Asha was born on 8th September, 1933 in a Gomantak Marathi Brahmin family in Sangli, Maharashtra. Her father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar was a renowned classical singer and stage actor. Her mother Shevanti was Pandit Dinanath’s second wife. She trained in classical music from a very young age along with her other siblings. Though she had her brush with acting as a child artist, it was quite natural for her to choose singing. Asha got the chance to sing in a Marathi film when she was just ten years old in 1943. It was ‘Chala Chala Nav Bala’ for the film ‘Majha Bal’ with composer Datta Davjekar. Her first foray into Hindi film playback happened with the song ‘Saawan Aaya’ from the film ‘Chunariya’ with composer Hansraj Behl in 1948.
During the 1950's she got assignments that were rejected by leading singers like Geeta Dutt, Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum. Most of her songs were basically meant for the sidelined roles like vamps, cabaret numbers or C-grade movies. It took a lot of perseverance from Asha to make it to the top. Her hard work and efforts paid off when she was given her first big break with the movie C.I.D (1956). Under the patronage of O.P Nayyar, she began to get more offers and began belting out hits after hits. She tasted huge success with the movie Naya Daur (1957). With O. P Nayyar, Asha gave out hits after hits like ‘Aaiye Meherban’, ‘Deewana Hua Badal’, ‘Isharon Isharon Mein’, ‘Aao Huzur Tumko’, ‘Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri’, etc. The last song she recorded with him was ‘Chain Se’ for the movie ‘Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye’ (1974) and then parted ways.
She was noticed by other music directors like S.D Burman after the phenomenal success of these songs. She and S.D Burman created many hit soundtracks for movies like Kaala Pani, Kaala Bazaar, Insaan Jaag Utha, Lajwanti, Sujata and Teen Deviyaan. Most famous of these songs were Asha Bhosle's duets with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. After the mid 1960's Asha collaborated with R.D Burman and reached the peak of her career. The movie Teesri Manzil (1966) shot her to fame and she won popular acclaim. The duo of Asha and R.D Burman produced hits after hits and their collaboration resulted in marriage.
Asha has sung in more than 20 Indian and foreign languages. In 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records officially acknowledged her as the most recorded artist in music history. Asha Bhosle was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
Asha Bhosle was born on 8th September, 1933 in a Gomantak Marathi Brahmin family in Sangli, Maharashtra. She was the third among five siblings. Her father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar was a renowned classical singer and stage actor. Her mother Shevanti was Pandit Dinanath’s second wife. She trained in classical music from a very young age along with her other siblings. Though she had her brush with acting as a child artist, it was quite natural for her to choose singing. Sadly, her father passed away suddenly in 1942 which was a huge emotional as well as financial setback for the family. She took up acting and singing along with elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar. The family had to move from Pune to Bombay on insistence of mentor and family friend Master Vinayak. Asha got the chance to sing in a Marathi film when she was just ten years old in 1943. It was ‘Chala Chala Nav Bala’ for the film ‘Majha Bal’ with composer Datta Davjekar. Her first foray into Hindi film playback happened with the song ‘Saawan Aaya’ from the film ‘Chunariya’ with composer Hansraj Behl in 1948.
During the 1950's she got assignments that were rejected by leading singers like Geeta Dutt, Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum. Most of her songs were basically meant for the sidelined roles like vamps, cabaret numbers or C-grade movies. It took a lot of perseverance from Asha to make it to the top. Her hard work and efforts paid off when she was given her first big break with the movie C.I.D (1956). Under the patronage of O.P Nayyar, she began to get more offers and began belting out hits after hits. She tasted huge success with the movie Naya Daur (1957). With O. P Nayyar, Asha gave out hits after hits like ‘Aaiye Meherban’, ‘Deewana Hua Badal’, ‘Isharon Isharon Mein’, ‘Aao Huzur Tumko’, ‘Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri’, etc. She was noticed by other music directors like S.D Burman after the phenomenal success of these songs. She and S.D Burman created many hit soundtracks for movies like Kaala Pani, Kaala Bazaar, Insaan Jaag Utha, Lajwanti, Sujata and Teen Deviyaan. Most famous of these songs were Asha Bhosle's duets with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. After the mid 1960's Asha collaborated with R.D Burman and reached the peak of her career. The movie Teesri Manzil (1966) shot her to fame and she won popular acclaim. The duo of Asha and R.D Burman produced hits after hits and their collaboration resulted in marriage.
During her career as a playback singer in mainstream Bollywood she was pitted against her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar and Asha carved out a completely different niche for herself. She emerged with a much more versatile repertoire of songs, ranging through genres like classical, western-influence, pop, cabaret, ghazals. She refused to be dominated by her illustrious sister’s shadows and kept on experimenting with music, giving the audiences songs that were groovy and delightful at the same time.
Asha Bhosle has travelled all over the world to perform in concerts as well as collaborating with musicians overseas. She sang with famous musicians like Boy George for the song ‘Bow down mister’, collaborated with boy band Code Red. She performed in 13 cities in the USA in a span of 20 days. She had sold out concerts in Stockholm, Dubai, London, Canada and other countries. Her song with Michael Stipe ‘The Way you Dream’, was featured in the movie Bulletproof Monk. She also came together with Cricketer Brett Lee for his music debut in the song ‘You're the One for Me’ in 2006. Asha’s voice and her style of singing inspired a number of international musicians including British opera pop singer, Sarah Brightman who remixed Asha’s ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hain’ in her song ‘You Take My Breath Away’ in the album Harem (2005). The Balck Eyed Peas also did something similar with two of her songs, ‘Ae Naujawan Sab Kuchh Yahan’ and ‘Yeh Mera Dil Pyaar Ka Diwana’ in their number ‘Don't Phunk with My Heart’. The album ‘You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood’ was compiled by the American String Quatret, Kronos Quatret as a tribute to Asha and R.D. Burman’s musical journey.
Awards and Honours
Filmfare awards
1968: "Garibon ki Suno" (Dus Lakh, 1966)
1974: "Hone Lagi Hain Raat" (Naina, 1973)
1996 – Special Award (Rangeela, 1995)
Lifetime Achievement Award
2001 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
National Film Awards
Asha has won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer twice:
1981: Dil Cheez Kya Hai (Umrao Jaan)
1986: Mera Kuch Samaan (Ijaazat)
IIFA Awards
IIFA Award for Best Female Playback
2002: "Radha Kaisa Na Jale" (Lagaan)
Honours and recognitions
In 1997, Asha became the first Indian singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award, for Legacy, an album with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
She has received seventeen Maharashtra State Awards.
She received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 for her outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
She was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.
Further reading:
http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-music/indian-singers/asha-bhosle.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Bhosle
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39177181
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