THE NIGHTINGALE OF INDIA TURNS 78, STILL GOING STRONG

Lata Mangeshkhar, the doyen of playback singing, turned 78 today, and the film industry wished her good health to continue mesmerising generations with her voice.

As the Nightingale of India celebrated a quiet birthday, it was time for other leading musicians to shower praise on Lata.

"I worked with her as a junior artiste. But she brought me up to the position that I am today. My compositions from films like Rudaali are still remembered because of her," veteran singer and music composer Bhupen Hazarika told PTI.

"I was a famous Bengali singer and known for my Assamese tunes. But it was after she lent her voice to my compositions that I got universal recognition," Hazarika said.

"I could not go to wish her today but through you I am sending her wishes and pray she lives long to continue singing," Hazarika said.

For singer Manhar Udhas, Lata Mangeshkar was an institution in herself.

"I have sung a few hit songs from films like Abhimaan and Hero. I feel proud of the fact that I have been her colleague. Times may change but she will remain untouched. Her glory will live on," Udhas said.

Lata Mangeshkar's global fame can be gauged from the fact that the Royal Albert Hall, London, has recorded the graph of Lata's voice with the help of a computer which is by far the "Most Perfect" in the World.

Bravo! Melton baby, keep it up!!

You need to have guts to say no to a top producer in Tollywood. Especially when it is Rama Naidu, you need to have all the more courage to refuse to budge from your stubborn position. But Parvati Melton did just that. When the makers of Madhumasam (produced by Rama Naidu) wanted her to strip a little more for her role in the film, she coolly said that it wasn't needed and that she would make up for it with her histrionic talents. They tried various means to pursuade her but she said no with such final authority that they had to give in to her. Now that the film has been released, she says she says she feels vindicated by her stand. Bravo! Melton, keep it up. Hope we have more gals like you in the industry.