Asha Bhosle (born September 8, 1933) is an Indian singer. She is best known as a
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the...
playback singerA playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer doesn't appear on screen...
, although she has a much wider repertoire. Her career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over 1000 Bollywood movies and sold many records. She is the sister of the equally accomplished
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
.
Bhosle is considered one of the most versatile
South AsiaSouth Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries on the west and the east...
n singers — her range of songs includes film music,
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
,
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s,
bhajanA Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s, traditional
Indian Classical musicThe origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. It is also significantly influenced by Persian music....
, folk songs,
qawwaliQawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in areas with a historically strong Muslim presence, such as southern Pakistan, and parts of North India...
s,
Rabindra SangeetRabindra Sangeet , also known as Tagore Songs in English, is a form of music composed by Rabindranath Tagore who added a new dimension to the musical concept of India in general and Bengal in specific....
s and Nazrul Geetis. She has sung in over 14 languages including
AssameseAssamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Small pockets of Assamese speakers can be found in Bhutan...
,
HindiStandard Hindi, also known as High Hindi, Nagari Hindi or Literary Hindi is a standardised register of Hindi. It is one of the 22 languages with official status in India, and is used, along with English, for administration of the central government.Standard Hindi is a sanskritised register derived...
,
UrduUrdu is a Central Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-Iranian branch, belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. It is one of the two official languages of Pakistan. It is also one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of five Indian states...
,
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
,
MarathiMarathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are 90 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi is the 4th most spoken language in India and the 15th most spoken language in the world...
,
BengaliBengali or Bangla is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages....
,
GujaratiGujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family...
,
PunjabiPunjabi or Panjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region ....
,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
,
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
,
RussianRussian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe...
,
CzechCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. Czech is similar to and mutually intelligible with Slovak and, to a lesser extent, to Polish and Sorbian. - Official status :Czech is widely...
,
NepaliNepali is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
,
MalayMalay is a group of languages closely related to each other to the point of mutual intelligibility but that linguists consider to be separate languages. They are grouped into a group called "Local Malay", part of a larger group called "Malayan" within the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the...
and Malayalam.
Bhosle is believed to have sung over 12,000 songs. Though her sister, Lata Mangeshkar was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records during 1974-1991, for having sung the most songs in the world, reputed sources have introduced concerns to its veracity, claiming that the Guinness counts were exaggerated and Bhosle had recorded more songs than Mangeshkar. Bhosle herself pointed out that she had made the most recordings by any singer - 12,000.
Biography
Asha Bhosle was born in the small hamlet of Goar in
SangliSangli is a city and a municipal council located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, roughly 400 kilometers southeast of Mumbai. Sangli is also the administrative headquarters of Sangli District...
,
MaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
, into the musical
Marathi familyThe Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan linguistic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar. Her father was a theater
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and classical singer who had been born in the village of
MangeshiMangeshi is a village in Priol, Ponda, Goa, India. Mangueshi/Mangueshim are other variations for the same name.-Main Attraction:The temple of Shri Mangesh is set amidst natural beauty and pleasant surroundings...
in
GoaGoa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.Panaji is...
. When she was nine years old, her father died. The family moved from
PunePune , formerly known as Punawadi or Punya-Nagari or Poona, is the eighth largest city in India, and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra, after Mumbai...
to
KolhapurKolhapur is a city situated in the south west corner of Maharashtra, India. The population of Kolhapur city was 4,93,167, as per the 2001 census. Kolhapaur also serves as the headquarters of the Kolhapur District. As is the case in most of the Maharashtra cities, the main language spoken here is...
and then to Bombay. She and her elder sister
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
began singing and acting in films to support their family. She sang her first film song
Chala Chala Nav Bala for the Marathi movie
Majha Bal (1943). The music for the film was composed by Datta Dawjekar. She made her Hindi film debut when she sang the song
Saawan aaya for Hansraj Behl's
Chunariya (1948).
At the age of 16, she eloped with 31-year old Ganpatrao Bhosle (1916-1966), marrying him against her family's wishes. Ganpatrao was sister Lata's personal secretary. The marriage failed miserably. Her husband and in-laws mistreated her. After a few years of marriage, Bhosle was turned out (around 1960) by a suspicious Ganpatrao and she went to her maternal home with two children and pregnant with her third child, Anand. She continued to sing in films to earn money.
At that time, prominent playback singers like
Geeta DuttGeetā Dutt was a prominent Indian playback singer in Hindi movies in the 1950s and 60s, and also a singer of modern Bengali songs.-Early life:...
,
Shamshad BegumShamshad Begum is an Indian singer who was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry.Begum was born in Amritsar, Punjab. She was a big fan of K.L. Saigal and watched Devdas 14 times...
and
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
(her sister) monopolized the singing for the "heroine" roles and the big films, whilst Asha Bhosle used to get the assignments they did not take: singing for the bad girls and vamps, or songs in the second-grade movies. In the 1950s, she sang more songs than any other playback singer in Bollywood, yet most of these were in low budget B or C-grade films. Her earliest songs were composed by A R Qureshi(Alla Rakha Khan), Sajjad Hussain and
Ghulam MohammedGhulam Mohammed was an Indian film score composer, who is most remembered for his work in Hindi musical hits films like, Mirza Ghalib , Shama and Pakeezah ....
, most of which failed to do well. Singing in
Dilip KumarYusuf Khan , popularly known as Dilip Kumar is an Indian film actor and a former Member of Parliament. He lives in Pali Hill in the Mumbai suburb of Bandra....
-starrer
Sangdil (1952), composed by Sajjad Hussain, she got reasonable recognition. Consequently, film director
Bimal RoyBimal Roy was one of the most accalimed Hindi film directors of all time. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films like Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema...
gave her a chance to sing in
ParineetaParineeta is a 1953 film based upon the 1914 novel by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The film was directed by Bimal Roy. This version of the film is considered by many to be the most faithful adaptation of the novella, particularly due to Meena Kumari's interpretation of the role of...
(1953).
Raj KapoorRanbirraj "Raj" Kapoor , also known as the show-man, was a legendary Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi films...
signed her to sing the song
Nanhe Munne Bachche with
Mohammed RafiMohammed Rafi , often addressed as Rafi Sahib, was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. Rafi sang in many Indian languages including Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada and Telugu. He also recorded English and Persian songs...
in
Boot PolishBoot Polish is a 1954 Hindi film directed by Prakash Arora and produced by Raj Kapoor. It won Best Film at the Filmfare Awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...
(1954), which gained popularity.
O. P. NayyarOmkar Prasad Nayyar was a famous Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...
gave Asha Bhosle a big break in C.I.D. (1956). She first achieved success in B. R. Chopra's
Naya Daur (1957), composed by him. His collaboration with Bhosle produced many hits. Later, she established herself and received patronage of composers such as
Sachin Dev BurmanKumar Shri Sachin Dev Burman , also credited as Burman da, Kumar Sachindra Dev Barman, Sachin karta or S. D. Burman, was one of the most famous music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also achieved great success as a Bollywood music director in...
and
RaviRavi Shankar Sharma, often referred to mononymously as Ravi, is an Indian music director, who has composed music for several Hindi and Malayalam films...
. Bhosle and Nayyar had a professional and personal parting of ways in the 1970s.
In 1966, Asha's performance in the duets from music director
R D Burman'sRahul Dev Burman , commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
first successful movie,
Teesri ManzilTeesri Manzil is a 1966 Bollywood film by Nasir Hussain films. It starred his regular stars Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Nazima, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar , Helen, K. N. Singh and Salim were part of the supporting cast...
won popular acclaim. Their collaboration produced numerous hits in the 1970s and resulted in a marriage. In 1960s and 1970s, she became the voice of Bollywood's most famous dancer, Helen. It is said that Helen would attend her recording sessions so that she could understand the song better and plan dance steps accordingly. Some of the most popular Asha Bhosle-Helen numbers are
Piya Tu Ab To Aaja (
CaravanCaravan is a 1971 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Nasir Hussain and Sachin Bhowmick wrote the screenplay. Hussain's brother Tahir Hussain is credited as producer. It starred Jeetendra and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Aruna Irani , Helen and Madan Puri...
),
O Haseena Zulfon Wali (
Teesri ManzilTeesri Manzil is a 1966 Bollywood film by Nasir Hussain films. It starred his regular stars Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Nazima, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar , Helen, K. N. Singh and Salim were part of the supporting cast...
), and
Yeh Mera Dil (
DonDon is a 1978 Bollywood action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, with music by Kalyanji Anandji and lyrics by Anjaan. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri, Satyen Kappu and Pinchoo Kapoor. It became a box office success...
).
In
Umrao JaanUmrao Jaan is a Bollywood film released in 1981. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
(1981) and
IjaazatIjaazat is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar. Starring Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah in leading roles, the film followed the story of a divorced couple who accidentally meet in a railway station waiting room and discover some truths about their lives without each other...
(1987), she sang traditional
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s and proved her versatility, winning the coveted
National Film Award for Best Female Playback SingerThe National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners:...
.
