Asha Bhosle

Asha Mangeshkar was born in the small hamlet of Goar in Sangli, then in the salute princely state of Sangli (now in Maharashtra), into the musical family of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, who was Marathi and Konkani, and his Gujarati wife, Shevanti. Deenanath was an actor and classical singer on the Marathi musical stage. When Bhosle was nine years old, her father died. The family moved from Pune to Kolhapur and then to Mumbai. She and her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar began singing and acting in films to support their family. She sang her first film song '"Chala Chala Nav Bala" for the Marathi film Majha Bal (1943). The music for the film was composed by Datta Davjekar. She made her Hindi film debut when she sang the song "Saawan Aaya" for Hansraj Behl's Chunariya (1948), though another film Andhon Ki Duniya was released before Chunariya in the same year, in both films she has sung one trio each. Her first solo Hindi film song was for the movie Raat Ki Rani (1949). At the age of 16, she eloped with 31-year-old Ganpatrao Bhosle, marrying him against her family's wishes.In the late 1940s to early 1950s, prominent playback singers like Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar dominated the singing for the female lead and the big films. In the 1950s, Bhosle sang more songs than most playback singers in Hindi films. Most of these were in low budget films. Her earliest songs were composed by A. R. Qureshi, Sajjad Hussain, S. Mohinder, Sardar Malik, Ghulam Mohammed and some others. Singing in Sangdil (1952), composed by Sajjad Hussain, she got reasonable recognition. In the same year, she has lead in the film Chham Chhama Chham, under O. P. Nayyar, she has sung 10 out of 11 songs in that film. Consequently, film director Bimal Roy gave her a chance to sing in Parineeta (1953). Raj Kapoor signed her to sing all songs in Boot Polish (1954), which gained her popularity. O. P. Nayyar gave Bhosle a number of songs during 1952-1956, although she first achieved success in B. R. Chopra's Naya Daur (1957), composed by him. Her duets with Rafi like "Maang Ke Saath Tumhara", "Saathi Haath Badhana" and "Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri", penned by Sahir Ludhianvi, earned her recognition. It was the first time she sang all the songs for a film's leading actress. B. R. Chopra then approached her for several of his later productions, including Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah (1963), Waqt (1965), Hamraaz (1967), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Dhund (1973) and many more. O. P. Nayyar's future collaboration with Bhosle also resulted in success. Gradually, she established her status and received the patronage of such composers as Sachin Dev Burman and Ravi. Bhosle and O. P. Nayyar had a professional and personal parting of ways in the 1970s. In 1966, Bhosle's performances in the duets from one of music director R.D. Burman's soundtracks, for the movie Teesri Manzil, won popular acclaim. Reportedly, when she first heard the dance number "Aaja Aaja", she felt she would not be able to sing this westernised tune. While Burman offered to change the music, she refused, taking it as a challenge. She completed the song after ten days of rehearsals, and "Aaja Aaja", along with such other songs as "O Haseena Zulfonwali" and "O Mere Sona Re" (all three duets with Rafi), became successful. Shammi Kapoor, the film's leading actor, was once quoted as saying– "If I did not have Mohammad Rafi to sing for me, I would have got Asha Bhosle to do the job". Bhosle's collaboration with Burman resulted in numerous hits and a marriage. During the 1960-70s, she was the voice of Hind film actress and dancer, Helen, on whom "O Haseena Zulfon Wali" was picturised. 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 their other popular numbers include "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" (Caravan) and "Yeh Mera Dil" (Don), among others. In 1981, Bhosle attempted a different genre by singing several ghazals for the Rekha-starrer Umrao Jaan, including "Dil Cheez Kya Hai", "In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke", "Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston" and "Justju Jiski Thi". The film's music director Khayyam, had lowered her pitch by half a note. Bhosle herself expressed surprise that she could sing so differently. The ghazals won her the first National Film Award of her career. A few years later, she won another National Award for the song "Mera Kuchh Saamaan" from Ijaazat (1987). In 1995, 62-year-old Bhosle sang for actress Urmila Matondkar in the movie Rangeela. The soundtrack featured songs like "Tanha Tanha" and "Rangeela Re" sung by her, and composed by music director A. R. Rahman, who would go on to record several songs with her. During the 2000s, several of Bhosle's numbers became chartbusters, including "Radha Kaise Na Jale" from Lagaan (2001), "Kambakht Ishq" from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), "Yeh Lamha" from Filhaal (2002) and "Lucky Lips" from Lucky (2005). In October 2004, The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood, a compilation album of songs recorded by Bhosle for albums and Hindi language films that were released between 1966 and 2003, was released. In 2012 she judged Sur Kshetra. In 2013, Bhosle debuted in the film Mai in the title role, at the age of 79. Bhosle played the role of a 65-year-old mother who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is abandoned by her children. She received positive reviews for her acting as well from critics. In May 2020, Bhosle launched her YouTube channel named "Asha Bhosle Official". Bhosle sang her first Bengali song in 1958 under the banner of HMV. The songs were music by Sudhin Dasgupta and Binod Chattopadhyay. On the next year, she recorded her "Pooja Songs" from HMV with music composed by Manna Dey. She sang many Pooja songs in Bengali. Rahul Dev Burman converted some Hindi tracks to Bengali such as "Gunjone Dole Je Bhramar" (made from Gunguna Rahe Hain Bhanware in Aradhana), "Chokhe Name Bristi" (from Jane Kya Baat Hai), "Aaj Gun Gun Gun Kunje" (from Pyaar Deewana Hota Hain). In the mid-1970s, she would frequently sing for Bengali songs tuned by Sudhin Dasgupta, Nachiketa Ghosh etc. In 1977, she sang the duet "Sara Pyaar Tumhara" with Kishore Kumar in Anand Ashram and "Amar Swapno Tumi" in its Bengali version with the same title. In the 1970s, she sang a lot of songs in films such as Chhadmabeshi, Bandi, Mouchak, Swayamsiddha, Amanush, Anand Ashram etc. In 1981, she sang the duet "Aadho Aalo Chhayate" with Kishore in Kalankini Kankabati. In 1982, she sang the Bhajan "Kunjo Bihari He Giridhari" in Mayer Ashirbad, In the same year, she sang "Kotha Hoyechilo" in Troyee. In 1987, she sang "Chirodini Tumi Je Amar" in Amar Sangee, composed by Bappi Lahiri. In 2014, she has created the album "Pancham Tumi Kothay" in honor of her husband Rahul Dev Burman's 75th birth anniversary. In this album she has sung 8 songs previously composed by Burman. She has also sung in a 2014 film Paarapaar at the age of 81. Bhosle started her playback singing in Marathi with the mythological film Gokulcha raja. Since then Bhosle has sung thousands of Marathi film songs, Bhavgeet (non-film songs). Natya sangeet from Master Deenanath Mangeshkar's Marathi Sangeet natak has also been recorded in Bhosle's voice. During the 1950s and 60s, Bhosle and her sister Lata were the main playback singers for Marathi films. She won the 1962 Maharashtra government best singer award for the Marathi film, Manini. In 1963 music director Vasant Desai used her voice with Talat Mehmood in the film, Molkarin. Some Marathi films in which Bhosle has rendered her voice are: Molkarin, Jait re Jait, Gharkul, Devbappa, Sangtye Aika, Singhasan, Saamna, Maratha Tituka Melvava, and Nivdung. Bhosle also sang many Marathi devotional songs (abhang) with music composed by Srinivas Khale.