AR Rahman Conferred With Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award: When I Became A Composer…

AR Rahman was conferred with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award at a ceremony in Mumbai's Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagrih. The event, which took place in Mumbai, honoured Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A.R. Rahman, for his contributions to the field of music. Expressing his gratitude for the honour, the music composer, who is earning praises for his album for the Imtiaz Ali directorial Amar Singh Chamkila, shared an anecdote about his late father and the Mangeshkar family. 

AR Rahman expresses gratitude for being honoured with Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

While accepting the award, AR Rahman took to the stage to recall the deep respect his father had for the Mangeshkar family. He said, “My father, when he was working in the film industry down south, used to get up facing Lata Mangeshkar ji’s photograph. So, when I became a composer from the south and the enormous love I got from you guys, changed my life. One thing I tell my family – my kids – is that look at the Mangeshkar family.” 

He added that the dedication the family has shown to the craft is inspirational. He continued, “Today we need that, today we need to celebrate the dedication of Lata ji, Asha ji, Hridaynath ji and the whole family. Hridaynath ji keeps asking me what I like about him. I say, ‘everything’.” 

Amitabh Bachchan also conferred with the award 

It was an evening worth remembering as many distinguished artists from the Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil film industries were honoured at the 3rd Late Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award ceremony in Mumbai's Vile Parle area on Wednesday, April 24. Veteran Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan was feted with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for his exemplary contributions to the field of cinema in a career spanning over five decades and running.

Bachchan, 81, received the award on the memorial day of Deenanath Mangeshkar, the theatre-music veteran and the father of the Mangeshkar siblings. Singer Usha Mangeshkar, the third eldest of the Mangeshkar siblings, presented the award to Bachchan. The actor remembered a past ceremony where he started speaking in Hindi, only to see his speech being met with a strong reaction from the audience which said, "Aye Marathi Marathi". To this, the Big B replied, "Mi Marathi shikat aahe (I'm learning Marathi)." Actors Randeep Hooda, Ashok Saraf, playback singer Roopkumar Rathod, and actress Padmini Kolhapure were also honoured at the event for their works.

(With inputs from IANS)