But my current favourites are Nainon mein badra chaye (Mera Saaya), Zara si aahat hoti hai and Khelo na mere dil se (Haqeeqat) and Aaj socha to aansoon bhar aaye (Hanste Zakhm), More naina bahaye neer (Bawarchi) and Hum hain mataye (Dastak).
Even his light love song like Chadi re chadi (Mausam) was so good. People love Aap ki nazron ne samjha but I don't count that as one of my best. His songs for Chetan Anand were extraordinary.
C Ramachandra and I also worked very well together. He came to know about me when I was a child actor. I sang a chorus song Kismet hamare saath hai jalne wale jalaa karen.
When I became older, he gave me some lovely songs like Kat-te hain dukh mein yeh din (Parchaai), Radha na bole (Azad), Mohabbat aisi dhadkan hai (Anarkali) and Dheere se aaja ri ankhiyan main (Albela).
Our greatest project was the patriotic evergreen Aye mere watan ke logon. I was reluctant to sing it since I wasn't well. But poet Kavi Pradeep laid down the condition that only Lata must sing it, and C Ramachandraji insisted.
I suggested that both Asha and I sing it together. Two days before the performance in Delhi, Asha said she no longer wanted to sing. I had to overnight rehearse her portions. C Ramachandra sent them to me on a tape and left for Delhi. I went to Delhi, sang the song, and returned the same evening to Mumbai to attend my sister Meena's wedding. The next morning, the papers were filled with the song and how it made Pandit Nehru cry! Mujhe to pataa hi nahin tha!
Manoj Kumar and Sadhna in Woh Kaun Thi