{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "When Lata Mangeshkar Refused A Song, Asha Bhosle Recorded It For Five Times The Fee And Made It Immortal",
  "summary": "Lata Mangeshkar refused to sing a sensuous song from the 1964 film Rajkumar, which Asha Bhosle later recorded after charging five times the fee, and the film went on to become a massive box office hit.",
  "content": "In the 1960s, Shammi Kapoor ruled the big screen with his free spirited dancing style and mischievous acting. His 1964 film Rajkumar is still remembered today for a song that Lata Mangeshkar flatly refused to sing, an episode that has become one of Bollywood's most talked about behind the scenes stories. Whenever the golden era of Hindi cinema and its music comes up, Rajkumar is remembered along with this very anecdote. The film itself went on to become one of the biggest hits of that year.\n\nThe Story Behind The Story\nRajkumar was directed by K. Shankar and was conceived as a full blown musical. But its writing credits carried an interesting dispute. The original story was written by Manmohan Desai, while the screenplay and dialogues came from the pen of Ramanand Sagar. Sagar altered the original story so extensively that he wanted the story credit for himself as well, but the producer did not agree, and the story credit remained with Manmohan Desai. Interestingly, both writers went on to make a big name for themselves in their own right. Manmohan Desai later made blockbuster masala films like Dharam Veer, Parvarish and Amar Akbar Anthony, while Ramanand Sagar created the timeless television series Ramayan in 1987.\n\nWhen Lata Mangeshkar Said No\nThe biggest strength of Rajkumar was its music, composed by Shankar Jaikishan with lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. Almost every song in the film became a sensation, but one particular track created quite a stir on set. The song was Dilruba Dil Pe Tu Ye Sitam Kiye Ja, written in an extremely sensuous style. When it was played for Lata Mangeshkar, she outright refused to record it. Shankar Jaikishan then approached Asha Bhosle, who agreed to sing the song but on the condition that she would charge five times the fee Lata Mangeshkar would have been paid. When Shammi Kapoor was told about this, he read the lyrics himself and said Asha Bhosle's demand was fair given how sensuous the song was, and that she should be paid whatever she was asking. The song was eventually recorded in the voices of Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.\n\nA Soundtrack Full Of Hits\nReleased on 20 October 1964, Rajkumar saw audiences fall in love with the pairing of Shammi Kapoor and Sadhana. Nearly every song from the film topped the charts. Jaanewale Zara Hoshiyar, Tumne Kisi Ki Jaan Ko Jaate Hue Dekha Hai and Is Rang Badalti Duniya Mein were all recorded in Mohammed Rafi's voice and were widely loved. Tumne Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aaye featured Mohammed Rafi alongside Suman Kalyanpur. Lata Mangeshkar, meanwhile, lent her voice to Aaja Aai Bahar, which went on to become the film's most iconic and evergreen song.\n\nA Tale Of Palace Intrigue And Comedy\nThe story of Rajkumar combined royal grandeur with generous doses of comedy. Shammi Kapoor's real life father, Prithviraj Kapoor, also appeared in the film, playing his father on screen as well. In the story, Shammi Kapoor's character returns home after finishing his studies in Paris and begins behaving strangely. In reality, Raj Kumar already knows that his stepmother Manorama and army chief Narpat Singh, played by Pran, are plotting against the palace. To mislead his enemies, he deliberately acts like an eccentric man. Om Prakash also played a significant role in the film.\n\nFilmed Amid The Forests Of Ooty\nMuch of Rajkumar was shot around Chennai, amid the dense forests and waterfalls of Ooty. The film's most popular song, Aaja Aai Bahar, was filmed on the banks of a lake in Ooty. Lata Mangeshkar's voice made the song immortal, while Shammi Kapoor brought the romance alive on screen purely through his expressive eyes and face.\n\nA Massive Hit At The Box Office\nRajkumar cost around Rs 75 lakh to make, and the film earned Rs 1.5 crore, several times its budget. It was a massive hit by the standards of that era and ranked fifth on the list of the highest grossing films of 1964. The year's top grosser, however, was Raj Kapoor's Sangam. Even so, 1964 belonged to Shammi Kapoor as a solo lead star, since another of his films that year, Kashmir Ki Kali, was also a massive hit.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis story has no direct effect on daily life or money, but it will interest fans of classic Bollywood music.\n\n• For music lovers: this anecdote involving Shankar Jaikishan, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle is a good reason to revisit the songs of Rajkumar.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. When was Rajkumar released?\nThe film was released on 20 October 1964.\n\n2. Who directed Rajkumar?\nThe film was directed by K. Shankar.\n\n3. Which song did Lata Mangeshkar refuse to sing?\nShe refused to sing Dilruba Dil Pe Tu Ye Sitam Kiye Ja because it was extremely sensuous.\n\n4. Who eventually sang the song?\nThe song was recorded in the voices of Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.\n\n5. How much extra fee did Asha Bhosle charge for the song?\nShe charged five times the fee that Lata Mangeshkar would have been paid.\n\n6. Who wrote the story and screenplay of Rajkumar?\nThe original story was written by Manmohan Desai, while the screenplay and dialogues were written by Ramanand Sagar.\n\n7. What were the budget and earnings of Rajkumar?\nThe film was made on a budget of around Rs 75 lakh and earned Rs 1.5 crore.\n\n8. Which was the highest grossing film of 1964?\nThe year's top grosser was Raj Kapoor's Sangam, while Rajkumar ranked fifth on that list.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/bollywood/jaba-lata-mangeshkar-ne-thukara-diya-gana-asha-bhosle-ne-pancha-guna-dama-para-gakara-banaya-evaragrina-hita-5437",
  "category": "Bollywood",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-07",
  "tags": [
    "Rajkumar movie",
    "Shammi Kapoor",
    "Lata Mangeshkar",
    "Asha Bhosle",
    "Shankar Jaikishan",
    "Bollywood classic",
    "1964 films"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}