Lata and Mukesh sang almost 152 duets together in Hindi films.

The bulk of Mukesh-Lata duets

were composed by Shankar Jaikishan (34 duets), Laxmikant Pyarelal (29) and Kalyanji Anand Ji
(20). Together these three music directors composed 54% of the total Lata/Mukesh duets.
Shankar Jaikishan gave Lata/Mukesh the maximum number of duets and most of these duets
remain popular even today. Both Lata and Mukesh sang for Shankar Jaikishans debut film
Barsaat (1949) which was a superhit. Also Lata, Mukesh, Shanker and Jaikishan were part of
films made by Raj Kapoor Banner and that explains the strong collaboration between these
legends.

Lata on Mukesh
We shared a lot of love and respect and looked out for one another especially if either of us made
a mistake. Sometimes a singer can make a mistake or forget a song word. We reassured each
other by saying: `Never mind, it will be all right.
Mukesh Bhaiya had this habit of clearing his throat in the middle of singing. I used to pull his
leg: What, Mukesh Bhaiya? Why do you keep doing that? And the poor fellow hurriedly said:
Sorry, Didi. I wont do it again. I smiled and told him I was only joking.
Sometimes when we were recording and a musician played a solo piece slightly off key, Mukesh
Bhaiya would turn to me and say: `Who is copying me?
There was a lot of affection between us. I would visit his house and spend time with his family
and his three children, Nitin, Rita and Neelu. When Nitin was very young, he sometimes
accompanied his father to the recordings.
It was Mukesh Bhaiya who introduced me to Naushad Ali. One day he came to Nanachowk and
said: Didi, come with me. I want to take you to Naushad Sahib because he wants you to sing
for him. I recorded some songs for composer Shyam Sundars film Lahore and I believe
Naushad Sahib had heard them.
I was singing for a number of film composers by the late 40s. When I would meet a composer
with whom I hadnt previously worked, he would invariably ask me to sing. The one thing I
disliked was auditioning. I had sung at so many classical music concerts with my father and

somehow felt auditioning was humiliating. So, from the outset I told Mukesh Bhaiya: I wont
audition for Naushad Sahib or any other composer. If they want me, then I will record the song.
Mukesh Bhaiya replied: All right. Lets at least go and talk to him.
We went to Kardar Studio and met Naushad Sahib. Ghulam Mohammed Sahib was working as
his assistant then and he was there too. Perhaps Mukesh Bhaiya had already warned them I
disliked auditioning. When I was introduced to Naushad Sahib, he cleverly said: `Latabai, I have
heard you mentioned many times. I hear you sing very well. Id like to hear you but dont think
youre on trial. Nothing of the sort. But why not sing a ghazal? So I sang Umeed ke rangeen
jhoole mein ek aas bandhaaye jaati hai from Lahore. It didnt take me long to figure out
Naushad Sahib just wanted to hear my Urdu pronunciation because he was going to ask me to
sing for Andaaz. He heard me sing the ghazal and was pleased.
Song

