Did you know Lata Mangeshkar once refused to accept Filmfare award; here's what happened next

First Published Jan 20, 2022, 7:00 AM IST

Lata Mangeshkar once denied an award because the statue was 'naked', yes, it happened

Image: Getty Images

Veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital and is undergoing treatment for Covid-19 and pneumonia. The 92-year-old singer's spokesperson told the media that she is recovering now and her health is stable. 
 

Lata Mangeshkar, fondly known as India's nightingale, has received many awards from Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, Dadasaheb Phalke Award. She also received Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan and multiple National Film Awards through the years. 
 

Lata Mangeshkar is famous for iconic songs like 'Aye Mere Vatan Ke Logon', 'Aayegaa Aanewala', and 'Babul Pyare'. In 1974, the Guinness Book of Records ranked her as the most recorded artist in history. She sang over 25,000 songs in 20 Indian languages in her eight-decade-long career. 
 

Long back, in 1958, during the Filmfare award ceremony, Bimal Roy's Madhumanti won 9 awards. Lata Mangeshkar, who won Best Playback Singer Female for the film, refused the award. 
 

Lata Mangeshkar got an award for her song Aaja Re Pardesi from Bollywood film Madhumanti featuring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. And when the singer was called on stage to accept the award, Lata refused to take her first Filmfare trophy. 
 

Everyone present at the event was surprised by her decision. And when the singer was asked why she decided this, she said that the Filmfare award trophy is of a woman posing naked. Hence she cannot accept it.
 

Later, understanding Lata Mangeshkar's situation, organisers finally covered the award with a handkerchief and presented it to the singer. In the past, the singer has won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, two Filmfare Special Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award since then.

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