But some prejudices still remain: romantic songs are out of bounds, not item numbers. “Romantic songs are usually duets. Since the male pitch is higher, a woman’s voice has to match it. That’s why we need high-pitched voices,” says Vishal.

Rekha, however, believes that argument hides a bias. “It’s not about how much bass (the lowest part of the musical range) a voice has, it’s about how people have been conditioned to listen to a “feminine” high-pitched voice,” says Rekha. “Intense songs in deeper vocals can also be deeply moving,” says the singer.

Listen to her number Rone do in Maqbool and you’ll know that if Lata can pierce your heart with Yun hasraton ke daag (Adalat), a deep voice can take you on a dark, relentless journey of pain.