LATA; THE IMMORTAL COLLECTION (Shemaroo; DVD, Rs 299) now brings some of the more memorable Lata Mangeshkar songs, but with the original film clips, so that it’s not just Lata’s silvery notes that trill, but also the silver screen stars who thrill, through the picturised film versions ? to be viewed again and again, to refresh you, rejuvenate you, to settle your frayed nerves, to lift you from the depths of the daily rat race.

Five VCDs, containing 60 unforgettable Lata solos, in an attractive yet very handy gift pack, put together like a photo album. Each VCD pocket contains a neat little trivia bit, and the five photographs of Lata in a progressively ageing phase. And all the 60 songs are the Nightingale’s personal favourites, too. Beginning with Aaj phir jeene ki (Guide), Tumhen aur kya doon dil ke siwa (Ayee Milan Ki Bela), Main kaa karoon Ram (Sangam) and Pyaar kiya to darna kya (Mughal-e-Azam) in VCD 1 to Bindiya chamkegi (Do Raaste), Chalte chalte yoon hi (Pakeezah), Main Tulsi tere aangan ki and Satyam Shivam Sundaram (both title songs) in VCD 2.

If VCD 3 has the choicest Aaja re pardesi (Madhumati), Tere mera pyaar amar (Asli Naqli) Jaago Mohan pyaare (Jate Raho) and Allah tero naam (Hum Dono).

VCD 4 is a splash of the likes of Rajnigandha phool tumhaare (Rajnigandha), sajna barkha bahaar aayee (Parakh), Neelam ke nabh chhayee (Utsav) and Sun sahiba sun (Ram Teri Ganga Maili), followed by VCD 5 rainbowing your senses with a Jaise Radha ne mala japi Shyam ki (Tere Mere Sapne), Khaayee hai re humne kasam (Talaash), Mausam hai aashiqana (Pakeezah) and Bhor bhaye panghat pe (Satyam Shivam Sundaram).

Then, there is a free VCD with some more from the immortal collection of Lata, but this one doesn’t have any listing. Instead, it has some quotable quotes from the ‘Lata Mangeshkar Fan Club’ ? consisting of “fans” like Amitabh Bachchan, Asha Bhosle and Rekha to Yash Chopra, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Ustad Amir Khan!

The songs on each of the five VCDs seem also to be put together in a random way, and what makes it look a little disorganised, for instance, is you have trivia about Allah tero naam on Vol 5 and sajna barkha bahaar on Vol 4 ? though both the songs are included in Vol 3!