Yatindra’s book on Lata bags award at MAMI fest

Writer Yatindra Mishra (right), added another feather to his cap by winning the ‘Book Award for Excellence in Writing on Cinema’ at the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) held recently in Mumbai.

Mishra won the award for ‘Lata: Sur Gatha’ that gives an insight into the life of melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, her seven-decade long career and its impact on the Indian cinema. Earlier in May, the author had bagged the Swarna Kamal at the 64th National Awards. “The award was handed over to me on October 18, a day before Diwali. Since I was in Ayodhya, I could not attend the function in view of the festival so my publisher Aditi Maheshwari received the award on my behalf,” Mishra tells HT City.

The book, released on October 2 last year, has also won Bhaskar Yuva Puraskar at Jaipur Literary Fest, Maharana Mewar Foundation Award at Udaipur and Samsher Award at Khandwa (MP). “It has been a good year so far. This is the fifth award and I feel blessed to receive it. MAMI has introduced Hindi category for the first time and it’s a great feeling that I got the prestigious award. We have had talks on the book in various cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ahemdabad, Varanasi and Lucknow,” he says.

‘Lata: Sur Gatha’ is based on interviews with the legendary singer that took eight years to shape up. Mishra has also written a book on classical singer Girija Devi, shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, dancer Sonal Man Singh, musical history Humsafar, book on songs Meelon Se Din and compiled Gulzar’s poetry Yar Julahe.