Tabassum Says Lata Mangeshkar's Song Bachpan Ke Din Made Her Childhood Immortal

Veteran TV and film personality Tabassum, expressed grief after the passing of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. During a recent interaction, the 77-year-old actress revealed that she was extremely devastated on hearing the news. She recalled working with the late singer and said that she felt grateful and fortunate for the chance.

Calling Lata Mangeshkar the 'Melody Queen' she said, "I am fortunate enough that I knew her since the 1940s. There is no other personality in this film industry who is associated with her for such a long period. In today's date, if we see, from our film industry, there was one Dilip Kumar who belonged to that 40s era, another one was Lata ji and I am the third one."

Saddened by Lata ji's demise, Tabassum added, "It's very sad as one of the irreplaceable personalities of our nation has left us forever. Legends will be there but we won't get someone like Lata Mangeshkar again. Lata ji ek hi thi, ek hi hai aur hamesha ek hi rahegi (Lata ji was, is and will be the only one)."

Tabassum also praised Lataji for her humility and admiration. She shared an incident while working together in 1949 for a film called Badi Behen. She said Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Begum were also present for a song recording for the film and Lata Mangeshkar was the new girl at the time. "I have a clear memory of Lata ji seeking blessings from both of them. That showed her humility and admiration towards the elder people," she added.

The veteran actress often referred to as baby Tabassum revealed that it is thanks to Lata ji's singing. Lata ji had voiced the song 'Bachpan ke din bhula na dena, aaj hase kal rula na dena' from the 1951 Deedar for Tabassum. "Lata ji has made my childhood immortal with this song. Despite being 77 years old, people still call me baby Tabassum (chuckles) even now, while some address me as senior citizen baby Tabassum," she concluded.