Aishwarya Rai in Cannes 2006

The stunning blue-eyed gal of Bollywood rocks the red carpet of Cannes Film Festival - TBT to 2006. 

Aishwarya Rai in Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

Aishwarya Rai in Jodhaa Akbar (2008) 
 

Aishwarya Rai: East or West?!

 

Aishwarya Rai in Iruvar (1997)

Aishwarya Rai, age 23, during the making of her first Tamil film, Iruvar.

Aishwarya Rai portrait by Gautam Rajadhyaksha: Published in his book Faces

Aishwarya Rai portrait by Gautam Rajadhyaksha: Published in his book Faces 
 

Aishwarya Rai in Dil Ka Rishta (2003)

 Aishwarya Rai in Dil Ka Rishta. Shot extensively in South Africa.  

Top Ten Flawless Lata Mangeshkar Songs: The definitive Lata listicle

Today, we celebrate the 91st birthday of the "Nightingale of India"; Lata Mangeshkar. 

The great one was born on September 28, 1929. 

Think it was writer/editor Dinesh Raheja who said, "In the pursuit of excellence only Lata Mangeshkar has fulfilled her journey."

One of the few singers on earth we can state has sung "innumerable" songs with a certain sense of accuracy, there is no hyperbola in that sentence. She herself has no idea how many songs she has recorded in all the Indian languages. There are too many contradicting fan and media reports online to verify the exact number hence, and ipso facto she has categorically sung innumerable songs! 

Lata Mangeshkar held the Guinness record for years (only to be beaten recently by her younger sister, the formidable Aasha Bhosle) for having recorded and sung the most number of songs. I'm sure someone online will create the precise list of all by the Mangeshkar sisters one day, but until then, here's a list of just 10 songs that are perennial favourites of many.

Our list of Top Ten faultless, flawless, fabulous (was going for alliteration there!) Hindi film songs sung by Lata Mangehkar below.  

Perfect lyrics, perfect composition, perfect orchestra, perfect sound, perfect emotions, perfect pitch... just perfect, perfect, perfect.... 

Not an iota of criticism for the songs can we fathom. The list is in no particular order as the favourite changes according to mood and moment... 

Portrait of Lata Mangeshkar below by the late, great Gautam Rajadhyaksha. Wish we had talked to him about music; the man had encyclopedic knowledge on music, among several other subjects. 

TOP TEN Lata Mangeshkar Songs... 

Movie: Junglee (1961)
Song: Ehsaan Tera hoga 
Music Director: Shankar-Jaikishan
Lyricists: Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra

Movie: Anupama (1966)
Song: Kuchh Dil Ne Kaha
Music Director: Hemant Kumar
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi

Movie: Kabhi Kabhi (1976)
Song: Kabhi kabhi mere dil main
Music Director: Khayyam
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi

 

Movie: Silsila (1976)
Song: Neela Aasmaan So gaya 
Music Director: Shiv Hari
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar 

Movie: Kabhi Kabhi (1981)
Song: Kabhi kabhi mere dil main
Music Director: Khayyam
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi

Movie: Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960)
Song: Ajeeb Daastan Hai Yeh 

Music Director: Shankar Jaikishan
Lyricist: Shailendra

Movie: Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)
Song: Lag ja Gale 

Music Director: Madan Mohan 
Lyricist: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

Movie: Abhimaan (1973)
Song: Piya Bina 

Music Director: S.D.Burman 
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Movie: Aandhi (1975)
Song: Tere bina Zindagi se Koi 
Music Director: R.D.Burman
Lyricist: Gulzar

Movie: Kinara (1977)
Song: Naam gum jayega 
Music Director: R.D.Burman 
Lyricist: Gulzar

Movie: Razia Sultan (1983)
Song: Aye dil-e-naadan 
Music Director: Khayyam
Lyricist: Jan Nisar Akhtar

Post Script: 

As we completed this ad hoc list so many songs that were left out came into mind... Any number from from the film Mera Saaya (Sachin Tendulkar's favourite is the title song), Tere Mere Honton Pe from Chandni in 1989, well, any song in that film by Lataji or Lamhe... an entire treasure trove from RK Films, B.R.Chopra films...  We really should do a Top 100... 

One day... 

Aishwarya Rai in Shakti (2002) and Aishwarya Rai in Hum Panchi ek Daal ke (2003)

Aishwarya Rai in Shakti (2002) and Aishwarya Rai in Hum Panchi ek Daal ke (2003) - unreleased. 

Such similar styling, makeup, accessories... 

Madhuri Dixit by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Today, 16 September is the birth anniversary of one of India's greatest photographers, Gautam Rajadhyaksha. 

He did exquisite portraits of every major star, but his definitive muse was 'the' Madhuri Dixit. Easily all her best portraits were by him and him alone. Not only did she smile beatifically for him, the beautiful actress morphed herself as a model for his lens, as he experimented with light, look, mood and movement. 

When Gautam da died unexpectedly at age 60 back in 2011, she was away in the US and couldn't attend his funeral. When she was finally back in India, she paid rich tribute to him at an event during the Marathi book launch of Faces. 

RIP Gautam da. You were simply the best.... 

Classic Portraits of Bollywood Beauties by the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha

The fact that the gaudy 80s brought to the forefront the sophisticated portraiture of the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha is a miracle in itself. Some of his classic portraits below of the definitive leading ladies of Indian cinema; from the extraordinary Aishwarya Rai to the classic south Indian beauty Hema Malini, the soft lens dream that is Madhuri Dixit to the late great Smita Patil and ethereal Kareena Kapoor's earlist photosessions... No one captured the most beautiful women in India like Gautam da. 

Can't believe he left us nine years ago today. Time stood still... and yet it flew by. 

RIP Gautam Rajadhyaksha.