Film

Year

Music Director

AB YAAD NA KAR BHOOL JA AE

DIL

ANOKHA PYAR

1948

Anil Biswas

YAAD RAKHNA CHAND TARON

IS SUHANI

ANOKHA PYAR

1948

Anil Biswas

AB DARNE KI KOI BAAT NAHI

MAJBOOR

1948

Ghulam Haider

CHHOD GAYE BALAM MUJHE

HAAY AKELA

BARSAAT

1949

Shanker
Jaikishan

YE DUNIYA HAI,YANHA DIL KA

SHAIR

1949

Ghulam Mohd

RAKHA HU NISHANE PE DIL BHI

HANSTE AANSU

1950

Ghulam Mohd

JAMANE KA DASTUR HAI YE

PURANA

LAJAWAB

1950

Anil Biswas

JO DIL HI TODNA THA KYON

DIYA

SARTAJ

1950

Husnlal
Bhagatram

ARMAN BHARA DIL TOOT GAYA WAFA

1950

Vinod

DUM BHAR JO UDHAR MUNH

FERE

AAWARA

1951

Shanker
Jaikishan

KAHE NAINO MEIN KAJRA

BHARO

BADI BAHU

1951

Anil Biswas

PYAR KI RAH PAR KYA

BHATKNE KA

BADI BAHU

1951

Anil Biswas

EK BAAR AGAR TU KAH DE

MALHAR

1951

Roshan

KAHAN HO TUM JARA AAVAZ

DO

MALHAR

1951

Roshan

BADE ARMANO SE RAKHA HAI

BALAM

MALHAR

1951

Roshan

SAPNO MEIN AANA CHHED

SHISHAM

1952

Roshan

CHHED JANA
AAJA RE, AB MERA DIL PUKARA AAH

1953

Shanker
Jaikishan

JANE NA NAJAR PEHCHANE

JIGAR

AAH

1953

Shanker
Jaikishan

DEKHO JI DEKHO EK BAR IS

TARAF

AAS

1953

Shanker
Jaikishan

ICHAK DANA BICHAK DANA

SHRI 420

1955

Shanker
Jaikishan

NIKAL PADEN HAIN KHULI

SADAK PAR

SHRI 420

1955

Shanker
Jaikishan

RAMAIYA VASTA
VAIYA,RAMAIYA VASTA

SHRI 420

1955

Shanker
Jaikishan

JIS DIN SE MELE TUM HUM

LALKAR

1956

Sanmukh Babu

YE WADA KARO CHAND KE

SAMNE

RAJ HATH

1956

Shanker
Jaikishan

BADALON KIDIL HAIN

BEQARAR

JALTI NISHANI

1957

Anil Biswas

MEENI MEENI CHI CHI,DUNIYA

MEN

KATHPUTLI

1957

Shanker
Jaikishan

KYA SAATH MERA DOGE TUM

PYAR

SAMUNDAR

1957

Madan Mohan

DIL TADAP TADAP KE KAH RAHA

MADHUMATI
AA

1958

Salil Chaudary

WOH CHAND CHAMKA VO NUR

CHHALKA

SON OF SINDBAD

1958

Chitragupta

DIL KI NAJAR SE NAJARO KI DIL

SE

ANARI

1959

Shanker
Jaikishan

WOH CHAND KHILA VO TAARE

HANSE

ANARI

1959

Shanker
Jaikishan

EK RAAT MEIN DO DO CHAND

KHILE

BARKHA

1959

Chitragupta

1959

Madan Mohan

TUM CHAL RAHE HO HUM CHAL

DUNIYA NA MANE
RAHE
YE SHAMA YE KHUSI KUCHH
BOLO JI

GHAR GHAR KE BAAT 1959

Kalyanji
Anandji

TUM SE KUCHH KAHNA HAI

GUEST HOUSE

1959

Chitragupta

NE BALEYE RUT HAI BAHAR KI

KANHAIYA

1959

Shanker
Jaikishan

DIL LUTNE WALE JADUGAR AB

MADARI

1959

Kalyanji
Anandji

ZAMI PE CHANDINI KA NOOR

MADARI

1959

Kalyanji
Anandji

NAZAR NAZAR SE HO RAHI HAI

MAIN NASHE MEIN

HUN

1959

Shanker
Jaikishan

NAIN DWAAR SE MAN MEIN VO

AAKE

SAWAN

1959

Hansraj Behl

DUNIYA WALO SE DOOR JALNE

WALO

UJALA

1959

Shanker
Jaikishan

CHANDA RE MORI PATIYA LEJA

BANJARIN

1960

Pardesi

TERE MAN MERA MAN MELE

PREET

CHANDRA MUKHI

1960

S.N. Tripathi

MERE JAAN KUCHH BHI KIJIYE

CHHALIA

1960

Kalyanji
Anandji

YE VADA KARE HUM JAHAN BHI DIL BHI TERA HUM

RAHEN
BHI TERE

1960

Kalyanji
Anandji

MILTE MILTE MIL HI GAYE

DO AADAMI

1960

S.N. Tripathi

AANKHO MEIN RANG KYON

AAYA

EK PHOOL CHAAR
KANTE

1960

Shanker
Jaikishan

NAZRON SE AAJ DIL MEIN

SAMANE

GAMBLER

1960

Chitragupta

MERE KHWABON MEIN

KHAYALO MEIN

HONEYMOON

1960

Salil Chaudary

AA AB LAUT CHALE,NAIN
BICHAYE

JIS DESH MEIN

GANGA B..H.