Her film activities continued into the 1990s. Her performance in the 1995 hit
RangeelaRangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
was particularly notable. As late as 2005, 72-year-old Asha Bhosle's numbers for the
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
film
ChandramukhiChandramukhi is a 2005 Indian horror, comedy and drama film directed by P. Vasu and produced by Ramkumar Ganesan. With a few deviations, it is a remake of the Malayalam film, Manichitrathazhu...
and the pop song
Lucky Lips for
Salman KhanAbdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan is an Indian film actor who appears in Bollywood films.Khan, who made his acting debut with the film Biwi Ho To Aisi , had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , and won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance...
-starrer
LuckyLucky: No Time For Love is a 2005 Hindi-language film depicting the story of two lovers in war-torn Russia. The film stars Salman Khan and Sneha Ullal in the lead roles.- Synopsis :...
were chartbusters. Some of the other popular Tamil songs sung by Bhosle are
Oh! Butterfly,
September Maadham and
Vennila Vennila.
In October 2004,
The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of BollywoodThe Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood, released in October 2003, is a compilation album of songs recorded by the Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle for albums and Bollywood films released during 1966-2003.-Disc One – Traditional :...
, a compilation album of songs recorded by Bhosle for albums and Bollywood films that were released during 1966-2003, was released.
Career milestones
Seen more closely, Asha Bhosle's singing career can be considered having four milestones —
Naya Daur (1957),
Teesri ManzilTeesri Manzil is a 1966 Bollywood film by Nasir Hussain films. It starred his regular stars Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Nazima, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar , Helen, K. N. Singh and Salim were part of the supporting cast...
(1966),
Umrao JaanUmrao Jaan is a Bollywood film released in 1981. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
(1981) and
RangeelaRangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
(1995).
Naya Daur, 1957
Asha Bhosle's first big success was B R Chopra's
Naya Daur ("The New Age", 1957). Her duets with Rafi like
Maang ke saath tumhara,
Saathi haath badhana and
Uden jab jab zulfein teri, penned by
Sahir LudhianviSahir Ludhianvi was a popular Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist and songwriter. Sahir Ludhianvi is his pseudonym...
and composed by
O. P. NayyarOmkar Prasad Nayyar was a famous Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...
, gave her recognition. Asha and O P Nayyar had worked earlier as well. But it was the first time that she had got to sing all the songs for the lead actress. B R Chopra, the producer of Naya Daur recognized her talent and got her to sing in many of his later films including
Waqt and
Gumraah, Humraaz,
Aadmi Aur Insaan,
Dhund etc.
Teesri Manzil, 1966
Asha Bhosle became a pop crooner with
Rahul Dev BurmanRahul Dev Burman , commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
's
Teesri ManzilTeesri Manzil is a 1966 Bollywood film by Nasir Hussain films. It starred his regular stars Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Nazima, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar , Helen, K. N. Singh and Salim were part of the supporting cast...
(1966). When she first listened to the tune of the song
Aaja Aaja, she felt that she would not be able to sing the Western dance number. R D Burman offered to change the music. She was offended a bit and took it as a challenge to sing the song. After rehearsing for 10 days, when she finally sang the song, an impressed R D Burman handed her a 100-rupee note.
Aaja Aaja and other songs of the film,
O Haseena Zulfonwali and
O Mere Sona Re (all three duets with Rafi, another popular Bollywood singer), became rage of the day.
Shammi KapoorShammi Kapoor , born October 21, 1931, is an actor in Bollywood films. The majority of his most successful pictures were made in the late 1950s and 1960s....
, the actor of the movie, once said – "If I did not have Mohammad Rafi to sing for me, I would have got Asha Bhosle to do the job".
Umrao Jaan, 1981
By 1980s, Asha Bhosle had been stereotyped as a "cabaret singer" and a "pop crooner". In Rekha-starrer
Umrao JaanUmrao Jaan is a Bollywood film released in 1981. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
, she sang
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s like
Dil cheez kya hai,
In aankhon ki masti ke,
Ye kya jagah hai doston and
Justju jiski thi. The songs proved her capable of doing fairly serious songs. The music director
KhayyamMohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known as Khayyam, is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades .He has won two Filmfare Award for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan...
, had lowered her pitch by half a note. Asha herself was surprised that she could sing so differently. The ghazals won her the first National Award of her career and proved her versatility.
Rangeela, 1995
In 1995, a 62-year old Asha Bhosle did playback for young actress
Urmila MatondkarUrmila Matondkar is an Indian Bollywood actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
in the movie
RangeelaRangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
. She pleasantly surprised her fans with superhit songs like
Tanha Tanha and
Rangeela Re. The songs were composed by iconoclastic music director
A. R. RahmanAllah Rakha Rahman is an Indian film composer, record producer, musician and singer. His film scoring career began in the early 1990s...
, who went on to record many more songs with her. Particularly notable was Asha Bhosle's first song with A R Rahman,
Tanha Tanha, an oomph-oozing number.
Partnership with music directors
O.P. Nayyar
Music director
O. P. NayyarOmkar Prasad Nayyar was a famous Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...
's association with Asha Bhosle is part of
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the...
lore. He was the composer who first gave Asha her own distinct identity. Many people have speculated about a romantic relationship between the two.
Nayyar first met Asha in 1952, at the music recording of
Chham Chhama Chham. He first called her for a film called
Mangu (1954)). He gave her a big break in
CID (1956). However, it was the success of
Naya Daur (1957), that made the duo very popular. After 1959, she was emotionally and professionally involved with Nayyar.
The team of O.P. Nayyar and Asha Bhosle is best remembered for their breezy and sometimes
sirenIn Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses, who lived on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
ish songs. Some good examples of their sensuous numbers are
Aaiye meherbaan picturised on
MadhubalaMadhubala , born Mumtaz Begum Jehan Dehlavi, was a popular Hindi film actress who starred in several successful films in the 1950s and early 1960s, many of which have achieved classic and cult status today...
(
Howrah BridgeHowrah Bridge is a 1958 film directed by Shakti Samanta. Its name is a reference to Howrah Bridge, which connects Howrah to Kolkata over the Hooghly River. It features the well known Hindi song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu"which was reused in the film Salaam Bombay!. This song was sung by Geeta Dutt...
, 1958) and
Yeh hai reshmi zulfon ka andhera picturised on
MumtazMumtaz is a famous Bollywood actress, most remembered for her roles in Tere Mere Sapne and Khilona , which got her Filmfare Best Actress Award, while the film itself, won Filmfare Best Movie Award....
(
Mere SanamMere Sanam is a 1965 Hindi film based on a story by Narendra Bedi, produced by G.P. Sippy and directed by Amar Kumar. Films dialogues and screenplay were by Rajinder Singh Bedi....
, 1965).
They recorded songs for many hit movies like
Naya Daur (1957),
Tumsa Nahin DekhaTumsa Nahin Dekha is a 1957 film produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee for Filmistan- the breakaway studio formed by some old Bombay Talkies hands like Sashadhar. The film marked Nasir Hussain 's evolution into a director. He had written films like Munimjee and Paying Guest...
(1957),
Howrah Bridge (1958),
Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962),
Kashmir Ki KaliKashmir Ki Kali is a 1964 Indian film directed by Shakti Samanta.-Plot:Rajiv has come of age; his now-dead father had built up a flourishing business and had become a millionaire, and his widowed mother wants to keep Rajiv on the straight and narrow. The best way would be to find him a good wife to...
(1964), etc. Some of their most popular songs include
Aao huzur tumko (
Kismat),
Jaaiye aap kahan (
Mere Sanam) etc. O.P. Nayyar used the Asha Bhosle-Mohammad Rafi duo for his most popular duets. some of these songs include
Ude jab jab zulfein teri (
Naya Daur).
Main pyaar ka rahi hoon (
Ek Musafir Ek Haseena),
Deewana Hua Baadal,
Ishaaron hi isharon mein (
Kashmir Ki Kali) etc.
Asha recorded her last song for O.P. Nayyar in the movie
Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na JayePran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye is a 1974 Bollywood film produced by Ratan Mohan and directed by S. Ali Raza. The film stars Sunil Dutt, Rekha, Iftekhar, Premnath, Jeevan, Bindu, Madan Puri, Ranjeet and Jayshree T. The film's music is by O. P. Nayyar....
(1974). The solo number
Chain se got many awards, but it was not included in the movie.
They split on August 5, 1972. It is not clear what made them part their ways. On being asked the reason for their parting, O P Nayyar once said, "I know astrology very well. I knew that one day I had to part with her. Something also happened, that upset me, so I left her." Nevertheless, he also said "...now that I am seventy-six, I can say that the most important person in my life was Asha Bhosle. She was the best person I ever met."
The parting of Asha Bhosle and O.P. Nayyar was bitter, and probably therefore she has hesitated to give Nayyar his due. While talking about O.P. Nayyar in an interview with
The Times of IndiaThe Times of India is a popular English-language broadsheet daily newspaper in India. It has the widest circulation among all English-language daily newspapers in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, she once remarked - "Whichever composer gave me work, it was because my voice was suited to his music at that point. No
one musician did me any favor by asking me to sing for him." She gives the credit for her first big break to
B. R. ChopraBaldev Raj Chopra was an Indian director and producer of Bollywood movies and television serials...
, the producer of
Naya Daur.
Khayyam
Another music director who recognized Bhosle's talent early was
KhayyamMohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known as Khayyam, is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades .He has won two Filmfare Award for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan...
