Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar says that she wants to continue singing forever, provided she is offered meaningful songs.

“I want to continue singing for the rest of my life,” said Lata who turned 80 Monday.

“I’m open to all kinds of songs, but the only thing I look for is the lyrics. The lyrics have to be meaningful. I would like the producers and the directors to approach with soulful and meaningful tracks,” added the veteran singer at the launch of an album here.

The melody queen, as she is popularly known, has sung more than 30,000 songs in over 20 Indian languages. And she has sung all kind of songs – from light classical music to film songs, from ghazals to bhajans and pop.

Having worked with almost all top music composers and singers in the industry, Lata has also featured in the Guinness Book of Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world.

Eight decades and 30,000 songs later her voice continues to inspire a nation. As Lata Mangeshkar turns 80 on Monday, Sep 28, everyone in Bollywood queued up to wish her.

The Bharat Ratna awardee, who has lent her voice to songs in over 20 Indian languages, is known for her quest for perfection and undying spirit.

From light classical music to film songs and from ghazals to bhajans and pop, she has sung a variety of numbers. Having worked with almost all top music composers and singers in the industry, Lata has also featured in the Guinness Book of Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world.

IANS spoke to members of Bollywood, who wished the queen of melody and prayed for her long and healthy life.

Yash Chopra: On the occasion of her 80th birthday, I would like to wish Lataji, who has had a long-lasting relationship with Yash Raj Films, happiness, happiness and more happiness with a sincere prayer that she remain forever young.

Karisma Kapoor: I would like to wish Lataji a very happy birthday. The songs that she has sung for my grandfather don’t need any explanations. I just want to ask her: how does she still sing so melodiously even at this age?

Prasoon Joshi: My best wishes to Lataji on her birthday. I feel so fortunate that my entry in Bollywood was marked by a song sung by her. I wrote my first song for her, which was the title track of “Lajja”. It was totally a dream come true. Then my luck again favoured me when I wrote “Luka chhupi” for her in the film “Rang De Basanti”. I feel extremely humbled to write songs for someone as great as her.

Kunal Kohli: What can one say about a living legend like Lataji and who am I to say something? I don’t think a word has been created to describe her and her contribution to Hindi film music. My best wishes to her for a long and healthy life.

Mohit Chauhan: I give my heartiest congratulations to the melody queen. I wish more and more years added to her life. Since childhood I have been listening to her songs and she is still my favourite singer.

Kailash Kher: She is a goddess in human form. Whatever she has achieved till now and the way she sings even till today is just miraculous. A normal person can’t do that. I won’t call her just a singer; she is music to me. She is a blessing to the nation and all Indians should hope and pray for her long life and good health for many years to come. I wish her a long and healthy life.

Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar who turned 81, last September will return to the recording studios after a long gap of five years. She was supposed to start with the recording of a solo number for Om Shri Arihant’s ‘Lifestyle In Generation Next’ two months ago but had to postpone the recording because of a series operation to replace both her knees. She has now completely recovered and will report for the recording for the same film at Swarlata Recording Studio on April 27. The song will be recorded by one of her favorite music director Raam Laxman.

‘I feel like a new singer facing for first test. It is a great feeling to sing for a film again but I am also a little nervous before the recording of any song and this time I am a little more nervous because of being out of touch. I have worked very hard on the song. And I hope I do justice to it,’ the always very humble Lataji says.
The film written, produced and directed by Santosh Kumar Jain who makes his debut after years of financing big filmmakers like Manmohan Desai, Dada Kondke and S. Raamnathan is planned to be made on an ambitious scale and talks are going on with a few leading stars both from India and Hollywood.