Profile of Asha Bhosle on Famous Like Me

Asha Bhosle (आशा भोसले) (born September 8, 1933) is one of the most popular Indian singers. She is best known as a Bollywood playback singer, although she has sung non-film songs too. Asha is considered as one of the most versatile singers in India; her range of songs include ghazals, bhajans, traditional Indian Classical music, pop and film music. Asha is very popular in India and has sold over 40 million records. Her career has spanned over half a century.

Asha has sung over 20,000 songs in 14 languages (most notably Hindi and Marathi) for three generations of Indians. She once said, "I sang for Tanuja (Bollywood actress of yesteryears) over 30 years ago and I have sung for her daughter Kajol. I am sure I will be around to sing for Kajol's daughter."

Brief biography

Asha was born in the small hamlet of Goar in Maharastra into the musical family of Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar. In April, 1942 her father passed away and her sister Lata Mangeshkar started to sing and act to earn money.

When she was 16, Asha eloped with her 31-year old lover, Ganpatrao Bhosle, and married him against her family's wishes. The marriage failed miserably. Her husband battered and tormented her. But as she once said, he did her a huge favor - he forced her to sing in films, for money. After few years of marriage, young Asha returned to her mother's home with her two children, pregnant with a third.

Asha continued to sing in films to earn money. She used to get plenty of songs in regional languages, but Hindi film industry didn't welcome her very warmly. The groupism made sure that Asha got only the B-grade songs. Asha had to go through many financial and other struggles in those days. In an interview, she once remarked "Being a single woman with kids in the '50s and '60s was tough, very tough... It was a do-or-die situation. I had to feed three small mouths. I took whatever assignments I got. Be it singing for the secondary characters or the vamps. No song was too small for me."

Asha tasted success with songs of Naya Daur (1957), composed by O P Nayyar. For a long time she had to play second fiddle to her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar, but later she made her mark as the leading female playback singer in Bollywood.

Asha has received many awards, including six Filmfare Awards and also the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. After getting her sixth award, she had asked not to be considered for the Filmfare Awards. Asha received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001.

Career Milestones

Asha's singing career can be considered having four milestones - Naya Daur (1957) with O P Nayyar, Teesri Manzil (1966) with Rahul Dev Burman, Umrao Jaan (1981) with Khayyam and Rangeela (1995) with A R Rahman.

Naya Daur, 1957

Asha's first big hit came in form of B R Chopra's Naya Daur ("The New Age", 1957). The songs like Maang ke saath tumhara, Saathi haath badhana and Uden jab jab zulfein teri, penned by Sahir Ludhiyanvi and composed by O P Nayyar, brought Asha in the limelight. Asha and O P Nayyar had worked earlier as well. But it was the first time that Asha had got to sing all the songs for the lead actress.

B R Chopra, the producer of Naya Daur recognized Asha as a great singer. He got her to sing in many of his films including Waqt and Gumraah.

Teesri Manzil, 1966

Asha became a pop crooner with Rahul Dev Burman's first hit album, Shammi Kapoor-starrer Teesri Manzil (1966). Shammi Kapoor once said - "If I did not have Mohammad Rafi to sing for me, I would have got Asha Bhosle to do the job." When Asha listened to R D Burman ("Pancham")'s Aaja Aaja tune for the first time, she wasn't very sure that she could sing the Western dance number. Pancham offered to change the music. Asha felt a bit insulted and took it as a challenge to sing the song. She rendered the song wonderfully. Apart from Aaja Aaja, other songs of the film, O Haseena Zulfonwali and O Mere Sona Re (all three duets with Mohammad Rafi), became rage of the day.

Umrao Jaan, 1981

By 1980s, Asha had been labeled as a "cabaret singer", "pop crooner" and what not, while other leading singers like Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar were admired for their ability to sing a variety of songs.

In Umrao Jaan, Asha did playback for Rekha. The composer Khayyam, a big admirer of Asha, got her to sing ghazals like Dil cheez kya hai, In aankhon ki masti ke, Ye kya jagah hai doston and Justju jiski thi. The film album won Asha the first National Award of her career. Even the most ruthless of Asha's critics had to accept her as one of the Bollywood's best and most versatile singers.

Khayyam also bagged the National Award for the film. Khayyam later said - "The ghazals she sang for Umrao Jaan became a milestone in her career. I changed her tone and she was quite surprised she could sing like that. The songs proved her versatility and established her talent."

Rangeela, 1995

In 1995, a 62 year old Asha did playback for young and sexy Urmila Matondkar in the movie Rangeela. She pleasantly surprised her fans with superhit songs like Tanha Tanha and Rangeela Re. The songs was composed by A R Rahman, who went on to record many more songs with Asha.