. His partnership with Asha Bhosle dates back to his first movie
Biwi (1948). Khayyam gave her some good assignments in the 1950s, including
Dard and
Phir Subah Hogi. But the team is chiefly remembered for the songs of
Umrao JaanUmrao Jaan is a Bollywood film released in 1981. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
.
Ravi
Music composer
RaviRavi Shankar Sharma, often referred to mononymously as Ravi, is an Indian music director, who has composed music for several Hindi and Malayalam films...
considered Asha as one of his favorite singers. She sang for his first movie
Vachan (1955). The melodious
lullabyA lullaby is a soothing song, usually sung to children before they go to sleep, with the intention of speeding that process. As a result they are often simple and repetitive...
from the movie,
Chandamama door ke became an overnight hit among young mothers in India. Ravi got her to sing
bhajanA Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s for the movies
GharanaIn Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage and/or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially...
,
Grihasti,
Kajal and
Phool Aur PattharPhool Aur Patthar was O.P. Ralhan's 1966 Hindi film that made Dharmendra a star in the Hindi Film Industry. It starred Meena Kumari along with Dharmendra in this career-making film for Dharmendra who played a villainous character whose inner good being is drawn out by Meena Kumari...
, at a time when most of the composers remembered her only when they needed to record B-grade songs picturized on the vamps or the side-heroines. Ravi and Asha Bhosle recorded a variety of songs, including the popular funny duet with
Kishore KumarKishore Kumar was Indian film playback singer and actor. Along with Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi, he was one of the famous Indian playback singers. He remained the leading singer from 1970 to 1987...
-
C A T...Cat maane billi (
Dilli Ka ThugDilli Ka Thug is a 1958 Hindi comedy film. It stars Kishore Kumar, Nutan, Madan Puri and Iftekhar. Music was by Ravi and Lyrics by S.H. Bihari and Majrooh Sultanpuri...
). The
bhajanA Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
Tora man darpan (
Kajal) is considered one of Asha Bhosle's best songs.
They also recorded songs for many popular movies like
WaqtWaqt is a 1965 Indian film directed by Yash Chopra. It made it onto the BFI's long list of films in consideration for their top ten of Indian films award. It was produced by B.R...
,
Chaudhvin Ka ChandChaudhvin Ka Chand is a 1960 Hindi feature film directed by Mohammed Sadiq. A production of Guru Dutt, the film centers on a love triangle between Guru Dutt, Rehman and Waheeda Rehman, and features music by Ravi. Farida Jalal is a guest appearance in the film, her debut...
,
Gumrah,
Bahu Beti,
China Town,
Aadmi Aur Insaan,
DhundDhund is a 1973 Hindi movie produced and directed by B. R. Chopra. The film is based on Agatha Christie's play, The Unexpected Guest, and stars Sanjay Khan, his then flame Zeenat Aman, Danny Denzongpa, Deven Verma, Madan Puri, Navin Nischol and Ashok Kumar...
,
HumraazHumraaz is a 2002 Bollywood romantic thriller film directed by duo Abbas-Mustan and produced under Venus Movies banner. Released on July 5, 2002, it stars Bobby Deol, Akshaye Khanna and Amisha Patel in lead roles...
, and
Kajal with her. For
Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Ravi wanted
Geeta DuttGeetā Dutt was a prominent Indian playback singer in Hindi movies in the 1950s and 60s, and also a singer of modern Bengali songs.-Early life:...
(the wife of producer
Guru DuttGuru Dutt or Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
) to sing the songs. But when she backed out, Guru Dutt insisted that Asha Bhosle sing the songs.
Sachin Dev Burman
One of Bollywood's most famous composers,
Sachin Dev BurmanKumar Shri Sachin Dev Burman , also credited as Burman da, Kumar Sachindra Dev Barman, Sachin karta or S. D. Burman, was one of the most famous music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also achieved great success as a Bollywood music director in...
and his favorite singer,
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
, were not on good terms from 1957 to 1962.. During this period, S D Burman used Asha Bhosle as his lead female voice. She and S D Burman gave many hit songs in movies such as
Kaala Pani,
Kaala Bazaar,
Insaan Jaag Utha,
Lajwanti,
SujataSujata is a 1959 Hindi language Bimal Roy film. The film starred Sunil Dutt and Nutan supported by Lalita Pawar and Shashikala The film explored the situation of caste in India. The music is by S. D. Burman and the lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri...
and
Teen Deviyaan (1965). They recorded many songs together after 1962 as well. Most famous of these songs were Asha Bhosle's duets with
Mohammed RafiMohammed Rafi , often addressed as Rafi Sahib, was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. Rafi sang in many Indian languages including Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada and Telugu. He also recorded English and Persian songs...
and
Kishore KumarKishore Kumar was Indian film playback singer and actor. Along with Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi, he was one of the famous Indian playback singers. He remained the leading singer from 1970 to 1987...
. The song
Ab ke baras in Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963) consolidated her position as a lead singer. The seductive song
Raat Akeli Hai from
Jewel ThiefJewel Thief is a 1967 Indian Hindi film. Produced by Navketan films , the film is directed by Dev's brother Vijay Anand. Music is by S.D. Burman and the lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri....
(1967), picturised on Tanuja, became very popular.
Rahul Dev Burman (Pancham)
Asha first met
Rahul Dev BurmanRahul Dev Burman , commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...
(a.k.a. "Pancham") when she was a mother of two and he was in 10th grade having dropped out to pursue music. Their partnership was first noticed in
Teesri Manzil (1966). She went on to record a variety of songs with him -
cabaretCabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue—a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC.Cabaret...
s,
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
,
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
,
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s,
Indian classical musicThe origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. It is also significantly influenced by Persian music....
and many more.
In the 1970s, Asha Bhosle and Pancham's youthful, Western songs took Bollywood music by storm - the raunchy
cabaretCabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue—a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC.Cabaret...
Piya tu ab to aaja (
CaravanCaravan is a 1971 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Nasir Hussain and Sachin Bhowmick wrote the screenplay. Hussain's brother Tahir Hussain is credited as producer. It starred Jeetendra and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Aruna Irani , Helen and Madan Puri...
, 1971, picturized on Helen), the rebellious
Dum Maro DumDum Maro Dum is an Indian Hindi song from the 1971 Bollywood film Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It was sung by Asha Bhosle along with Usha Iyer and chorus. The song was picturized on Zeenat Aman. It was written by Anand Bakshi and composed by Rahul Dev Burman. It has been remixed and sampled by many...
(
Hare Rama Hare Krishna, 1971), the sexy
Duniya mein (
Apna DeshApna Desh is a 1972 Hindi movie. Produced by T.M. Kittu and A. V. Subramaniam and directed by Jambu. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz, Om Prakash, Jagdeep, Madan Puri and marked the debut of Jaya Prada, though as a child artist with the screen name Sharda. The films music is by R. D. Burman...
, 1972), the romantic
Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne (
Yaadon Ki Baaraat, 1973). Pancham also recorded many hit duets with Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar -
Jaane jaan, dhoondhta phir raha (
Jawani DiwaniJawani Diwani is a 1972 Bollywood movie featuring Randhir Kapoor ,Jaya Bhaduri, Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy, A. K. Hangal, Iftekar, and Paintal....
),
Bhali bhali si ek soorat (
Buddha Mil GayaBuddha Mil Gaya is a 1971 Hindi film. Produced by L.B. Thakur, the film is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.The film stars Om Prakash, Navin Nischol, Archana, Sonia Sahni, Deven Verma, Aruna Irani, Asit Sen, Lalita Pawar and Shetty. The Music is by R.D...
) etc.
In 1980s, Pancham and Asha Bhosle recorded subtle numbers for films like
Ijaazat (1987)-
Mera kuch saaman,
Khaali haath shaam aayi hai,
Katra Katra. They also recorded the popular duet
O Maria (
Sagar).
Mera Kuchch saamaan, the R.D. Burman composition for Gulzar's
Ijaazat won her the National Award for Best Singer.
Asha Bhosle used to call R D Burman "Bubs". She married him in 1980. Their partnership lasted until his death.
RD Burman made her sing some of the most legendary songs in Bengali language as well, namely
Mohuyae Jomechhe Aaj mou go,
Chokhe Chokhe kotha bolo Chokhhe naame brishti(Bengali version of
Jaane Kya Baat hai),
Baanshi sune ki ghore thaka jaye,
Sondhya Belae tumi aami,
Aaj Gungun gun gunje amar (Bengali version of
Pyaar Deewana hota hai),etc.
Ilaiyaraaja
The prolific south Indian film composer
IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, lyricist and the first Asian composer to score a symphony for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra...
began employing Asha Bhosle's vocals in the early 1980s, their earliest collaboration being for the film
Moondram PiraiMoondram Pirai is a 1982 Indian Tamil language film starring Sridevi, Kamal Haasan, Poornam Vishwanathan and Silk Smitha.The film is a inspired from Kannada film Maanasa Sarovara which was based on Puttanna Kanagal life...
(1982) (or
Sadma, its Hindi remake in 1983). Their association continued, mostly through the latter half of the 1980s and early 1990s. Some of their notable songs from this period include
Shenbagamae (
Enga Ooru Paattukkaaran, 1987, Tamil). In 2000, Asha sung Ilaiyaraaja's theme song for
Kamal HaasanKamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, script writer, and filmmaker, considered one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema...
