play your songs in the hospital?
We have a small temple in the hospital compound. There, they play my bhajans. Incidentally the Ganpati idol for the temple has been gifted by Sivaji Ganesan's son. In the hospital, we play soft classical music by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Hari Prasad Chaurasia.

As a singer do you think you've achieved an optimum level of excellence?
God gave me my voice, my father trained it and my mother nourished it, so I can't take any credit for the singer that I am. All the gurus that I trained under are responsible for my success. I'm so fortunate that people have praised me even for my songs that I've found to be far from perfect.

You've given voice to Kareena Kapoor, right?
(Laughs) Yes, for a film produced by Yash Chopra Mujhse Dosti Karoge. I've sung a medley for an antakshari sequence between Rani Mukherjee and Kareena. I've also recorded another song for Kareena. That I can still give playback at my age, and that too for a heroine as young as Kareena, is entirely God's blessings. I've no hand in it. There are so many singers who've lost their voice at a young age or who simply fade away. I always feel the hand of God on me. I've a sixth sense. Sometimes I sense an event before it actually happens. (Laughs) Like I knew you were going to ask me for an interview today.

Have you ever been let down?
Quite often. But let me tell you, no one can get away with false pretence. I hear warning bells saying, "Lata, yeh tujhe banaa raha hai."
Yes, there have been many back-stabbers in my life. Par main sach kahoon? Mere mein sehan-shakti bahut hai. I firmly believe women all over the world have more endurance power than men. Men try to get over their frustrations by drinking. Women often cope with their frustrations quietly. I've always felt that God has been very kind to my family and me. We did go through some years of hardship. Beech-beech mein ups and downs to aate hi hain. But I always tell myself, this too shall pass. Mujhe maloom hai ke duniya gol hai, aaj jo oopar hai woh kal neeche hoga. And that's exactly what happens.

You must have encountered lots of people who've exploited you.
Haan haan. Aise log to sab ke life mein hote hain. I too have suffered my share of betrayals. But I've never sat back to brood over them. I just moved on. Main ek baat bataaoon? God gives everyone a long rope. Anyone who plays dirty with others is sure to hang by that rope. Those who've betrayed me have suffered. I hope I haven't harmed anyone in my life.

What after the Bharat Ratna?
Bhagwan jaane. To me the Bharat Ratna means a lot. It's the highest award of our land. And I value it.

Perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize for you now?
(Laughs) Jo milta hai woh sar aankhon par. Main to yeh maanti hoon. No award is too big or small for me. Some say I received the Bharat Ratna very late in my life. So what? Mila to sahi! At least the government considers me worth honouring.

Subhash K Jha