Himesh Reshammiya opens up on Lata Mangeshkar's views on Ranu Mondal

Mumbai: Singer-composer-actor Himesh Reshammiya has said netizens have misunderstood Lata Mangeshkar's views on Ranu Mondal, adding that it is important for an artiste to draw inspiration from someone.

"I feel we have to see in which connotation Lata ji has made that statement. I feel when you start copying another singer then it doesn't work that well. But I also feel that taking inspiration from someone else is really important," said Himesh, during the launch of a new song on Wednesday.

Singer Ranu Mondal also attended the event.

Himesh added: "Kumar Sanu always tells that he is inspired by Kishore Kumar. Similarly, we all are inspired by people in some way or the other. When I started singing songs in high pitch then people criticised me, terming it as nasal singing. But if you look at the international scene, it has become a common trait."

Himesh and Ranu were interacting with the media at the launch of a new song from the upcoming film "Happy Hardy And Heer". The song is titled "Teri meri kahaani", and is sung by Ranu.

Present at the event were also producers Deepshikha Deshmukh and Kumar Taurani, and Himesh's wife Sonia Kapoor.

Ranu Mondal, who has now recorded three tracks for Bollywood singer-composer Himesh Reshammiya, became an overnight social media sensation after a video of her singing Lata Mangeshkar's soulful number "Ek pyaar ka nagma hai" at Ranaghat railway platform went viral on the internet.

The video has paved the way for her phenomenal rise from a street singer to a debutante playback singer in Bollywood. Melody queen Lata Mangeskhar's reaction to Ranu Mondal, stating that the internet sensation should "be original", has disappointed many fans and social media users, who feel the legendary singer could have been "more gracious".

Praising Ranu, Himesh said: "I feel Ranu ji is born with certain kind of talent and she has been inspired by Lata ji. I don't feel anybody can become a legend like Lata ji. She is the best. Ranu ji has started her own beautiful journey and I feel that people misunderstood Lata ji's statement. I feel she told Ranu ji that it's good to get inspired but you shouldn't copy anyone's voice and I don't feel that Ranu ji has copied anyone's voice."

Himesh Reshammiya is returning to the big screen with a double role in the film "Happy Hardy And Heer". In the film, Himesh plays Harpreet Singh Lamba a.k.a. Happy, who travels to Europe from Punjab with his lady love Heer, and Harshvardhan Bhatt a.k.a Hardy, a rich Gujarati businessman who completes the love triangle.