's political film
Hey RamHey Ram is a controversial Indian film released both in Tamil and Hindi in 2000 and written, directed, produced by and starring Kamal Haasan...
. The song,
Janmon Ki Jwala (or Aparna's Theme), was a duet with
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
singer
HariharanHariharan born 3 April, 1955 in Thiruvananthapuram , is an Indian playback singer in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu movies, an established ghazal singer, and one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music.-Early life:...
.
A. R. Rahman
A. R. RahmanAllah Rakha Rahman is an Indian film composer, record producer, musician and singer. His film scoring career began in the early 1990s...
is given the credit for Asha Bhosle's "comeback" with
RangeelaRangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
(1994). Songs like
Tanha Tanha and
Rangeela Re were chartbusters. She and Rahman went on to record more hits like
Mujhe Rang De (
ThakshakThakshak is a 1999 action-drama Hindi film written and directed by director Govind Nihalani. Touted as Nihalani's attempt at popular cinema, this film starred Ajay Devgan, Tabu and Rahul Bose in the lead roles. The soundtrack was composed by A. R...
),
Radha Kaise Na Jale (
LagaanLagaan , also known as Lagaan: Once upon a time in India, is a 2001 Bollywood feature film made in India. The film, based on an original story by Ashutosh Gowariker, was also directed by him...
, duet with
Udit NarayanUdit Narayan Jha, popularly known as Udit Narayan is a leading playback singer in commercial Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya and Nepali language cinema. Narayan has sung more than 15,000 songs in more than 30 different languages...
),
Kahin Aag Lage (
TaalTaal is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for language and was used as an early name for Afrikaans.The word Taal can also refer to:*Tala *Taal, an Assamese traditional instrument*Taal , a 1999 Bollywood film by Subhash Ghai...
),
O Bhanware (
Daud, duet with
K. J. YesudasDr. Kattassery Joseph Yesudas or Yesudas , is an Indian classical musician and a playback singer. He has won the National Award for the best male playback singer seven times, the most by any singer. Yesudas sings Indian classical music, devotional and popular songs...
),
Venilla Venilla (
IruvarIruvar is a Tamil language Indian film directed and co-written by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi, continuing the tryst between Tamil cinema and Dravidian...
,1999). Rahman once said, "I think of them (Lata and Asha) only when I feel I have composed something that fits their stature".
Jaidev
When S D Burman's assistant
JaidevJaidev , was a legendary music composer in Bollywood films, most known for his work in films: Hum Dono , Reshma Aur Shera , Prem Parbat and Gharonda ....
started giving music independently, he got Asha to sing some of his songs as well. They worked in
Hum Dono (1961),
Mujhe Jeene Do (1963),
Do Boond Pani (1971) and other movies. In 1971, the pair released an LP of eight non-film devotional songs and
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s called
An Unforgettable Treat. Asha considered Jaidev a close friend who stood by her when she was struggling personally and professionally. Upon his death in 1987, she released a compilation album of lesser-known songs he had composed for her, called
Suranjali.
Shankar Jaikishan
Shankar JaikishanShankar Jaikishan, an Indian musical composer duo in the Hindi film industry, were active mainly during the 1950s and 1960s. They were the premier composers of their period which is also considered the golden era of Hindi film music. They are generally regarded as the greatest composers in the...
worked relatively little with Asha. However, the team produced quite a few hits including the seductive
Parde mein rehne do (
ShikarShikar is a 1968 Hindi movie produced and directed by Atma Ram. The film is a murder mystery that became a box office hit. The film stars Dharmendra, Asha Parekh, Sanjeev Kumar, Helen, Rehman, Bela Bose, Ramesh Deo and Johnny Walker....
, 1968). Asha got her second Filmfare Award for the song. Asha also sang the song
Zindagi ek safar hai suhaana (
AndazAndaz is a 1971 Hindi romantic movie starring Shammi Kapoor, Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna. The film was directed by Ramesh Sippy.-Synopsis:...
) for Shankar Jaikishan, in which she tried to yodel like Kishore Kumar, whose version of the song is more better known. When Raj Kapoor was not on speaking terms with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha got to sing the songs of
Mera Naam JokerMera Naam Joker is a 1970 Hindi film directed by Raj Kapoor. The screenplay was written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. This film was the debut of Rishi Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows...
(1970), composed by Shankar-Jaikishan.
Anu Malik
Composer
Anu MalikAnu Malik is a music director in the Hindi film industry. He has won the National Award for his work in Refugee. His song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate was used in the English movie Moulin Rouge, starring Nicole Kidman, and "Chunari Chunari" from Biwi No.1 was used in Monsoon Wedding...
and Asha have recorded many hit songs together, including songs for his first movie
Sohni MahiwalSohni Mahiwal Sohni Mahiwal Sohni Mahiwal (Urdu/Punjabi: سوہنی مہیوال is one of the four popular tragic romances of the Sindh, and Punjab in Pakistan. This is one of the four identity of Pakistans and Punjab Literature. Sohni lived in Punjab (now Pakistan) followed by Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiba and...
(1984). Their most popular songs include
Filhaal (
Filhaal),
Kitabein bahut si (
BaazigarBaazigar is a 1993 Indian Hindi film directed by Abbas-Mustan. Based on Ira Levin's 1953 novel A Kiss Before Dying, it is a contemporary thriller about a young man who stops at nothing to get revenge...
) among others. The four lines sung by Asha in Anu Malik's
Jab dil mile (
YaadeinYaadein is a 2001 Bollywood film directed by Subhash Ghai. It was filmed throughout India, Malaysia and the UK.-Synopsis:...
) stood out among voices of Sukhwinder Singh,
Udit NarayanUdit Narayan Jha, popularly known as Udit Narayan is a leading playback singer in commercial Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya and Nepali language cinema. Narayan has sung more than 15,000 songs in more than 30 different languages...
and
Sunidhi ChauhanSunidhi Chauhan is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Bollywood film songs. She is credited with over 2000 songs.Chauhan began to sing at the age of four, and was discovered by a local TV anchor...
. Asha had also sung for Anu Malik's father Sardar Malik in the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in
Saranga (1960).
Other Composers
Madan MohanMadan Mohan Kohli , better known as Madan Mohan, was a famed Bollywood film music director of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s...
recorded a number of songs with Asha, including the popular folk number
Jhumka Gira Re from
Mera SaayaMera Saaya is a 1966 Indian Hindi film directed by Raj Khosla. The film was a remake of Marathi film called Pathlag. The film's music is by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. The film stars Sunil Dutt and Sadhana. This is director Raj Khosla's third film with Sadhana after Ek Musafir...
(1966). In
Chhoti Si BaatChhoti Si Baat is a 1975 Bollywood romantic comedy film directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film's title means "One Small Thing" in Hindi. Considered one of the best Hindi comedy films of the 1970s, it is a nostalgic favourite for its quirky take on pre-hypercongestion Bombay...
(1975), Asha sang the
Jaaneman Jaaneman number with
K. J. YesudasDr. Kattassery Joseph Yesudas or Yesudas , is an Indian classical musician and a playback singer. He has won the National Award for the best male playback singer seven times, the most by any singer. Yesudas sings Indian classical music, devotional and popular songs...
for
Salil ChowdhurySalil Chowdhury was a famous Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali composer, poet and a playwright. He was born on November 19, 1922 and died on September 5, 1995....
. Salil's 1956 movie
Jagte RahoJagte Raho is a 1956 film directed by Amit Mitra and Sombhu Mitra, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor. The film centers on the trials of a poor villager who comes to a city in search of a better life. However, the naive man soon becomes trapped in a web of middle-class greed and corruption...
also had a number recorded by Asha,
Thandi Thandi Saawan ki Phuhaar. Another Asha patron is the young composer
Sandeep ChowtaSandeep Chowta is an Indian Bollywood music director and head of Columbia Records in India. He has also sung some of his songs.-Biography:It was perhaps the first time in Indian cinema that the background score made the original soundtrack take a snug backseat.Whispers of a certain name began doing...
, who got her to sing
Kambakht Ishq (A duet with Sonu Nigam) (
Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, 2001). The song gained major popularity among the Indian youth.
Asha has worked with Lata-patrons like Laxmikant-Pyarelal,
NaushadNaushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films.- Early life and education:...
, Ravindra Jain, N Dutta, Hemant Kumar. Once when Naushad was asked to sum up the essential difference between Lata and Asha, he said that Asha "lacks certain something which Lata, and Lata alone has". Later he accepted in an interview, "May be I said it because I then had a closed ear on Asha". Naushad, later in his life, also admitted that he has been unfair to Asha Bhonsle. Asha has also worked with other noted Bollywood composers like
Jatin LalitJatin-Lalit are a Bollywood film composer duo consisting of Jatin Pandit and his younger brother Lalit. They have written the scores for such films as Khiladi, Khamoshi, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai....
,
Bappi LahiriBappi Lahiri or Alokesh Lahiri is a music director in the Hindi film industry. He pioneered the use of disco music in Indian cinema, and also sang some of his own compositions. He was popular in the 1980s with films like Disco Dancer, Namak Halaal and Sharaabi among others...
