MUMBAi: Lata Mangeshkar will present the Deenanath Mangeshkar Award (Vishesh Puraskar) to veteran Bollywood actress and Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan on 24 April. The 65-year old actress will be presented with the award for her dedicated services to Indian theatre and cinema on the death anniversary of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar.
Incidentally, Bachchan played a rising playback singer in the Hrishikesh Mukherjee helmed film Abhimaan where she played a character that was said to be modeled on the then leading songstress Lata Mangeshkar.
"I remember she (Jaya) would come for my song recordings before she began shooting for Abhimaan. During my recordings she used to stare at me and I kept wondering as to why she was doing this. When I saw the film, I noticed that she had copied my gestures, like the way I used to stand, adjust my pallu among a few other things," the singer averred.
The Master Deenanath Award, instituted in the name of Mangeshkar‘s father, recognizes service in the field of music and films.
Suresh Wadkar and Vandana Gupte will be awarded for their contribution to Marathi theatre and cinema.
Veteran musicians, artists, actors, dramatists and social workers will also be honoured by awards that will consist of a memento and cash prize of Rs 101,001.
