Lata Mangeshkar, Sivaji Ganesan, Ilayaraja and 'Valayosai'

The duet, with the male part sung by SPB, is one of the greatest musical hits of Tamil cinema

Lata Mangeshkar regarded the colossus of Tamil cinema, late Sivaji Ganesan (1927-2001), as her elder brother and not only the duo, but their families too shared a strong bond of friendship.

The Indian nightingale would never be forgotten by the Tamil people for her Valayosai romantic number, a maestro Ilayaraja musical in Kamal Haasan starrer 1988 flick Sathya. A duet by SP Balasubrahmanyam (SPB) and Lata Mangeshkar, its popularity has not faded even after decades.

Entertainment industry tracker M Bharat Kumar told PTI, "The pleasant mix of low and medium pitches by Lata ji perfectly suited the romantic theme of Valayosai song and absolutely, it is a mesmerising rendition by her. While her diction was stunning, her sweet voice made that song a quintessential romantic number, excellent in every respect."

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SPB played his role brilliantly with the marvellous music composition by Ilayaraja and great choice of smart, rhyming words by ace lyricist Vaali and the energy shown by Kamal Haasan and Amala on-screen made the Valayosai song an "everlasting duet," he said.

Although Lata Mangeshkar had sung Tamil songs right from the 1950s, they were for a couple of Tamil remakes of Hindi films and were not much noticed, the film critic said. "Her first song in a Tamil movie happened in 1987 and it was Sivaji Production's Prabhu-starrer Anand and music was composed by Ilayaraja," Bharat said. "The lyrics were by Gangai Amaran and the Aararo song was such a fantastic melody and it was Lata Mangeshkar's first song in Tamil."

While Sivaji Ganesan's family was instrumental in making her sing a Tamil song for the first time, Ilayaraja played a key role in making it happen, he said. "The Engirundho Azhaikkum song in the 1988 movie En Jeevan Paduthu was also a melody and music was again by Ilayaraja. So, the role of the maestro Ilayaraja is unmissable. After that, she did not sing for any Tamil flick. Her collaboration with ace music composer AR Rahman is noteworthy."

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On Lata's bond with Sivaji Ganesan and his family, the legendary yesteryear star's son Ram Kumar said the iconic singer regarded his father as her elder brother. She was a family friend and remained in touch with them all along, he told reporters. Every year, she used to send gifts for Deepavali to the family and similarly, his father had the practice of sending 'seervarisai' (term to refer to traditional gifts given to a sister by a brother) to her, Kumar, a film producer said.

Even after his father's death and according to his wishes, the bond between the two families continued, he said. Ram Kumar recalled that his father Ganesan was a huge fan of Lata Mangeshkar's songs with Aye mere watan ke logon and Raina beeti jaye among the favourites of both his father and his.

Bharat said their friendship began after the iconic singer watched Ganesan's Paava Mannippu (1961), with Lata and her siblings noticing that the actor resembled their father, Deenanath Mangeshkar. Soon, she and her family members flew to Chennai and visited Sivaji Ganesan and Lata tied him a 'rakhi' and thus began their "friendship forever" and this is well known, he said.