,
Kalyanji AnandjiKalyanji Anandji is a name used by Indian composer duo known for its work on Bollywood film soundtracks, particularly action potboilers in the 1970s. The name comes from first names of the two Gujarati brothers that formed the duo, Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah...
,
Usha KhannaUsha Khanna is an Indian music director. Regarded as the only established female music director in the Indian film industry, she remained active for more than 3 decades from 1960s to 1980s. She is still active making some music for some movies and television-serials, more than 40 years after her...
,
ChitraguptChitragupta Shrivastava , better known by his first name alone, was an Indian film music director of the 1960s.-Career:...
, and
RoshanRoshan Lal Nagrath , better known simply by his first name Roshan, was a famous Bollywood film music composer...
.
Marathi music
Along with her sister
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
, Asha Bhosle is regarded as an icon of Marathi music (Marathi is their mother tongue). She has sung several non-film songs of the genre commonly referred to as Bhaav Geet, which consist mostly of poems written by notable poets. A good example is the popular album
Rutu Hirawa ("Green Season"), composed by Shreedhar Phadke.
Asha's renditions of her brother
Hridayanath MangeshkarHridaynath Mangeshkar is a composer/singer from India known for his eclectic compositions and a well respected body of work. He is the younger brother of Indian music icons Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale.-Biography:...
's compositions have been very popular with Marathi music lovers. As in Hindi; her Marathi songs also represent her wide range, from westernized tunes like
Ruperi Walut ("meet me on the silver sands in the coconut groves") to complex classical compositions such as
Tarun aahe Ratra Ajuni ("The night is still young"). Marathi
bhajanA Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s sung by her are also very popular among Maharashtrians. A good example is her rendition of saint-poet
DnyaneshwarSant Jñāneshwar / Sant Dnyāneshwar , also known as Jñanadeva - ज्ञानदेव, was a 13th century Maharashtran saint, poet, philosopher and yogi of the Nath tradition whose works Bhavartha deepika teeka , and Amrutanubhav are considered to be milestones in Marathi...
's
Kanadawo Vithallu. Her rendition of Marathi natya sangeet composed by her father Deenanath Mangeshkar are still popular.
Asha is endearingly referred to as
Ashatai (
tai is Marathi for elder sister) by Maharashrians. She performs in very popular Marathi concerts like
Nakshtranche Dene (translation:
Gift from the stars), Aapli Asha Bhosle (translation:
Yours, Asha Bhosle).
Private albums
In a rare feat, noted lyricist,
GulzarSampooran Singh Kalra , better known by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. Gulzaar primarily works in Hindi-Urdu...
, music director, R.D. Burman and Asha Bhosle, came together in 1987, to create a double album, titled,
Dil Padosi HaiDil Padosi Hai is a 1987, private Indian music album by Music director R. D. Burman. The songs of the album were penned by Gulzar. All the songs in the album are sung by virtuoso singer, Asha Bhosle, on whose birthday, September 8, 1987, the album was released in Mumbai . .This album reflects the...
, which was released on September 8, 1987, Asha Bhosle's birthday . In 1995, Asha underwent the
gatha bandan (thread-tying) ceremony with
Hindustani classical musicHindustani Classical Music is the Hindustani or erstwhileNorth Indian style of Indian classical music...
maestro
Ali Akbar KhanAli Akbar Khan , often referred to as Khansahib or by the title Ustad , was an Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod...
to learn a classical repertoire held within the Maihar
gharana (stylistic school of Indian classical music), as handed down to Khan by his father
Allauddin KhanAllauddin Khan , was a Bengali sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most renowned music teachers of the 20th Century in Indian classical music .In 1935, he toured Europe, along with Uday Shankar's ballet troupe, and later also worked at his insititute, 'Uday Shankar...
(the guru of
Ravi ShankarRavi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian classical musician and composer who plays the sitar. He was described as "the most famous Indian musician on the planet" by Ken Hunt of Allmusic....
). Later, Asha and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan recorded eleven fixed compositions (or
bandishes) in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
for
Legacy, a private album that won them a
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
nomination.
In 1990s, Asha experimented with the
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
ed R D Burman songs. She was criticized by many, including
KhayyamMohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known as Khayyam, is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades .He has won two Filmfare Award for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan...
for tampering with old melodies. Nevertheless, albums like
Rahul And I became quite popular. In 1997, Asha did a private Indipop album
Janam Samjha Karo with
Leslie LewisLeslie Lewis is an Indian composer, perhaps best known for his work as part of Colonial Cousins, a duo composed of Lewis and Hariharan. In 2003 Lewis stated that he felt the public associated him too much with his remixes and for that reason he had begun to avoid remixes and instead concentrate on...
. The album was hugely popular and won her many awards including the 1997
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
Award.
Asha had been once asked by the director B R Ishaara to compose music for one of his films, but she had politely declined. In 2002, she turned music composer with the album
Aap Ki Asha, an eight-song music and video album. The lyrics were written by
Majrooh SultanpuriMajrooh Sultanpuri , was an Urdu poet, lyricist and songwriter. He was one of the dominating musical forces in Indian Cinema in the 1950s and early 1960s and was an important figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement., and is considered one of the finest the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of 20th...
(his last lyrics) and the music was composed by Asha herself. The album was released by
Sachin TendulkarSachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. In 2002, Wisden ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, next to Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one day international batsman of all time, next to...
on May 21, 2001 at a lavish party in Mumbai. The album received mixed reviews.
Asha had spotted Pakistani singer
Adnan SamiAdnan Sami Khan , popularly known simply as Adnan Sami, is a British born singer, musician pianist, actor and composer of Pakistani origin from Canada. His style merges Asian and Western styles and instrumentation and ranges from classical to jazz to modern pop-rock.-Early life and education:Sami...
's talent when he was about 10 years old. At that time was performing in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, with R D Burman. It was she who had asked him to pursue his interests in music seriously. When Adnan grew up and became a professional musician, Asha sang the title duet with him for his best-selling album
Kabhi to nazar milao. The two came together again in the album
Barse Badal. The album comprises eight songs, based on
Indian Classical musicThe origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. It is also significantly influenced by Persian music....
. She contributed the song
Yun Na Thi to the recording
Womad Talking Book Volume Four: An Introduction to Asia 1 on Womad Records.
Asha has sung
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s for many albums like
Meraj-E-Ghazal,
Aabshar-E-Ghazal and
Kashish. In 2005, Asha released a self-title album (
Asha), a tribute to the four
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
maestros -
Mehdi HassanMehdi Hassan, TI, PP, HI affectionately called Khan Sahib and titled Shehnshah-e-Ghazal is a legendary Pakistani Ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood...
,
Ghulam AliGhulam Ali Ghulam Ali Ghulam Ali is a Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala gharana. He is not to be confused with the Indian singer Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (of whom he was a disciple) or Chhote Ghulam Ali, who is another Pakistani singer in the qawwali style....
,
Farida KhanumFarida Khanum is a renowned Pakistani Ghazal singer from Punjab. She was given the title "Malika-e-Ghazal" in tribute to her singing talent....
and Jagjit Singh. The album features eight of her favorite
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s like Farida Khanum’s
Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo,
Ghulam AliGhulam Ali Ghulam Ali Ghulam Ali is a Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala gharana. He is not to be confused with the Indian singer Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (of whom he was a disciple) or Chhote Ghulam Ali, who is another Pakistani singer in the qawwali style....
’s
Chupke Chupke,
Aawargi and
Dil Mein Ek Lahar, Jagjit Singh’s
Ahista Ahista and
Mehdi HassanMehdi Hassan, TI, PP, HI affectionately called Khan Sahib and titled Shehnshah-e-Ghazal is a legendary Pakistani Ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood...
’s
Ranjish Hi Sahi,
Rafta Rafta and
Mujhe Tum Nazar Se. These classic ghazals were recreated with modern sounds by the musician Pandit Somesh Mathur. The album was aimed at the younger generation, who, according to Asha, are "turned off" by the traditional sounds of tabla and sarangi.
Numerous compilations of Asha's songs have been released as well. To commemorate her 60th birthday, in 1993
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
India released three cassettes:
Bala Main Bairagan Hoongi (devotional songs),
The Golden Collection: Memorable Ghazals (non-film
ghazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s by composers such as
Ghulam AliGhulam Ali Ghulam Ali Ghulam Ali is a Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala gharana. He is not to be confused with the Indian singer Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (of whom he was a disciple) or Chhote Ghulam Ali, who is another Pakistani singer in the qawwali style....
, R D Burman and Nazar Hussain), and
The Golden Collection: The Ever Versatile Asha Bhosle (44 popular film songs).
In 2006, she recorded an album
Asha and Friends, singing duets, with film actors
Sanjay DuttSanjay Dutt , is an Indian Bollywood film actor and politician. A two time Filmfare Awards winner, Dutt is the son of Bollywood stars Sunil Dutt and Nargis.-Background:...
and
Urmila MatondkarUrmila Matondkar is an Indian Bollywood actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
and famous cricket player
Brett LeeBrett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
, with whom she sang,
You're the One for Me"You're the One For Me" is a song written by Australian Cricketer Brett Lee during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India. It was released as a duet featuring Lee and Bollywood star Asha Bhosle....