1960

Shanker
Jaikishan

BEGANI SHADI MEIN ABDULLAH

JIS DESH MEIN

GANGA B..H.

1960

Shanker
Jaikishan

HAI AAG HAMARE SEENE MEIN

JIS DESH MEIN

GANGA B..H.

1960

Shanker
Jaikishan

CHALO CHALEN DIL LE CHALE

JAHAN

MISS GOODNIGHT

1960

Hansraj Behl

TERI SOKH NAZAR KA ISARA

PATANG

1960

Chitragupta

DILLI HAI DIL HINDUSTAN KA

PATANG

1960

Chitragupta

LAGI TUMSE LAGAN SATHI

CHHUTE NA

SARANGA

1960

Sardar Malik

O BEEN WALE,TEEN SUR TERE

BEEN

SINHAL DWEEP KI
SUNDARI

1960

S.N. Tripathi

THANE KAJALIYA BANA LOON

VEER DURGA DAS

1960

S.N. Tripathi

TUM RUTHI RAHO MAIN

MANATA

AAS KA PANCHHI

1961

Shanker
Jaikishan

CHADE CHANDA TO TUM BHI

CHALE

APLAM CHAPLAM

1961

Chitragupta

DIL SE DIL KI DOOR BANDHE

CHHAYA

1961

Salil Chaudary

JAWAN MOHABAT HASIN

AANKHON

HAMARI YAAD
AAYEGI

1961

Snehal Bhatkar

SOCHATA HOON YE KYA KIYA

MAINE

HAMARI YAAD
AAYEGI

1961

Snehal Bhatkar

SUN MORE RASIYA SUN MAN

BASIYA

MADAN MANJARI

1961

Sardar Malik

MAIN JAANTI HOON TUM JHUTH MEM DIDI

1961

Salil Chaudary

BIKHRA KE JULFE CHAMAN

MEIN NA

NAZRANA

1961

Ravi Shanker

DEKHO MAUSAM KYA BAHAR

HAI

OPERA HOUSE

1961

Chitragupta

NA MILTE HUM TO KAHO TUM

OPERA HOUSE

1961

Chitragupta

TERI NIGAHON NE HAMEN MAAR

PYASE PANCHHI
DALA

1961

Kalyanji
Anandji

EK MANJIL RAHI DO PHIR PYAR

NA

SANJOG

1961

Madan Mohan

APNI ULFAT PE ZAMANE KA NA

SASURAL

1961

Shanker
Jaikishan

NAINO MEIN KYO AAN BASE DO

WARRANT

1961

Roshan

O SHAMA MUJHE PHOONK DE

MAIN NA

AASHIQ

1962

Shanker
Jaikishan

MAHTAB TERA CHEHRA KIS

KHAWAB

AASHIQ

1962

Shanker
Jaikishan

IBTDAYE ISQ MAIN HUM SARI

RAAT

HARIYALI AUR
RAASTA

1962

Shanker
Jaikishan

LAKHO TARE AASMAN MEIN EK

MAGAR

HARIYALI AUR
RAASTA

1962

Shanker
Jaikishan

DOOR BAHUT AABADI SE ISQ KI

JHOOLA

1962

Salil Chaudary

MAINE KAHA AJI MAINE KAHA

MAA BETA

1962

Hemant Kumar

AJI DEKHO JARA TO KYA

MOUSAM

MAYA JAAL

1962

S.N. Tripathi

DO ANKHIYAN JHUKI JHUKI SI

PREM PATRA

1962

Salil Chaudary

SAINYA CHHOOD DE BAINYA

RAKHI

1962

Ravi Shanker

MERI
HUM TUM YE KHOI KHOI
RAAHEN

RUNGOLI

1962

Shanker
Jaikishan

MAIN KHUS NASEEB HUN

MUJHKO

TOWER HOUSE

1962

Ravi Shanker

TUMHARI MAST NAJAR GAR

IDHAR

DIL HI TO HAI

1963

Roshan

AISA NAHI HOON AJI MAIN AISA MUMMY DADDY

1963

Chitragupta

TUMSE NAZAR KUCHH AISI MILI MUMMY DADDY

1963

Chitragupta

CHORI CHORI JO TUMSE MILI

PARAS MANI

1963

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

TUJHE CHAAND KAHUN YA

PHOOL

SUNAHRI NAAGIN

1963

Kalyanji
Anandji

JARA SAMBHALNA MERI JAA

APNI

