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The Nightingale will live forever in her 50,000 songs in 14 languages

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As the flames leapt up to consume the mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar, Gulzar’s words set to R.D. Burman’s music, which the Nightingale immortalised with her ageless voice — “Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai …” — kept swirling in the hearts and minds of her followers around the world.

There couldn’t have been more appropriate words to encapsulate the truth that only a few souls are able to stir the consciousness of generations, transcending all boundaries. Lata Mangeshkar was one of those rare souls.

The Nightingale’s radiant image seemed to shine above the political and tinsel stars who had converged at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park to pay their final respects to the departed soul. More than her smile, that famous twinkle in her eye seemed to assure Lataji’s countless fans that she was very much there.

And how can she ever go away? Each of her more than 50,000 songs in 14 languages will ensure her immortality.

As much as her voice is mesmerising, equally her carefully draped saree and tightly held hair with a small round ‘bindi’ in the middle of her forehead will remain etched in the memory of every Indian. She looked very much like a goddess in ‘avatar’. It wasn’t without a reason that generations has regarded Lataji as Goddess Saraswati incarnate.

Lata Didi, as the nation fondly calls her, has forever set the standards that perhaps may never be matched. Singing will never be like hers, although clones are in thousands.

Songs for every mood, every age, all seasons, festivals, celebrations, all occasions of happiness or sadness. From spiritually uplifting bhajans to soothing romantic numbers, to racy, pacy tracks, she did them all in her 73-year career as the voice of the nation.

Not a day or hour goes by when her songs are not being aired, sung by talent hunt participants, or remixed by sound engineers. remixed is not being aired or even hummed. Even for the upcoming generation, her songs are the lessons to be learnt and in musical talent shows aired on TV channels or FM radio, it is mostly her songs that are sung.

Lataji continues to live in her songs. She has been immortalised in her songs, and each time a song by her is sung, Lataji will come alive.

All her songs are iconic; each is unique in its own style. There is no one that is the best, because all are the best. Her voice gave that magical touch to Hindi movies that have always been mostly about song and dance.

Lataji is every singer’s dream, and for the masses her songs are emotions that they have grown with. Listening to her songs on the radio and TV, seeing them picturised in movies, singing them in school and college competitions, or in ‘antaksharis’, and dancing to them in wedding sangeet ceremonies, we have lived Lataji’s songs for decades. They have been a part of the growing-up years of all Indians. Lata Mangeshkar has always been there, the quintessential diet of our emotions.

“Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai … chehra ye badal jayege … meri awaaz hi pechaan hai … ghar yaad rahe” (My voice will be my identity even if the way I look changes). Gulzar sahab seemed to have written these words, which Lataji sang with Bhupinder Singh in ‘Kinara’ in 1977, inspired by her life.

Lata Didi, as the world will always remember her as, her voice and her face radiating magnanimity will never fade away.

Bollywood

‘Dhurandhar 2 Is A Pakistani Film, Why Show It To People Of Hindustan?’ Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi Slams Ranveer Singh Starrer Movie

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Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi on Friday slammed the Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar 2, calling it ‘a false film’ made to spread hatred. Azmi added that the film is about Pakistan and questioned why it is being shown to audiences in India. His statements came as the release of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ triggered fresh controversy, with religious leaders raising concerns over its content.

While speaking to media, he questioned, “This film is made only to spread hatred, it is a false film. It is a Pakistani film, so why not show it to the people of Pakistan? Why show the people of Hindustan?”

Azmi accused the film of defaming Muslims, as he alleged that the movie focuses only on a few criminals while ignoring the many major crimes that have occurred in India.

Earlier, SP MLA Rais Shaikh had criticised the film and raised concerns saying that cinema should entertain, not become a tool for propaganda. Taking to his official handle on X (Formerly Twitter), Shaikh claimed that films like Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, calling the film an agenda, not an art. “Films like #Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, repeatedly glorifying one government. This isn’t art, it’s agenda,” he wrote.

AIMIM leader Waris Pathan stated movies should ideally provide knowledge and entertainment, alleging that some filmmakers create such content for monetary gain while spreading negativity against a specific community. 

Despite the controversy, the film garnered a massive box office collection by crossing the Rs 100 crore mark on Day 1 itself. With this, the film’s total collection now stands at a staggering Rs 145.55 crore (all languages), setting the tone for a blockbuster run ahead.

During the paid previews on March 18, the film faced cancellations and delays across India. Not just this, Director Aditya Dhar also issued an apology to the audience after last-minute cancellations and delays.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar 2 is a spy action thriller that stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun. Dhurandhar 2 offers a glimpse into Ranveer’s character, undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who is fully embedded in the criminal underworld under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari. It also depicts his ascension to the role of the new Sher-e-Baloch and his ascendancy as the undisputed king of Lyari, as the actor unleashes his full intensity after eliminating Akshaye Khanna’s character, Rahman Dakait, in the first part.

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Mumbai Crime Branch Issues LOC Against Lawrence Bishnoi Aide Harry Boxer For Threatening Actor Ranveer Singh

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Harichandra alias Harry Boxer, a key alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in connection with a threat issued to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The action follows a preliminary investigation into a threatening voice note and extortion demand received by the actor’s manager, police officials confirmed, Media reported on Saturday.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the voice note was sent from an American phone number and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crore. In an earlier development, Mumbai Police sources had indicated that the actor allegedly received a death threat along with an extortion demand of Rs 10 crore from members linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

A senior police official said the threatening message was received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager. The sender identified himself as ‘Harry Boxer’ in the audio message. Following this, the Crime Branch sent the voice note for verification to agencies in Punjab and Haryana, while also initiating official communication with US authorities to gather technical details related to the foreign number used to send the threat.

During the preliminary probe, investigators found that Harry Boxer, described as a close aide of the Bishnoi gang, allegedly sent the voice note. Initial findings suggest that the voice in the message matches that of Boxer, although officials stressed that further corroborative evidence is being collected to conclusively establish his involvement.

Police sources further revealed that the threatening message was sent shortly after a recent firing incident outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty, raising concerns about a possible pattern of intimidation linked to high-profile personalities.

In response to the threat, security arrangements around Ranveer Singh’s residence in Mumbai have been tightened as a precautionary measure. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and continues to examine digital and forensic evidence related to the case.

Officials clarified that while no formal FIR has been registered so far, a preliminary inquiry is underway. Further action will be decided based on the outcome of ongoing verification and evidence collection, police confirmed.

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Actor Ranveer Singh Receives Death Threat, Rs 10 Crore Extortion Demand Linked To Bishnoi Gang

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Mumbai : Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has allegedly received a death threat and an extortion demand of Rs.10 crore from members of the Bishnoi gang, according to Mumbai Police sources.

A senior Mumbai Police official said the threat was sent via a voice note from an American number. The Crime Branch has initiated contact with the concerned agency in the United States through official protocol to obtain details about the number used to send the message.

During the preliminary investigation, the Mumbai Crime Branch found that one of the close aides of the Bishnoi gang, identified as Harry Boxer, allegedly sent the voice note threatening the actor and demanding Rs.10 crore. The voice message was reportedly received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager.

Primary findings of the Crime Branch suggest that the voice in the note matches that of Harry Boxer. However, officials said further evidence is being collected to substantiate the claim.

According to investigators, the threatening voice note was sent after the recent firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. The message was received on the manager’s mobile phone following that incident.

After the threat surfaced, security around Ranveer Singh has been tightened. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and is continuing its inquiry.Police officials clarified that no FIR has been registered in the matter so far, but a preliminary inquiry has been initiated.

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