Film figures and fans continue to grieve for Asha Bhosle, the legendary playback singer who passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. The last rites for the singer will be held this evening in Mumbai. Meanwhile, notable personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Javed Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra took to social media to share their condolences for the singer’s family.
Taking to his official blog page, Amitabh Bachchan penned, “Sorrow and grief. An entire era .. an incredible .. a phenomenal, astounding, prodigious , presence … lost yesterday .. the iconic, legendary Asha Bhosle ji , has left us. In immense grief…” Praising Asha Bhosle’s versatility, the actor added, “Her versatility in giving life to every song she gave voice to .. gone to the heavens .. and has left us an entire encyclopaedia of eternal music .. The body has left us .. but her soul shall remain forever with us..Her voice - the soul, shall ever be immortalised ..”
Meanwhile, Javed Akhtar shared a photo of them together, adding a note, “Asha ji is gone but has left a huge musical treasure behind her. As long as there is love romance, seductiveness, and zest for life her songs will make us feel alive. Asha ji ‘s most recorded voice in the world will live on forever and ever..”
Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra penned a long and poignant note for the late singer, describing the loss as ‘losing a piece of your childhood.’ She added, “Her voice wasn’t just part of Indian music, it was part of the backdrop of our lives. It played through our homes growing up, through family celebrations, through heartbreaks, through joy, through the quiet and loud moments that became memories before we realized it.”
Also taking note of her impact on many generations, Priyanka added, “She wasn’t simply a legend we admired, she was a constant. A voice so eternal it felt like it would always be there. It is hard to put into words what it means to lose someone whose art helped shape the emotional landscape of an entire nation. Thank you, Asha ji, for giving us a lifetime of songs, of feeling, of beauty.”
Asha Bhosle, who began her career in 1943, sang over 12,000 songs in her career across multiple languages and film industries. She was conferred with National Award twice in her career — in 1981 for Umrao Jaan and later in 1987 for Ijaazat. In 2008, she was also honoured with the Padma Vibhushan Award, which is the second-highest civilian award of India.