AAYA TOOFAN

1964

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

JUMME KI RAAT HO YA DIN

JUMERAAT

DULHA DULHAN

1964

Kalyanji
Anandji

BANE TO BAN JAAYE JAMANA

DUSMAN

DULHA DULHAN

1964

Kalyanji
Anandji

MUJHE KAHTE HAI KALLU

QAWWAL

DULHA DULHAN

1964

Kalyanji
Anandji

AA TU AA JARA DIL MEIN AA

PHOOLON KI SEJ

1964

Adi Narayan
Rao

O MERE SANAM,O MERE SANAM

SANGAM
DO

1964

Shanker
Jaikishan

HAR DIL JO PYAR KAREGA VO

GANA

SANGAM

1964

Shanker
Jaikishan

ZINDAGI KA AJAB FASANA HAI

CHHOTI CHHOTI
BAATEN

1965

Anil Biswas

BAHARON THAM LO AB DIL

MERA

NAMASTE JI

1965

G.S. Kohli

TUM KAHAN LE CHALE HO

SAJAN

POONAM KI RAAT

1965

Salil Chaudary

SAPNO MEIN MERE KOI AAYE

JAAYE

POONAM KI RAAT

1965

Salil Chaudary

HUMSAFAR MERE HUMSAFAR

PANKH

POORNIMA

1965

Kalyanji
Anandji

PYAR KA FASANA BANA LE DIL

TEESARA KAUN

1965

R.D. Burman

HUM JI LENGE BIN TUMHARE

DILLAGI

1966

Laxmikant

Pyarelal
KYUN JHUKI JHUKI HAI PALKEN CHHAILA BABU

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

HUM TO TERE AASIQ HAIN

SADIYON

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

BOL GORI BOL TERA KAUN PIYA MILAN

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

SAWAN KA MAHINA PAWAN

KARE SHOR

MILAN

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

HUM TUM YUG YUG SE YE GEET

MILAN
I

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

HUM TUM YUG YUG SE YE GEET

MILAN
II

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

MEHBOOB MERE,MEHBOOB
MERE TU HAI

PATTHAR KE SANAM

1967

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

DIL SAMBHALE SAMBHALE

SAMBHALTA

RAAZ

1967

Kalyanji
Anandji

HUM SAFAR AB YE SAFAR KAT

JUARI

1968

Kalyanji
Anandji

PHOOL TUMHE BHEJA HAI KHAT

SARSWATI CHANDRA 1968
MEIN

Kalyanji
Anandji

HAAY BUJHO BUJHO,VO KAUN

HAI VO

ANJAANA

1969

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

JE HUM TUM CHORI SE BANDHE

IK

DHARTI KAHE PUKAR

1969
KE

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

FARZ

DALENGE RANG DALENGE APNA MERA DOST

1969

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

DIL MEIN EJI DIL MEIN KOI

1969

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

KISI RAAH MEIN KISI MOOD PAR MERE HUM SAFAR

1970

Kalyanji
Anandji

KARLE DIL KI BAAT,KARLE DIL

KI

PEHCHAN

1970

Shanker
Jaikishan

RUBI O RUBI JANE MAHBUBI

CHAHAT

1971

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

MAIN KISE APNA KAHUN,AAJ

MERA KOI

EK THI REETA

1971

Jaidev

SURAJ SE JO KIRAN KA NATA

HANGAMA

1971

R.D. Burman

