Legendary singer Asha Bhosle, considered one of the greatest vocalists in modern Indian music, has died at the age of 92. The singer was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital on Saturday after she experienced cardiac and respiratory issues. Sources told HT that the singer had not been keeping well for the last few months and was brought to the hospital in a critical state. She was admitted to the ICU on Saturday night.
Bhosle’s son, Anand, confirmed the news on Sunday afternoon. The last rites will be conducted tomorrow.
Asha Bhosle’s stellar career
One of the most successful, popular, and prolific singers of Indian cinema, Asha Bhosle’s stature in Hindi film music was rivalled only by her elder sister, the late Lata Mangeshkar. Born in 1933 into the musical Mangeshkar family, Asha began singing professionally at the age of 9. She recorded her first film song in 1943 and by the 50s, had carved a niche for herself in Bollywood. Over the next three decades, she was among the most sought-after performers by most composers.
While initially, she was typecast into singing just cabaret numbers or dances that would today be called item songs, Asha diversified, singing even ghazals sublimely in Umrao Jaan. She was a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Award and a two-time winner of the National Film Award- for Dil Cheez Kya Hai from Umrao Jaan and Mera Kuch Saamaan from Ijaazat.
In an interaction with Hindustan Times in 2023, the singer spoke about the contemporary music landscape. She said, “Main sach bolu toh main aaj ke gaane sunti hi nahi hoon. If I have to listen to songs, I hear (late vocalist) Bhimsen Joshi’s songs, classical songs and ghazals as I get to learn and simultaneously, polish and practice my songs better through that. Because of this, my capability of singing gets better, and I improvise and sing better,” she says, adding, “I don’t really find songs with excellent lyrics today, but I listen to them occasionally and sometimes, I come across good songs by (singers) Rahat Fateh Ali (Khan), Sunidhi (Chauhan) so yes, I do find some of them good, but I rarely listen to music. If I have to, then I listen to the old songs.”
A topsy-turvy personal life
At the age of 16, against her family’s wishes, Asha eloped with 31-year-old Ganpatrao Bhosle and married him. Ganpatrao was her personal secretary. However, Asha broke off the marriage when her in-laws reportedly mistreated her. They separated in 1960 after three kids together.
In 1980, she married composer Rahul Dev Barman, six years her junior, after a long romance. This marriage saw opposition from the Burman family, particularly RD’s mother. Rahul was the son of legendary composer Sachin Dev Burman. He died in 1994.
Asha’s granddaughter, Zanai Bhosle, is a singer and was the veteran singer’s constant companion in her final years.
