London (UK): Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar was featured in the In Memoriam segment at the 2022 edition of the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA). Hosted by actor-comic Rebel Wilson, the award ceremony took place on Sunday at the Royal Albert Hall.
Mangeshkar, the voice of generations of Indians, died on January 6 due to multiple organ failure. She was 92. In their tribute, the British Academy described the music icon as "an Indian playback singer, who recorded an estimated 25,000 songs for more than 1,000 Hindi films over a career spanning 70 years".
She became the first Indian artist to perform in the Royal Albert Hall in 1974, they said. "Her film credits list is vast, but notable songs featured in Anamika (1973), Aasha (1980), Dil Se.. (1998) and Rang De Basanti (2006). In 2001, she was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna," the tribute concluded.
READ |Awards and honours bestowed upon Lata Mangeshkar
Actor-filmmaker Sidney Poitier, director Ivan Reitman, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, actors Monica Vitti and Sally Kellerman were also among the stars who were honoured in the In Memoriam segment at the BAFTAs.
Golden Girls star Betty White, who passed away on December 31, 2021 at age 99, was however not included in the homage, an error several Twitter users pointed out tagging the British Academy. "Excuse me @BAFTA, but where was Betty White on the In Memoriam," a user tweeted.
"They forgot Betty White #BAFTA2022 #sacktheresearcher," wrote another fan.
The 75th edition of British Academy Film Awards, often shortened to BAFTA or Bafta, was conducted with a starry ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall on Sunday. Warner Bros' Dune and Benedict Cumberbatch's The Power of the Dog and so on were some of the awards season favorites that took home Bafta trophies at the in-person ceremony hosted by Rebel Wilson, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
(With agency inputs)