Asha Bhosle: A voice that will continue to reverberate through generations…(obituary)
She was officially recognised as the most prolific singer of all time anywhere – responsible for some 11,000 songs in a career spanning seven decades…
By Rodrigues C
AFTER capturing the imagination of an entire nationfor more than 70 years, singer Asha Bhosle passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candyhospital on Sunday, April 12.
Bhosle, who was 92, was hospitalised on Saturday dueto cardiac and respiratory ailments, which later led to multiple organ failure.
Her remains were kept for public viewing at herresidence Casa Grande, today (April 13) for a few hours. The funeral was held later in the day with full state honours. The death of Bhosle not only shocked the country but the entire Indian community the world over.
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was among those who expressed their condolences.
In a post to X he lamented: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Asha Bhosle Ji, one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known” and ended it saying, he always enjoyed meeting her and, “she will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives”.
Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan echoed the sentimentsof many when in a blog post, he reacted: An entire era, an incredible,phenomenal, astounding, prodigious presence has been lost. Her versatility in giving life to every song she gave voice to was unparalleled.”
Sachin Tendulkar, one of India’s most celebrated cricketers was among those paying their last respects. He knew Bhosle and her older sister Lata Mangeshkar, another huge music star.
AR Rahman, music composer and Oscar winner posted apicture of himself with Bhosle and commented, simply: “She lives forever with hervoice and aura…what an artist.”
Film director Karan Johar was another figure from the world of film who paid fulsome tribute.
“To say we have lost a legend today would be anunderstatement. Asha ji was unlike any other, a voice that defined not only onegeneration but across a span of cinematic universe! I was and have been themassive fan of her voice, her art, her personality,” Johar opined.
Shah Rukh Khan, another of one the Hindi film industry’s most iconic stars said, in an Instagram picture of himself kissing the sta on the cheek: “Her voice has been one of the pillars of Indian cinema and will continue to resonate the world over for over for centuries to come. A talent that will outlive many,she always showered me with blessings and love…”
Born on September 8, 1933 in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, Bhosle was the third daughter of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkarand Shevanti.
Her father, a prolific singer and actor himself, died when she was just nine. Bhosle and her sister Lata Mangeshkar took to singing and acting to support their family. In her early days, she sang and even acted in several low-budget projects. She performed her first song, ‘Chala Chala Nav Bala’ at age 10 for the Marathi movie ‘Majha Bal’ in 1943.
The family later shifted to Mumbai where she married Mangeshkar’s personal secretary Ganpatrao Bhosle (31) at the age of 16. The marriage bore Bhosle three children; Hemant, Varsha and Anand.
The duo divorced in 1960. Hemant passed away in 2015 of cancer while her daughter Varsha committed suicide in 2012.
Bhosle’s playback debut was in the form of ‘Saawanaaya’ for the film ‘Chunariya’ (1948) and another song in the movie ‘Andhon KiDunya’ which was released the same year. She sang in chorus for both films.
Her first solo songs ‘Hai Mauz Mein Apne Begane’ and ‘Hamare Dil Par Tera’ werefor the Hindi movie ‘Raat Ki Rani’ (1949). But it was collaborations withcomposer OP Nayyar, which started with ‘Babuji Dheere Chalna’ for ‘Aar Paar’(1954) that brought her firmly into the limelight.
This was followed by hitssuch as ‘Aaiye Meharban‘ for ‘Howrah Bridge‘ (1958), ‘Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera’for ‘Mere Sanam’ (1965), ‘Aao Huzoor Tumko’ for ‘Kismat’ (1968) and ‘Chain SeHumko’ for ‘Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye’ (1974), which won her a Filmfare Award.
Bhosle first met music director RD Burman in the 1950s but their firstcollaboration ‘Teesri Manzil’ actually released many years later in 1966.
The movie introduced Indian audiences to rock and rollelements and western phrasing in songs such as ‘Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera‘.
The duo’s partnership resulted in hits such as ‘PiyaTu Ab To Aaja‘ from ‘Caravan‘ (1971), ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ from ‘Dum MaroDum’ (1971), ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne‘ from ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat‘ (1973), ‘Jaane Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha‘ from ‘Jawani Diwani‘ (1972) and ‘Dil Ki Kahani DoLafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani‘ from ‘The Great Gambler’ (1979), which resonate with Indian audiences till date.
The duo also made music in Marathi and Bengali. Bhosle released non film classics such as ‘Khushboo’, ‘Ijaazat’, ‘Namkeen’, ‘Khoobsurat’and ‘Dil Padosi Hai’ with Burman along with lyricist Gulzar. The partnership with Burman blossomed into love eventually leading to their marriage in 1980. Burman died in 1994.
In 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records recognised Bhosle as the most recordedartist in music history with 11,000 songs.
She won National Awards for music director Khayyam’s ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai‘ from ‘Umrao Jaan’ (1981) and for ‘Mera Kuchh Saamaan‘ from ‘Ijaazat’ (1986). In 1997, she became the first Indian singer to earn a Grammy nomination for the album Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. She was also honoured at The Asian Awards (2011) with a Lifetime Achievement recognition.
The BBC listed her among the 100 greatest women in music. She has collaborated with Boy George, Michael Stipe, the Kronos Quartetand Nelly Furtado.
British band Cornershop paid a tribute to her with the song ‘Brimful of Asha’.
‘Don’t Punk With My Heart’ by the Black Eyed Peas contains samples from Bhosle’s tracks ‘Ae Naujawan Sab Kuchh Yahan’ and ‘Yeh Mera Dil Pyaar Ka Diwana’.
The Indian government honoured her with the DadasahebPhalke Award in 2001 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
For Bhosle age was never a concern. At 79, she starred in the Marathi film ‘Mai’ featuring her niece Padmini Kolhapure. In 2002, her passion for food led to the opening of a chain of restaurants – Asha’s – in countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and in Birmingham and Manchester in the UK. Her legacy has leftan indelible mark on Indian culture. She will be missed but will continue to delight with the power of her voice and be enjoyed by generations to come.
