Hemlata was born on 16 August 1954 at Hyderabad, India. Though she was from an orthodox Marwari Brahmin family but she never lived in Rajasthan. Her childhood passed in Calcutta.She has been in the Bollywood Industry since the age of 13 years.
Her father late Pandit Jaichand Bhatt, who became an Internationally acclaimed singer, performer, musician and teacher in the field of classical & folk music. He learned music against the family tradition.
Hemlata loved singing since childhood but her father did not encourage her as he did not want to let Hemlata enter the field of music. He was steeped in orthodox culture and was totally against her learning music. Because of her father's opposition she did not express her feeling to learn singing. She sang in hiding in Pooja Pandals, but it was destined that she would become a singer.
She is classically trained and has a unique style of singing which makes her stand apart from other playback singers of her era.Her magnificent velvety voice rich in emotion and expression has reached to millions of music lovers, touching their souls as she has recorded more than 5000 songs and has sung in more than 38 Regional, National and International languages.
Naushad was the first Music director who signed a contract with her but advised her to wait till her voice matured, then Hemlata signed five-year contract with Naushad Ali. She began her formal training of playback singing under Naushad Ali. She got several offers during her contract period from other well known music directors. In consequence of contract limitation she declined them and, waited long for her career's first song.
She recorded her first ever song "Tu Khamosh Main Purjosh" under composition of Usha Khanna for movie Roop Rupaiya but her first released song was Dus Paise Mein Raam Le Lo from the movie Ek Phool Ek Bhool (1968) again it was the composition of Usha Khanna.
The day she recorded her first song on the same day she also recorded Le Chal Mere Jeevan Saathi under composition of Kalyanji-Anandji for movie Vishwas, she sang this song along with her most favourite singer Mukesh.
In 1969 she was offered a song by S D Burman Pagh Mein Ghunghroo Chhanke for movie Jyoti (1969)
Same year Laxmikant Pyarelal gave her Chanda Ko Dhoodhne Sabhi Taare Nikal Pade along with Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar for movie Jeene Ki Raah (1969),
The same year Dil Karne Laga Hai Pyar along with Mohammad Rafi composed by Usha Khanna for movie Nateeja(1969) became hit.
Laxmikant Pyarelal gave her many songs Aaya Re Khilone Wala along with Mohammad Rafi composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal for movie Bachpan (1970), Soyi Ja Tara composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal for movie Mastana (1970), Taare Kitne Neel Gagan Pe along with Mohammad Rafi composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal for movie Aap Aaye Bahar Aayee (1971), Mehboob Ki Mehndi Hathon Mein along with Lata Mangeshkar composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal for movieMehboob Ki Mehndi (1971).
She had a great association with Ravindra JainIn the early 1970s, when he came to Bombay to try his luck Before arrival of Ravindra Jain she already sang more than100 songs. Initially, Ravindra Jain used her voice for his debut movie "Kanch Aur Heera (1972)" then for "Rakh Aur Chingari (1974)", "Geet Gata Chal (1975)", "Salaakhen (1975)" and for "Tapasya (1975)", which not have blazed the charts.
She had a great association with Rajshri people also to whom she sang many songs in various movies of Rajshri Productions in the 1980s and 1990s, including Paheli (1977), Dulhan Wohi Jo Piya Man Bhaye (1977), Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978), Sunayana (1979), Naiyya (1979), Gopal Krishna (1979), Raadha Aur Seeta (1979), Maan Abhiman (1980), Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), Abodh (1984), Babul (1986).
Another milestone happened in her life from the songs of Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se.The title song of that film "Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se" became the number one song in the year 1978. She was even nominated for Filmfare for that song.
In collaboration with Ravindra Jain, she has widely sung for most movies based on Indian scriptures and many notable devotional albums such as Mastakabhishek (1982), as well as Jai Bahubali, Sahaja Dhara dedicated to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, and Aqeeda, and has also rendered the Ramayan Chaupaiyan, Kabir Doha, Sanskrit Bhaktamar Stotra,Sunder Kand and various devotional songs.
In addition to this, She has lent her voice for Ramanand Sagar's epics T.V. Serial Ramayan (She also appeared herself in one episode to perform traditional Meera Bhajan Payoji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo),[8] as well as Uttar Ramayan (Luv Kush) and Shri Krishna throughout the series. She also rendered the Italian song O Sole Mio in concert in Italy during Easter 1992
Apart from Ravindra Jain camps, she sang some awesome songs for various music composers includes "Wafa Jo Na Ki To Jafa Bhi Na Kije" from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) composed by Kalyanji-Anandji, "Bheega Bheega Mausam Aaya" from Bhayanak (1979) composed by Usha Khanna, "Tu Is Tarah Se Meri Zindagi Mein Saamil Hai" from Aap To Aise Na The (1980) composed by Usha Khanna, "Bhari Barsat Mein Dil Jalaya", "Ab Wafa Ka Naam Na Le Koi" from Oh Bewafa (1980), composed by Vedpal Verma, "Chhodke Sharafat Bandh Liye Ghungroo" from Haqdaar (1981) composed by Kalyanji-Anandji, "Tujhako Furasat Se Vidhaata Ne Racha" from Aarohi (1982) along with Mukesh composed by Anand Sagar Kiran, "Ghungaru Bandhe Jab See Maine", "Man Vinha Ke Swar Jab Gunjhe" from Kaise Kaise Log (1983) composed by Padamshree, "Mere Shareek-E-Safar Ab Tera Khuda Hafiz" for movie 'Wali-E-Azam (1985) along with Talat Mehmood composed by Chitragupt, "Mujhko Raahon Pe Tum Chhodkar" from Besahaara (1986) composed by Usha Khanna, "Shor Hai Gali Gali Mein Jawan Ho Gayi" from Dozakh (1987) composed by Ganesh Sharma, "Main Ho Gayee Deewani" from Kasam Suhaag Ki (1989) composed byLaxmikant-Pyarelal, "Meri Khushi Ko Loota Nazar Se Ghira Diya" from Rajoo Dada (1992) composed by Usha Khanna.
She had been doing a lot of charity shows, in India and abroad. She had performed along with Ataullah Khan for a charity show in London in aid of Imran Khan's cancer hospital. This was the first effort from an Indian singer for Pakistan. On a trip to London, Hemlata recorded two albums with Ataullah Khan. The first one titled, Sarhadeinand the second one, Atta and Hemlata which has ghazals and geets.
She married with actor Yogesh Bali who worked as a child artist, his performance was appreciated for award winning movie Jawab Aayega (1968). He died on 25 January 1988. Her mather-in-law Haridarshan Kaur (Biba Bali), actress Geeta Bali's (Shammi Kapoor's wife) elder sister who worked as a producer in partnership with Guru Dutt. Hemlata only has one son named Aditya Bali, like other star children whose passion is also acting and ready to face the cameras.
Song from Mukkaddar ka sikamdar
Song from Paheli 1977
Rare Song from Irada
Song from Kaanch Aur Hira 1972
Non Film Song
Unreleased Song from Parakh 1981
