"I was standing between greatness on both sides of me," said Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, recounting his unforgettable experience of witnessing ace music composer AR Rahman and late legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar record the song "Luka Chuppi" for his film Rang De Basanti. Mehra shared that Mangeshkar insisted on standing for hours while recording the song and traveled to Rahman's home city Chennai specifically to record it. Speaking to O2India, Mehra revealed Mangeshkar's dedication and her meticulous approach to rehearsing the song before recording it. He said, "Lata ji rehearsed the song—that is her greatness. She called me and asked if she could go to Chennai to record the song. I told her that Rahman would fly to Mumbai to record it with her, but she insisted on going to Chennai. She told me, 'It is good if I go to his space.' That is how humble she was. She went three days in advance, and from the airport, she went straight to the studio. AR Rahman received her, and she listened to the composition. She asked for the song to be given to her on a cassette so she could rehearse it." He continued, "When she came for the recording on the fourth day, she insisted on standing while singing the song. She began singing and jamming with Rahman. She refused to sit down for the next 8 to 10 hours and stood until the song was completed." Reflecting on Lata Mangeshkar's passing in 2022 and her unparalleled legacy, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra expressed, "Where has Lata Mangeshkar gone? She has gone nowhere. She was with us even before I was born, and long after I am gone, Lata Mangeshkar will still be here. She lives forever. She really makes you believe in immortality." Rang De Basanti was a massive box office success and became India’s official entry to the 79th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
