#RIPLataMangeshkar: 'Heartbroken' Ilaiyaraaja feels 'blessed to have known her'
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Music legend Lata Mangeshkar died due to multi-organ failure on Sunday, leaving the entire nation in mourning. Her last rites were conducted in Mumbai in the presence of her family members, Bollywood celebrities, and political leaders. Many had paid their respects via social media, too, including acclaimed music composer Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja. "Lataji holds a place in our hearts that is irreplaceable," he said.
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'I'm deeply saddened by her passing away,' noted the composer
The composer wrote, "Heartbroken, but blessed to have known her & for having worked with her," in the caption to a video he uploaded on Twitter on Sunday. "In the history of Indian film music, for the last six-seven decades, Lata ji mesmerized the world with her divine voice. I am deeply saddened by her passing away," he said in Tamil in the video.
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'Don't know how I will come out of this'
Noting how Mangeshkar's death has "left a big void in me," Ilaiyaraaja, 78, also said that he didn't know "how I will come out of this." He also shared several images with the singing legend in a follow-up tweet. Mangeshkar had voiced several songs composed by the maestro, including the famous Valai Osai Kala Kalavena track in Kamal Haasan's film Sathya.
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This is the video tribute Ilaiyaraaja left on Sunday
Heartbroken, but blessed to have known her for having worked with her.. loved this incredible voice soul... Lataji holds a place in our hearts that is irreplaceable…. That's how profoundly she has impacted our lives with her voice. pic.twitter.com/HEAWKaUTZs
— Ilaiyaraaja (@ilaiyaraaja) February 6, 2022
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Chiranjeevi, Mammootty, Mahesh Babu, Mohanlal left heartfelt tributes too
Alongside Ilaiyaraaja, multiple South Indian film celebrities paid their respects to India's Nightingale. "The vacuum due to this colossal loss can never be filled," wrote Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, while actor Mahesh Babu noted how Mangeshkar's "legacy is truly unparalleled." Malayalam star Mammootty posted, "Cinema and music will never be the same again." Similar tributes came from Mohanlal, Jr. NTR, and Allu Arjun, among others.
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Mangeshkar succumbed after contracting COVID-19 last month
The Lag Jaa Gale singer breathed her last on Sunday morning at a private hospital in Mumbai where she was undergoing treatment for nearly a month. She was hospitalized on January 8 after contracting COVID-19. Although her condition was initially stable, it deteriorated later and Mangeshkar had to be put on a ventilator. She was also battling pneumonia. May her soul rest in peace.