I will invite Manna De to my Durga puja: Abhijeet

Kolkata: Popular playback singer Abhijeet today said that he would invite Manna De, who turned 94, to his Durga puja celebration in Mumbai, but expressed concern for the legendary singer`s health. "Whenever I think about calling him up and chatting, I think about his health, which is a matter of concern," Abhijeet, who launched a photo album `Manna Dey 94`, said. "But you must think about his age and how fit he was till recently. But I will certainly take him to my Durga Puja, the biggest bash in Mumbai, this year," he said. "I have not been able to talk to Mannasab for the past six years, ever since we met onboard a flight from New York and he appeared so full of life at that time despite being past 80," the singer said. Describing `laga chunri mein daag chhupaun kaise`, and `zindagi kaisi hai paheli` as his favourite Hindi songs as also Bengali `ami je jalsaghare`, `Coffee Houser sei addata` and `Lolita oke aaj chole jete balna`, Abhijeet said "it would be better if present day youngsters try to imbibe Mannasaab`s gayaki." "I am not happy with the way songs and lyrics are cannibalised in the name of music these days. I have given up listening to such tracks. "My advice is that they should try to adopt Manna De`s singing style and they will not be accused of butchering Indian music," he added. PTI