The last rites of legendary singer Asha Bhosle will be performed at Shivaji Park in Mumbai at 4 PM today with full state honours. She passed away yesterday at a Mumbai hospital at the age of 92. Asha Bhosle was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday evening due to chest infection and exhaustion. Ashatai, as the legendary singer was popularly known, was a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and Maharashtra Bhushan awards. People can pay their last respects to her at 11 am today at Casa Grande, Lower Parel, where she lived.
In a splendid career spanning over eight decades, Asha Tai worked with numerous composers and carved her niche in the Hindi film industry. Remarkably, in the first decade of her career, Asha Bhosle sang more songs than any other playback singer, although the majority were in small, indistinct films. Renowned composer O. P. Nayyar is credited with giving her a big break with Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Naya Daur in 1957.
Thereafter, the duo did not look back and delivered many blockbuster songs. By the end of the 1960s, Lata and Asha were the two undisputed reigning queens of Hindi film music. However, Asha Bhosle continued to be typecast in sensual songs. She also worked extensively with stalwarts including Ravi, S. D. Burman, Jaidev, Shankar-Jaikishan, Ilaiyaraaja and Bappi Lahiri for both film and non-film songs.
The 1970s saw her collaboration with composer R. D. Burman, also known as Pancham, marking the birth of a legendary combination. Pancham, a master of pop, disco and contemporary sounds, along with Asha Bhosle, delivered some of the most iconic songs of the era. Unfortunately, Asha Tai again found herself stereotyped, this time mainly in Western-style songs.
However, composer Khayyam revealed a more lyrical side of her voice. Their collaboration in Umrao Jaan earned Asha Bhosle her first National Film Award. She remained active in playback singing and later collaborated with A. R. Rahman. The duo went on to deliver several hits, including Rangeela and Lagaan, among others. Asha Bhosle’s swift and splendid transition across genres, languages and styles made her the true queen of versatility.