Partnership with music directors

O P Nayyar

Music director Onkar Prasad Nayyar's association with Asha Bhosle is part of the Bollywood lore. When her talent was not recognized by anybody in Bollywood, Nayyar recognized her potential and gave patronage to her. O P Nayyar used to record a lot with Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Begum. He first called Asha for a film called Mangu. He gave her a big break in CID (1956). After Naya Daur (1957), the team became a favorite among the Indian music buffs.

The team of O P Nayyar and Asha Bhosle is best remembered for their breezy songs with galloping beats. They recorded songs for many hit movies like Naya Daur (1957), Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Howrah Bridge, Kashmir ki Kali, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina etc. Some of their landmark songs include Aaiye meherbaan (Howrah Bridge, picturized on sensuous Madhubala), Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon ka Andhera (Mere Sanam), Aao huzur tumko (Kismet), Jaaiye aap kahan etc.

O P Nayyar used Asha Bhosle-Mohammad Rafi duo for his most popular duets. me 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 Jaye (1974). The solo number Chain se got many awards, but it wasn't included in the movie.

Many people speculate about a romantic relationship between the two. Asha once remaked - "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."

Khayyam

Another music director who recognized Asha's talent early was Khayyam. His partnership with Asha dates back to his first movie Biwi (1948). They recorded many more songs for movies like Dard. But the team is chiefly remembered for the songs of Rekha-starrer Umrao Jaan.

Ravi

Music composer Ravi also considered Asha as one of her favorite singers. He got Asha to sing for his first movie Vachan (1955). The melodious lullaby Chandamama door ke became an overnight hit among young mothers. Ravi got her to sing bhajans in Grihasti and Kajal, at a time when most of the composers remembered Asha only when they needed to record B-grade songs picturized on the vamps or the side-heroines.

Ravi and Asha recorded a variety of songs, including the popular funny duet with Kishore Kumar - C A T...Cat maane billi (Dilli Ka Thug). They also recorded songs for other movies like Waqt, Chaudahanvi Ka Chaand, Gumraah, Bahu Beti, China Town and Kajal with her.

Sachin Dev Burman

Sachin Dev Burman, one of the most famous Bollywood composers, and his favorite female singer Lata Mangeshkar fell out with each other in 1957. They patched up five years later, in 1962. During this period, S D Burman used Asha as his lead female voice. They recorded many songs together after 1962 as well. Most famous of these songs were Asha's duets with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. Some of the famous Rafi-Asha duets with S D Burman are Achchha ji main haari (Kala Paani), Gunguna rahe hain bhanwre (Aradhana, 1969) etc. Some of the Kishore-Asha duets include Haal kaisa hai janaab ka? (Chalti ka naam gaadi), Chhod do aanchal (Nau Do Gyarah) etc.

Asha also rendered many solo hits under S D Burman's baton - Raat Akeli Hai (Jewel Thief, 1967), Kali ghata chhaye (Sujata), Koi aaya dhadkan kehti hai (Laajwanti), Sach hue sapne (Kaala Baazar) etc.

Rahul Dev Burman (Pancham Da)

Asha and Pancham's team was first noticed in Teesri Manzil (1966). Asha went on to record a variety of songs with Pancham (whom she later married) - cabarets, rock, disco, ghazals, Indian classical music and many more.

In the 1970s, Asha and Pancham's youthful, Western songs took Bollywood music by storm - the raunchy cabaret Piya tu ab to aaja (Caravan, 1971, picturized on Helen), the rebellious Dum Maro Dum (Hare Krishna Hare Rama, 1972), the sexy Duniya mein (Apna Desh, 1972), the romantic Chura liya (Yaadon Ki Baarat). Dum Maro Dum went on the became the ultimate hip-hop anthem of the day. Kishore Kumar is said to have remarked about the song - "It is powerful enough to bring a dead person to life".

Pancham also recorded many hit duets with Asha and Kishore Kumar - Jaane jaan, dhoondhta phir raha (Jawani Diwani), Bhali bhali si ek soorat (Buddha Mil Gaya) etc.

In 198Os, Pancham and Asha recorded subtle numbers for films like Ijazat (1987)- Mera kuch saaman, Khaali haath shaam aayi hai, Katra Katra. They also recorded the popular duet O Maria (Sagar).

Asha used to call R D Burman, "Bubs". She married him in 1980. She once remarked - "Pancham was not husband material at all, he was best friend material". Their partnership lasted until his death.

A R Rahman

A R Rahman is given the credit for Asha's "comeback" with Rangeela (1995). Songs like Tanha Tanha and Rangeela Re were chartbusters. Asha and Rahman went on to record hits like Mujhe Rang De (Thakshak), Radha kaise na jale (Lagaan, duet with Udit Narayan), Kahin aag lage (Taal), O Bhanware (Daud, duet with K J Yesudas). Rahman once said - "I approach Ashaji only when I compose something that would fit her stature."