(
Haan Main Tumhara Hoon). All these songs composed by Shamir Tandon were shot on video by journalist turned director S Ramachandran.
Concerts and collaborations with foreign artists
In 1980s and 1990s, Asha went globe-trotting, staging concerts in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
,
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
,
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and many other countries. In 1989, during a world tour, she performed in 13 US cities in 20 days. Immediately after this, she had an already sold-out concert scheduled in
Stockholm' is the capital and largest city of Sweden. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the Riksdag , and the official residence of the Swedish Monarch as well as the prime minister. The Monarch resides at Drottningholm Palace outside of Stockholm since 1980 and uses the Royal Palace of...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
. Due to the stressful schedule, Asha suffered a massive attack of
colitisColitis is a chronic digestive disease characterized by inflammation of the colon.Colitis is one of a group of conditions which are inflammatory and auto-immune, affecting the tissue that lines the gastrointestinal system...
, together with
feverFever is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal...
,
coughA cough , in medicine, is a sudden and often repetitively occurring defense reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from excess secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes...
and weakness. In Stockholm, a pre-concert crisis meeting was called, attended by Asha's son (and manager) Anand and the sponsors. It was decided that the
orchestraAn orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
will play many instrumental tracks, the accompanying singers like
Suresh WadkarSuresh Wadkar is an Indian playback singer. He performs in both Hindi and Marathi language films.- Early life :...
will shoulder the load, and Asha will make a small appearance. But Asha rejected all such proposals, and sang at the concert with great difficulty, in a not-so-good voice. Her first set of six Bollywood songs did not receive any response from the audience, which consisted mostly of Indian and
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
i expats. Before the start of the second set of songs, a fan in the crowd requested her to sing a
MarathiMarathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are 90 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi is the 4th most spoken language in India and the 15th most spoken language in the world...
song. Asha obliged and sang
Naach-naachuni ati mi damale ("I'm very tired of this endless dancing"). When the song ended, the auditorium erupted with claps and the encores started. After the concert, Asha was in bed for a month, recuperating from overexertion. In October 2002, she did a concert with Sudesh Bhosle and others, in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, for "Help the Aged" to help raise funds for older people in India. In 2007 she toured the USA, Canada, and West Indies in a tour called "The Incredibles". In this tour, she was accompanied by singers
Sonu NigamSonu Nigam or Sonu Niigaam is a highly acclaimed Indian playback singer whose songs have been featured in numerous Hindi, Kannada and Telugu movies. He has also released numerous Indi-pop albums and acted in a few Hindi feature films...
,
Kunal GanjawalaKunal Ganjawala is an well-known Indian singer, known primarily for his work as a Hindi playback singer, Marathi and Kannada film industry. His breakthrough hit, Bheegey Hont from the film Murder, won the 2005 Zee Cine Award for Best Playback Singer...
and
Kailash KherKailash Kher is an Indian pop singer with very diverse music style often influenced by Indian folk music.-Early life and background:...
. This tour went on to hold more than 20 concerts and was originally scheduled for only 12.
In the mid-1980s, Asha sang with
Boy GeorgeBoy George is an English singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
(
Bow down mister) and Stephen Lauscombe. In 1997, she sang a love song with the boy band
Code Red-Formation:Phillip Andrew Rodell, Neil James Watts, Lee John Missen and Roger Ratajczak formed themselves as the lineup for the vocal group, and they were signed up to Polydor Records. They performed in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest singing "I Gave You Everything"...
, at the age of 64. She also recorded the song
The Way you Dream (One Giant Leap,
http://www.1giantleap.tv/) with
Michael StipeJohn Michael Stipe is an American singer who is the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe has become well-known for the "mumbling" style of his early career and for his complex, surreal lyrics, as well as his social and political activism...
that was used in the English movie,
Bulletproof MonkBulletproof Monk is a 2003 martial arts action/fantasy film starring Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott and Jaime King. The film was directed by Paul Hunter...
.
In 1997, the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
band
CornershopCornershop are a British indie band formed in Leicester in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh , his brother Avtar Singh , David Chambers and Ben Ayres , the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single in...
paid tribute to Asha with their song
Brimful of Asha"Brimful of Asha" is an East-West Fusion pop-rock song by the British band Cornershop, which originally reached number 60 in the UK Singles Chart in 1997. A remix by Fatboy Slim became a hit in 1998 on the US and UK charts, reaching #1 in the UK. The original hit #16 on the Billboard Modern Rock...
, an international hit which was later remixed by
Fatboy SlimNorman Quentin Cook , also known by the stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, big beat musician, record producer and pioneer of the electronic dance genre which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
. In 2001, the
CDA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
single of
Nelly FurtadoNelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has sold over 18 million albums worldwide, and currently resides in Toronto...
's "I'm Like A Bird" included a "Nellie vs. Asha Remix" created by
Digital Cutup LoungeDigital Cutup Lounge is an electronic music duo from Hong Kong, now based in Los Angeles and Somerset, UK. Its two members are DJs and multi-instrumentalists John von Seggern and British-born Stephen Ives...
.
In 2002, she appeared along with
Michael StipeJohn Michael Stipe is an American singer who is the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe has become well-known for the "mumbling" style of his early career and for his complex, surreal lyrics, as well as his social and political activism...
on the track "The Way You Dream" on the self-titled album by
1 Giant Leap1 Giant Leap is a concept band and media project consisting of the two principal artists, Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman.-Information:...
.
In 2003, British opera pop singer
Sarah BrightmanSarah Brightman is a British crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She sings in many languages including English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Italian, Russian, Hindi, and Mandarin....
sampled her song "Dil Cheez Kya Hai" on her album
HaremHarem is a 2003 album by English singer Sarah Brightman. It mixes her operatic voice with Middle-Eastern and Indian rhythms and vocals. Thanks to an idea of Frank Peterson, the producer of this album, in the song "Mysterious Days", they included the vocals of the late singer Ofra Haza, who worked...
. It was used as the intro for her song "You Take My Breath Away".
In 2005, American
string quartetA string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string instruments — usually two violins, a viola and cello — or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
Kronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
re-recorded the R D Burman compositions like
Chura LiyaChura Liyaa Hai Tumne is an Indian Bollywood Film which is directed by Sangeeth Sivan and released on March 21, 2003. Zayed Khan, the son of actor and director Sanjay Khan made his film debut with this film.-Sypnosis:...
,
Piya Tu,
Mera Kuchh Saaman among others and got Asha to sing them. Despite her age (she had crossed 70), she recorded three to four songs in a day, leaving the quartet members stupefied. On August 23, 2005,
You've stolen my heart - Songs From R D Burman's BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the...
was released in US. The album was nominated for
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
s 2006 in the category of "Best Contemporary World Music Album". Earlier, in 1990s, a friend had introduced David Harrington of
Kronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
to the song
Aaj ki raat. Harrington was mesmerised, and the song ended up on the album
Kronos Caravan.
Also in 2005, the Black Eyed Peas sampled her songs "Ae Naujawan Sab Kuchh Yahan" (
ApradhApradh is a 1972 Hindi film produced and directed by Feroz Khan. It was Feroz Khans debut as a producer and a director. The film stars Feroz Khan, Mumtaz, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar, Helen, and Madan Puri. The films music is by Kalyanji Anandji...
, 1972) and "Yeh Mera Dil Yaar Ka Diwana" (
DonDon is a 1978 Bollywood action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, with music by Kalyanji Anandji and lyrics by Anjaan. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri, Satyen Kappu and Pinchoo Kapoor. It became a box office success...
, 1978) in their hit single "
Don't Phunk with My Heart"Don't Phunk with My Heart" is a 2005 single by the Black Eyed Peas. It is the first single from the Black Eyed Peas' fourth album, Monkey Business. The song is best known for its ambiguous and slightly controversial usage of the word "phunk" in its title. Some radio edits replace "phunk" with "mess"...
". In late 2006, Asha collaborated with Australian test cricket star,
Brett LeeBrett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
. The single,
You're the One for Me"You're the One For Me" is a song written by Australian Cricketer Brett Lee during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India. It was released as a duet featuring Lee and Bollywood star Asha Bhosle....
debuted at number 4 on the charts and reached a peak position of number 2.
In 2006 Asha Bhosle recorded one song for the soundtrack of
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
i movie
Mein Ek Din Laut Kay Aaaonga. She sang the song
Dil Key Taar Bajey with famous Pakistani pop singer Jawad Ahmed. The song was aired as the part of the film's promotional campaign and became very popular, featuring on
top music chartsA record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
Personal life
Asha's house is situated in Prabhukunj Apt on
Peddar RoadPedder Road is the former name of a busy arterial road in South Mumbai passing through the affluent Cumballa Hill neighborhood. It was named after Mr. W. G. Pedder, Municipal Commissioner . He was in the Bombay Civil Service, 1855-1879, and on his retirement was appointed Secretary to the Revenue...
area of South
MumbaiMumbai, formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city proper is the most-populous in the world, with approximately 14 million inhabitants. Along with the neighbouring suburbs of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it forms the world's 4th largest urban agglomeration, with around...