JHOOM KE GAAYE DIL ZINDAGI

JAL BIN MACHLI

1971

Laxmikant

MERI BHABHI

HUMSE

N.B.B.

Pyarelal

BAAT HAI EK BOOND SI DIL KE

JAL BIN MACHLI

N.B.B.

1971

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

AE MERI AANKHO KE PAHLE

(HAPPY)

MAN MANDIR

1971

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

AE MERI AANKHO KE PAHLE

(SAD)

MAN MANDIR

1971

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

TERE HONTHO KE DO PHOOL

PYARE

PARAS

1971

Kalyanji
Anandji

YE RAAKHI BUNDHAN HAI AISA

BEIMAAN

1972

Shanker
Jaikishan

HO NAINA TERE NAINA BAAT

BATATE

EK BECHARA

1972

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

DO KADAM TUM BHI CHALO DO

KADAM

EK HASINA DO
DIWANE

1972

Kalyanji
Anandji

DHERE DHERE BOL KOI SUN NA

LE

GORA AUR KALA

1972

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

EK PYAR KA NUGMA HAI

SHOR

1972

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

PAANI RE PAANI TERA RANG

KAISA

SHOR

1972

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

AASMA PE CHANDINI KA EK
DARIYA

RAJA RANI

1973

R.D. Burman

HONI TO HO KE RAHE,ANHONI
NA HOY

SURAJ AUR CHANDA

1973

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

KAHIN KARTI HOGI VO MERA

INTZAAR

PHIR KAB MILOGI

1974

R.D. Burman

USNE KAHA TUMAHNGAI

MAAR GAYI

ROTI KAPADA AUR

MAKAN

1974

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

MAIN NA BHULONGA,MAIN NA
BHULONGI

ROTI KAPADA AUR

MAKAN

1974

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

BAAGON MEIN YE KAISE

CHUPKE CHUPKE

1975

S.D. Burman

YAAD RAHEGA PYAR KA YE

RANGEEN

OMAR QAID

1975

Sonik Omi

KAHA AAPKA YAHAPHOOL

AAHISTA

PREM KAHANI

1975

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

KARM KIYE JA PHAL KI ICCHHA

MAT

SANYASI

1975

Shanker
Jaikishan

CHAL SANYASI MANDIR MEIN

SANYASI

1975

Shanker

Jaikishan
BALI UMARIYA BHAJAN KARUN
KAISE

SANYASI

1975

Shanker
Jaikishan

SUN BAAL BRUMHACHARI MAIN

SANYASI
HOON

1975

Shanker
Jaikishan

KAHI SAAWANBHEEGI BHEEGI

SUNEHRA SANSAR
HAWA

1975

Naushad

MUJHE DURD RAHTA HAI

DUS NUMBARI

1976

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

KABHI KABHIE MERE DIL MEIN

KABHI KABHIE

1976

Khaiyyam

DEKH KE TUMKO DIL DOLA HAI

AMAR AKBAR
ANTHONY

1977

Laxmikant
Pyarelal

KUCHH AISE BUNDHAN HOTE

HAIN

FARISHTA YA QATIL

1977

Kalyanji
Anandji

PYAR KA BUNDHAN KHOON KA

NATA I

KHEL KHILARI KA

1977

Kalyanji
Anandji

YE NA JAANE LAKIN INKI RUG II KHEL KHILARI KA

1977

Kalyanji
Anandji

MAIN TO NAHI JAAUNGI,TUM

KITNA

Unreleased ?

BAHADUR JISKA
NAAM