If her trademark was cabaret-party numbers like ‘Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja’, she also soothed with ‘Mera Kuchh Samaan’. If her sharp voice gave raw energy to foot-tapping songs like ‘Dum Maaro Dum’, it also gave a melancholic melody to ‘Justuju Jiski Thi’. Veteran singer Asha Bhosle, known for her versatile, vivacious, tough-to-be templated voice passed away in Mumbai on Sunday. She was 92.
Bhosle had been admitted to the ICU ward of Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital since Saturday evening after she complained of extreme exhaustion and chest infection. Her son Anand Bhosle broke the news on Sunday and told reporters outside the hospital: “She passed away today. Those who wish to pay their last respects can visit her residence tomorrow at 11 am. The last rites will be performed tomorrow (Monday) at 4 pm at Shivaji Park.”
Bhosle was born Asha Mangeshkar in the then princely state of Sangli (now in Maharashtra) into the eminent musical family of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, who was also an actor and a classical singer on the Marathi musical stage. Bhosle was one of five siblings and her elder sister was Lata Mangeshkar, an icon in Hindi film music and also a benchmark she was frequently compared to.
Bhosle was 9 when her father passed away and the family moved to Mumbai. Her first song (‘Chala Chala Nav Bhala’) came when she was 10 for the Marathi film Majha Bal (1943). Her first Hindi film recording was for the 1948 film Chunariya, where she sang a song ‘Saawan Aaya’, by this time Mangeshkar had already became a known voice in the industry.
Bhosle’s big-break came with B.R. Chopra’s social drama Naya Daur (1957) for which she sung romantic duets like ‘Maang Ke Saath Tumhara’, ‘Saathi Haath Badhana’ and ‘Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri’ along with Mohammed Rafi. The songs, composed by O.P. Nayyar, popularised the Nayyar-Bhosle collaboration which further gave memorable numbers like ‘Aaiye Meharbaan’ (Howrah Bridge, 1958), ‘Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera’, (Mere Sanam, 1965), ‘Aao Huzoor Tumko’ (Kismat, 1968) and ‘Jaiye Aap Kahan Jayenge’ (Mere Sanam, 1965).
While Mangeshkar was known for her classical, melodious voice, Bhosle’s singing was more modern and western-coded. Come 1970s, she was at the helm of Hindi cinema’s shift towards cabaret numbers and her collaboration with RD Burman gave foot-tapping songs like ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ (from Caravan, 1971), ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ (Hare Rama Hare Krishna, 1971) and ‘Duniya Mein Logon Ko’ (Apna Desh, 1972). Bhosle was also the voice of unapologetic female desire with songs like ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko’ (from Yaadon Ki Baaraat, 1973) and ‘Yeh Mera Dil’ (Don,1978) which was picturised on Helen. Bhosle became the voice behind the actress’s sensuous dance numbers like ‘Aao Na Gale Lagao Na’ (from Mere Jeevan Saathi, 1972) and ‘Aaj Ki Raat Koi Aane Ko Hai Baba’ (Anamika, 1973).
Although Bhosle attained fame because of her peppy, party numbers, she refused to be typecast and broke the mould when she crooned the sad, soulful songs depicting a courtesan’s life for Umrao Jaan (1981). Her voice carried the elegant melancholy of Rekha with songs like ‘Justuju Jiski Thi’, ‘In Ankhon Ki Masti’ and ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hain’, for which she also won her first National Award. She won the accolade again for the emotional, breakup song ‘Mera Kuchh Samaan’ from Ijaazat (1987).
In her career, Bhosle always showed a remarkable adaptability. When AR Rahman made his Hindi film debut as a composer for Rangeela (1995), Bhosle gave the youthful, vivacious voice to Urmila Matondkar’s Mili with numbers like ‘Rangeela Re’ and ‘Tanha Tanha’. Rahman and her also gave other iconic songs like ‘Radha Kaise Na Jale’ (from Lagaan, 2001) and ‘Kahin Aag Lage’ (Taal, 1999). She also collaborated with Anu Malik for songs like ‘Yeh Lamha Filhaal Jee Lene De’ (from Filhaal, 2002) and ‘Kitabein Bahut Si’ (Baazigar, 1993). Bhosle also lent her voice for prolific composer Ilaiyaraaja for the film Moondram Pirai (1982) which was later remade in Hindi as Sadma in 1983. She also sung the theme song for Kamal Haasan’s political film Hey Ram (2000).
In a career spanning over eight decades, she won seven Filmfare Awards for playback singing, two National Awards and also the Padma Vibhushan in 2008, Banga Bibhushan in 2018 and the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2021.
For all her professional achievements, Bhosle’s personal life was rocky. She eloped at the age of 16 with her personal secretary Ganpatrao Bhosle (then 31). The affair didn’t sit well with elder sister Mangeshkar, who considered her irresponsible. Bhosle herself stated in an interview: “It was a love marriage and Lata didi did not speak to me for a long time. She disapproved of the alliance.” Ganpatrao and his family ill-treated Bhosle and the couple separated in 1960. She, however, kept the Bhosle surname. They had three children: Hemant Bhosle, Varsha Bhosle and Anand Bhosle. She later married RD Burman in 1980. In her lifetime, Bhosle went through the irrevocable trauma of losing her eldest children Hemant and Varsha, who respectively passed away due to cancer and by suicide in 2015 and 2012.
In 2020, Bhosle set up her YouTube channel to connect with fans. In 2024, at the age of 90, she was seen at a concert singing that year’s chartbuster ‘Tauba Tauba’ from Bad Newz, her hands quivering as she even did the iconic steps. The voice, however, didn’t slip a note.
