Mayuresh Pai with Lataji

It seems that no composer, lyricist and music company can do without Lata Mangeshkar. T-Series and the peerless songstress — once engaged in a cold war — are now collaborating on a private album.

For the past two decades, music circles had constantly buzzed that T-Series was promoting Anuradha Paudwal as a serious threat to the legendary Mangeshkar.

Now we hear that India’s beloved singer has, in fact, completed recording several songs for the T Series private album ‘Swaranjali’. The composer is Mayuresh Pai and the lyrics are by Javed Akhtar. Pai had earlier scored the music for ‘Antarnaad’, the lyrics of which were written by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

On being contacted, Lata Mangeshkar said, "Bhushan (Kumar) is like my son. I am very glad to sing for the label. As for the album’s title, we have named it after Adora’s ‘Swaranjali’, my jewellery line." The album is expected to be released by September this year.

Oddly enough, when T-Series was contacted, its spokesman said, "No such album is being recorded."