When Lata Mangeshkar refused to accept the Filmfare Award trophy as it had a naked lady

Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar passed away on February 6, 2022. She remains one of the most iconic figures of Indian cinema whose contribution transcends boundaries. In an illustrious and unparalleled career of over seven decades, she left an unforgettable mark on the landscape of music and movies.

However, in 1958, when she was being awarded the Filmfare award (Best Singer) for her film Madhumati, she declined the offer as it had a naked lady as the trophy was a naked lady. It was only after the organisers covered the black trophy with a piece of cloth the legendary singer accepted the award. She was also awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993,  Filmfare Special Awards in 1994 and 2004.

Hailed as the ‘Queen of Melody’ and the ‘Nightingale of India’, Lata Mangeshkar ruled the Indian music industry for decades and her contribution remains unbeatable.

In a career spanning over seven decades, Mangeshkar sang around 25,000 songs in as many as 36 Indian languages including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Tamil.

The Bharat Ratna awardee tested positive for coronavirus with mild symptoms and was admitted on 8 January, 2022, to Breach Candy Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), where she was being treated by Dr Pratit Samdani and his team of doctors.

Her condition had improved in January and she was taken off the ventilator, but her health deteriorated. As soon as the news of her sad demise spread across, Bollywood stars took to social media to mourn the loss. Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal were among the first ones to react to the news.