. She has three children and five grandchildren. The eldest of her three children is Hemant Bhosle (named after Hemant Kumar), spent most of his early years as a pilot and quit to have a brief career as a music director. Asha's daughter
VarshaVarsha Bhosle is an Indian journalist and writer based in Mumbai. She is the daughter of Indian playback singer, Asha Bhosle. She wrote columns for the Indian web portal, Rediff, during 1997 - 2003; columns for The Sunday Observerduring 1994 - 1998; and for Gentleman magazine in 1993...
, who is younger than Hemant, worked as a columnist for
The Sunday Observer and
Rediff. The youngest child is Anand Bhosle, who has studied business and film direction. He manages Asha's career. Her grandson, Chaitanya (Chintu) Bhosle (Hemant's son) also ventured in the world of music, as a member of a successful
boy bandIn pop or R&B a boy band is a group of several young male singers. The members are generally expected to perform as dancers as well, often executing highly choreographed sequences to their own music. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions...
, "Band of Boys". Her granddaughter, Anneka Bhosle (hemant's daughter) is on her way of becoming a successful Photographer. Her sisters
LataLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
and
Usha MangeshkarUsha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Hindi,Marathi and Gujarati songs soundtracks. She is the younger sister of singers, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle...
are playback singers. The other two siblings, sister
Meena MangeshkarMeena Khadikar has sung for a few Hindi, Marathi and Bengali soundtracks. She is the second daughter of Master Dinanath, and younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar.Dinanath Mangeshkar was born in the small village of Mangeshi in Goa, India. Ganesh Bhat-Nawathe and Yesubai Rane were his parents...
and brother
Hridayanath MangeshkarHridaynath Mangeshkar is a composer/singer from India known for his eclectic compositions and a well respected body of work. He is the younger brother of Indian music icons Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale.-Biography:...
are
music director-Orchestra:The title of music director or musical director is used by many symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra. The term "music director" is most common for orchestras in the United States...
s.
Asha is an excellent cook and
cookingCooking is the process of preparing food by applying heat, selecting, measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible food. The process encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to alter the flavor, appearance, texture,...
is her favorite hobby. She often gets flooded with requests by Bollywood celebrities for
kadai ghosht and
biryaniBiryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat/chicken/vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted".Biryani was brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants...
and has rarely turned down a request. In fact, her
paya curryCurry is a generic description used throughout European and American culture to describe a general variety of spiced dishes, best known in Asian cuisines, especially South Asian cuisine...
,
GoaGoa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.Panaji is...
n fish curry and
dalDal or Parippu is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split...
are very popular with the
KapoorKapoor or Kapur and sometimes but rarely Capoor is the name of a clan of Sikhs and Hindus belonging to the Khatri caste. They are part of the "Dhai Ghar", meaning two and a half houses. Kapurs, Malhotra , Khanna and Seth marry their children with each other...
family of Bollywood. Once, when asked in a
Times of India interview, what if her singing career had not taken off, she said "I would have become a cook. I'd have cooked in four houses and made money."
Asha is a successful restaurateur and runs restaurants in
DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
and
KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...
, called Asha's. Asha's offers traditional north-western
Indian cuisineThe cuisine of India is characterized by sophisticated and subtle use of various spices, herbs and other vegetables grown in India and also for the widespread practice of vegetarianism across many sections of its society. Each family of Indian cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes...
. It has a presence in the Wafi City development in Dubai, as well as two restaurants in
KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...
. Asha Bhosle has a 20% stake in the business. Asha is not involved in day-to-day running of the restaurant which is looked after by the Wafi Group. She takes care of the kitchen and the décor. She personally trained the
chefA chef is a person who cooks professionally. In a professional kitchen setting, the term is used only for the one person in charge of everyone else in the kitchen; the executive chef.-Various chef titles:...
s for almost six months. According to a December 2004 report in the Menu Magazine, Russell Scott, a former head of Harry Ramsden's (the fish and chips chain), secured the UK rights to the Asha's brand and planned to open up to 40 restaurants over the next five years. As part of her chain of restaurants, Asha's, Ashatai has recently opened a new restaurant in Birmingham, UK.
Asha's fashion statement is white sarees with sparkling embroidery, pearls around her neck and
diamondIn mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is the second most stable form of carbon, after graphite; however, the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is...
s. Harrington of
Kronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
said "The first time I met Asha
ji she was dressed in the most beautiful
sariA sari or saree or shari is a female garment in the Indian Subcontinent. A sari is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles...
with diamonds and looked very regal. Then I looked down and saw that she was wearing tennis shoes! I thought I love this woman."
Asha is a good mimicry artist as well. At a concert at World Trade Center in Dubai on April 22, 2004, she mimicked the song
Kabhi To Nazar Milaao in the voices of
Noor JehanNoor Jehan was the adopted stage name for Allah Wasai who was a singer and actress in British India and Pakistan...
, Lata Mangeshkar and
Ghulam AliGhulam Ali Ghulam Ali Ghulam Ali is a Pakistani ghazal singer of the Patiala gharana. He is not to be confused with the Indian singer Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (of whom he was a disciple) or Chhote Ghulam Ali, who is another Pakistani singer in the qawwali style....
.
Nowadays, apart from singing and her restaurant, Asha is also working on her autobiography.
Rivalry with Lata Mangeshkar
Asha's
sibling rivalrySibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among brothers and sisters, blood-related or not.82% of people in Western countries have at least one sibling, and siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents...
with her sister
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
is often talked about, in spite of their insistence that these are just tales. As young children, they were very close. As a child, Lata used to carry Asha all the time. They were so inseparable that when Lata went to school she would take Asha with her, but one day the teacher protested and said that they cannot have two students on one fee. Lata refused to return to school without Asha and quit her studies.
Lata considered Asha's act of eloping with her lover as irresponsible, leaving her alone to sing and earn for the family. This led to tensions among them. Asha herself accepted in an interview — "It was a love marriage and Lata
didi (elder sister) did not speak to me for a long time. She disapproved of the alliance." At one time, their relationship was very adversarial and there have been periods of non-communication.
In her initial days in the industry, Asha always played second fiddle to her elder sister. Some say that Lata had once said something criticising Asha's relationship with
O. P. NayyarOmkar Prasad Nayyar was a famous Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...
. This widened the rift between the two sisters and O P Nayyar also decided that he would never work with Lata. O.P. Nayyar had once revealed — "Asha and Lata staying in opposite flats at Bombay's
Peddar RoadPedder Road is the former name of a busy arterial road in South Mumbai passing through the affluent Cumballa Hill neighborhood. It was named after Mr. W. G. Pedder, Municipal Commissioner . He was in the Bombay Civil Service, 1855-1879, and on his retirement was appointed Secretary to the Revenue...
, shared a common maidservant. Now this maidservant had merely to come and tell the younger sister that Lata had just recorded something wonderful for Asha to lose her vocal poise. Such was her Lata phobia that it took me some months to convince Asha that she had a voice individualistic enough to evolve a singing style all of her own." Asha once said that she has worked for years to create a voice and a style that was different from Lata, so that she could carve her own niche and not be banished to live her shadow.
Asha and Lata have sung many songs together. Their first duet was for the film
Daman (1951). Some of these include
Man Bhawan Ke Ghar aye (
Chori ChoriChori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis; Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have character parts...
, 1956),
Sakhi ri sun bole papihaa us paar (
Miss Mary, 1957),
O chaand jahaan woh jaaye (
Sharada, 1957),
Mere Mehboob Mein Kya Nahi (
Mere MehboobMere Mehboob is a 1963 Indian film directed by Harnam Singh Rawail and starring Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana, Ashok Kumar, Nimmi, Pran and Ameeta. The film became a "blockbuster" and took the number one position at the box office in 1963. The movie drew a background from Aligarh Muslim University,...
, 1963),
Ai kash kisi deewane ko (
Aaye Din Bahar KeAaye Din Bahar Ke is a 1966 Hindi film produced by J. Om Prakash. It became a box office hit. The film stars Dharmendra, Asha Parekh,Nazima, Sulochna, Balraj Sahni and Rajindernath. The film is a musical romance with music given by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Anand Bakshi is the lyricist....
, 1966),
Main Chali Main Chali (
PadosanPadosan is a 1968 Indian Hindi film. Directed by Jyoti Swaroop, and written by Rajendra Krishan. The music is by R.D. Burman.Indiatimes Movies ranks the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films....
, 1968),
Chhap tilak sab (
Main Tulsi Tere Aangan KiMain Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki is a 1978 Indian film directed by Raj Khosla and Sudesh Issar. Based on a Marathi novel titled 'Ashi Tujhi Preet' by famous Marathi storywriter Mr. Chandrakant Kakodkar . It's about a man in love with his mistress Tulsi but is forced to marry a strong woman, Sanjukta...
, 1978), and
Man kyun behka (
UtsavUtsav is a 1984 Hindi film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad.The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Shankar Nag, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.The role played by Shashi...
, 1984). While singing, Lata used to hold her notebook in her right hand, while Asha held her notebook in her left hand. This meant Lata had her face away from Asha, making it difficult for them to "anticipate" each other.
The movie
SaazSaaz is a Hindi movie produced and directed by Sai Paranjpye and released in 1998, starring Aruna Irani and Shabana Azmi in lead roles.-Synopsis:...