Others

Asha has worked with many other composers too, most notably Jaidev and C Ramchandra. Asha recorded one of the Bollywood's first Rock n' Roll numbers Eeena Meena Deeka with Chitalkar Ramchandra. When Sachin Dev Burman's assistant, Jaidev started giving music independently, he got Asha to sing some of his songs. They worked in Hum Dono, Mujhe Jeene Do and other movies. Whenever Kishore Kumar composed music for his films (such as Door Gagan ki chhaon mein), Asha used to be his first choice.

Asha has also worked with many other composers like Madan Mohan, Shankar-Jaikishan, and Salil Chaudhary among others, whose favorite singer was Lata Mangeshkar. Shankar-Jaikishan worked very little with Asha. However, the team produced quite a few hits including the seductive Parde mein rehne do from Shikar(1958). Asha got her first Filmfare Award for the song. Madan Mohan also recorded few songs with Asha, including the popular folk number Jhumka gira re from Mera Saaya. In Chhoti Si Baat (1975), Asha sang the popular Jaaneman Jaaneman number with K J Yesudas for Salil Chowdhury.

The South Indian maestro, Ilayaraja worked with Asha in Kamal Haasan's Hey! Ram. The film flopped, but Asha's song Janmon ki went well with audience. Anu Malik and Asha recorded many hit songs together, including songs from his first movie Soni-Mahiwal. Their best songs include Filhaal (Filhaal), Kitabein bahut si (Baazigar) among others. The four lines sung by Asha for Anu Malik in Jab dil mile (Yaadein) stood out among voices of Sukhwinder Singh, Udit Narayan and Sunidhi Chauhan. Young composer Sandeep Chowtha got Asha to sing Kambakth ishq from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), which got youngsters grooving. In 2005, her number for the Tamil film Chandramukhi and Lucky Lips for Salman Khan-starrer Lucky were chartbusters.

Asha has also worked with other noted Bollywood composers like Jatin-Lalit, Bappi Lahiri, Kalyanji-Anandji, Usha Khanna, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Naushad, Ravindra Jain, N Dutta, Hemant Kumar, Chitragupta, Roshan etc

Albums and non-film music

In 1997, Asha did a private album with Leslie Lewis - Janam Samjha Karo that won her the 1997 MTV Award. Asha sang the title duet with Pakistani singer Adnan Sami for his best-selling album Kabhi to nazar milao.

Asha's stint as a music composer, Aap Ki Asha (2002), didn't go well with the audiences. But her popularity as a singer remains untouched. She contributed the song Yun Na Thi to the recording Womad Talking Book Volume Four: An Introduction to Asia 1 on Womad Records. She also worked with Ustad Akbar Ali Khan on Legacy, a private album.

Asha released an album Asha in 2005.

Foreign collaborations

• In 1980s, Asha went globe-trotting, staging concerts in USA, Canada and the UK. In the mid-1980s, she sang with Boy George and Stephen Lauscombe. In 1997, she sang a love song with the boy band Code Red, at the age of 64. She also recorded the song The Way you Dream (One Great Leap) with Michael Stipe that was used in the English movie, The Bullet Proof Monk.
• In 1997, the British band Cornershop paid tribute to Asha with their song Brimful of Asha.
• In 2005, American band Kronos Quartet re-recorded the R D Burman compositions like Chura liya, 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 band members stupefied. On August 23, 2005, You've stolen my heart - Songs From R D Burman's Bollywood was released in US. In 1990s, a friend had introduced David Harrington of Kronos Quartet to the song Aaj ki raat. Harrington was mesmerised, and the song ended up on the album Kronos Caravan. Later, Harrington said "The first time I met Ashaji she was dresssed in the most beautiful sari with diamonds and looked very regal. Then I looked down and saw that the Queen of Bollywood was wearing tennis shoes! I thought I love this woman."
• Also in 2005, the Black Eyed Peas sampled her song "Aye Naujawan Hai Sab Kuchchyahan" in their hit single "Don't Phunk With My Heart".

Rivalry with Lata Mangeshkar

Asha's sibling rivalry with her sister Lata Mangeshkar is often talked about, inspite of their insistence that these are just tales.

It is believed that Lata considered Asha's act of eloping with her lover as irresponsible, leaving her to sing and earn for the family. This led to tensions among them. Also, in her initial days in the industry, Asha always played second fiddle to her elder sister.

Some say that Lata had once said something politically incorrect about Asha's relationship with O P Nayyar. This created rift between the two sisters and O P Nayyar also decided that he would never work with Lata.

In last few years, Asha and Lata have often been seen in public, enjoying each other's company. 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!"

Personal Life

Asha is an excellant cook and cooking is her favorite hobby. In fact, she is a successful restaurateur and runs a restaurant in Dubai, called Asha's. Once, when asked what if her singing career hadn't taken off, she said "I'd have become a cook. I would have cooked in four houses and made money."

Asha's house is situated in Peddar Road area of Mumbai. She has three children and five grandchildren. Her grandson, Chintu Bhosle also ventured in the world of music, as a member of India's first boy band, "Band of Boys".

External Links

• IMDB entry

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Asha Bhosle