, was supposedly based on Lata and Asha's rivalry. Asha said about the movie — "To have two women in long plaits, take a couple of incidents and exaggerate them into a 3-hour film is such a waste of time." In last few years, Asha and Lata have often been seen in public, enjoying each other's company. In an interview with
The Times of IndiaThe Times of India is a popular English-language broadsheet daily newspaper in India. It has the widest circulation among all English-language daily newspapers in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, Asha once said - "I remember, sometimes both of us would be at a function and some industry types would ignore me and interact only with her, as if to prove their loyalty. Later, didi (elder sister) and I would have a good laugh!"
The famous Bollywood lyricist-filmmaker
GulzarSampooran Singh Kalra , better known by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. Gulzaar primarily works in Hindi-Urdu...
once said – "Asha was like
Neil ArmstrongNeil Alden Armstrong is an American aviator and a former astronaut, test pilot, university professor, and United States Naval Aviator. He was the first person to set foot on the Moon. His first spaceflight was aboard Gemini 8 in 1966, for which he was the command pilot...
's companion in the space rocket that touched the moon. After Lata
ji touched down on the moon, Ashaji could only be the second one to get there."
Awards
Filmfare awardsThe Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India...
Asha Bhosle has won seven
Filmfare Best Female Playback AwardThe Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film song....
s out of 18 nominations. She won her first two awards in 1967 and 1968, when
Lata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She sang in over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over twenty regional Indian...
still used to accept the award (Mangeshkar asked not to be considered for the award nominations after 1969 to promote new talent). After receiving the award in 1979, Bhosle emulated her elder sister and requested that her name not be considered for the nominations hereafter. Despite this, Bhosle is the most frequent winner of this award to date, tying with
Alka YagnikAlka Yagnik is an Indian singer and seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. She has done playback singing for over 500 Indian films, and is ranked among the best-known Hindi playback singers of all-time.-Early life and background:Alka Yagnik was born in Kolkata to a Gujarati...
. She was later given a
Special Award for
RangeelaRangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
in 1996, and the
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.Amitabh Bachchan was the first recipient of this Award.Here is the list of the award winners.-External links:*...
in 2001. Following is the list of her Filmfare Awards:
Filmfare Best Female Playback AwardThe Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film song....
:
- 1968: "Garibon ki Suno" (Dus Lakh, 1966)
- 1969: "Parde Mein Rehne Do" (Shikar
Shikar is a 1968 Hindi movie produced and directed by Atma Ram. The film is a murder mystery that became a box office hit. The film stars Dharmendra, Asha Parekh, Sanjeev Kumar, Helen, Rehman, Bela Bose, Ramesh Deo and Johnny Walker....
, 1968)
- 1972: "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" (Caravan
Caravan is a 1971 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Nasir Hussain and Sachin Bhowmick wrote the screenplay. Hussain's brother Tahir Hussain is credited as producer. It starred Jeetendra and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Aruna Irani , Helen and Madan Puri...
, 1971)
- 1973: "Dum Maro Dum
Dum Maro Dum is an Indian Hindi song from the 1971 Bollywood film Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It was sung by Asha Bhosle along with Usha Iyer and chorus. The song was picturized on Zeenat Aman. It was written by Anand Bakshi and composed by Rahul Dev Burman. It has been remixed and sampled by many...
" (Hare Rama Hare Krishna, 1972)
- 1974: "Hone Lagi Hain Raat" (Naina, 1973)
- 1975: "Chain Se Humko Kabhi" (Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye
Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye is a 1974 Bollywood film produced by Ratan Mohan and directed by S. Ali Raza. The film stars Sunil Dutt, Rekha, Iftekhar, Premnath, Jeevan, Bindu, Madan Puri, Ranjeet and Jayshree T. The film's music is by O. P. Nayyar....
, 1974)
- 1979: "Yeh Mera Dil" (Don
Don is a 1978 Bollywood action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, with music by Kalyanji Anandji and lyrics by Anjaan. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri, Satyen Kappu and Pinchoo Kapoor. It became a box office success...
, 1978)
Other Awards:
- 1996 - Special Award (Rangeela
Rangeela is a Hindi-language movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry. It was directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, and Jackie Shroff....
, 1995)
- 2001 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.Amitabh Bachchan was the first recipient of this Award.Here is the list of the award winners.-External links:*...
National Film AwardsThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India, and the country's oldest alongside the Filmfare Awards. Established in 1954, it is administrated by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973....
Asha has won the
National Film Award for Best Female Playback SingerThe National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners:...
twice:
- 1981: Dil Cheez Kya Hai (Umrao Jaan
Umrao Jaan is a Bollywood film released in 1981. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
)
- 1986: Mera Kuch Samaan (Ijaazat
Ijaazat is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar. Starring Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah in leading roles, the film followed the story of a divorced couple who accidentally meet in a railway station waiting room and discover some truths about their lives without each other...
)
Other awards
Asha has won numerous other awards, some of which include:
- 1987: Nightingale Of Asia Award (from the Indo
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
–PakPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
Association, UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
).
- 1989: Lata Mangeshkar Award (Government of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh was originally the largest state in India until November 1, 2000 when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out...
).
- 1997: Screen Videocon
Videocon is an industrial conglomerate with interests all over the world and based in India. The group has 17 manufacturing sites in India and plants in China, Poland, Italy and Mexico...
Award (for the album Jaanam Samajha Karo).
- 1997: MTV
MTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
Award (for the album Jaanam Samajha Karo).
- 1997: Channel V
Channel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV.-Channel [V] International:Channel [V] International is flagship of the Channel [V] network. It was founded after MTV Asia parted ways with the STAR TV Network and the latter network needed a music...
Award (for the album Jaanam Samjha Karo).
- 1998: Dayawati Modi Award.
- 1999: Lata Mangeshkar Award (Government of Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
)
- 2000: Singer of the Millennium (Dubai
Dubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
).
- 2000: Zee
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, which carries broadcasts in Hindi and other regional languages of India. As well as broadcasting in South Asia, it also reaches audiences in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Australasia and...
Gold Bollywood Award (for Mujhe Rang De from Thakshak).
- 2001: MTV
MTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
Award (for Kambakht Ishq).
- 2002: BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by the UK Prime MinisterA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and...
Tony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
).
- 2002: Zee Cine Award for Best Playback Singer - Female (for Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan).
- 2002: Zee Cine Special Award for Hall of Fame
The Zee Cine Special Award for Hall of Fame was used in the year .Each year introduces a special category at the awards. In 2002, they tried to acknowledge different kinds of artists, one of them was a playback singer who has sung for years and still sings at age 69 for the new breed of actresses....
.
- 2002: Screen Videocon
Videocon is an industrial conglomerate with interests all over the world and based in India. The group has 17 manufacturing sites in India and plants in China, Poland, Italy and Mexico...
Award (for Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan).
- 2002: Sansui
) is a Japanese manufacturer of audio and video equipment. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, it is part of Grande Holdings, a Chinese Hong Kong-based conglomerate, who also owns Japanese brands Akai and Nakamichi....
Movie Award (for Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan).
- 2003: Swaralaya Yesudas Award
Swaralaya Yesudas award is a prestigious award for music artists in recognition to their outstanding performance. The award is instituted jointly by Swaralaya, an organization that promotes music and Kairali Channel, based at Trivandrum, India. Awards have been given annually since 2000. K.J...
for outstanding contributions to Indian music.
- 2004: Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is an association of business organizations in India, headquartered in the national capital New Delhi. FICCI is one of the main organizations to fund and support many governmental and non-governmental educational institutes...
.
- 2005: MTV Immies
MTV India was launched in 1996 and is now part of the Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. . "MTV India" is one of the oldest Music Television Networks in Asia. Music has always been distinctively recognized and acknowledged with respect to India and so thus the MTV India...
, Best Female Pop Act for Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo.
- 2005: Most Stylish People in Music.
Honours and recognitions
- In 1997, Asha became the first Indian singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
, for Legacy, an album with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
- She has received seventeen Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
State Awards.
- She received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969 , the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke , considered the father of Indian cinema....
in 2000 for her outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
- She holds honorary doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession . The best-known example...
s from the University of AmravatiAmravati is a city in the state of Maharashtra in India and the headquatres of the Amravati district...
and University of JalgaonJalgaon is a city in western India, to the north of the Maharashtra state in Jalgaon District, which itself is located on the northern Deccan Plateau. Located within the productive, irrigated agricultural region of Khandesh, Jalgaon is a municipal corporation.Jalgaon is also the hometown of the Smt...
in LiteratureLiterature is the art of written works. Literally translated, the word means "acquaintance with letters" , and therefore the academic study of literature is known as Letters...
.
- She has received The Freddie Mercury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts.
- The Birmingham Film Festival paid her a special tribute in November 2002.
- She was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and before the Padma Bhushan...
by the Government of IndiaThe Government of India, also known as the Union Government or the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of a union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=2ceefc34-8f58-47ab-b358-ee7a5630f4a7&MatchID1=4628&TeamID1=1&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1165&MatchID2=4621&TeamID3=3&TeamID4=4&MatchType2=2&SeriesID2=1164&PrimaryID=4628&Headline=Tendulkar%2c+Tata%2c+Mittal+get+top+civilian+honour
Asha Bhosle received Padma Vibhushan from President Pratibha Patil on Monday May 5, 2008.
External links