Eight decades of singing and over 12,000 songs later, Asha Bhosle, Ashaji, built a legacy that reached Indians all over the world. She passed away on April 12 at the age of 92, but her voice and music will carry on for decades to come.
Her voice has impacted generations. Her career, spanning more than eighty years, was highly successful, and, whether it be in my grandparents’, my parents’, or my time, she was an affixed presence in the background of my family’s life. Her songs bring back memories of quiet car rides home and calm Sundays with the songs blasting from the computer. Now, when I drive, these songs play from the car speakers.
Before her Bollywood debut, Asha Bhosle’s life was already filled with music. Her father was a Hindustani classical musician and actor, the legendary Deenanath Mangeshkar. The family’s financial crisis made Bhosle and her four siblings start their careers early. Bhosle began singing in films, the first being the 1943 Marathi film “Majha Bal.”
Her career only continued to skyrocket in the 1950s and 1960s, entering more mainstream Bollywood films. As was the norm, these songs would be prerecorded for actors to lip-sync to during filming. Breaking into the industry and carrying a reputation so strong that her singing was sought after for films was a testament to her prowess and handle on classical techniques. Her prolific output of songs won her a Guinness World Record for the greatest number of studio recordings in 2011. She was also awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award—one of the highest recognitions in Indian cinema—in 2000, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India—two high civilian honors—in 1997 and 2008, respectively. She was a legend who sang with the greats: Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and RD Burman, her second husband.
Coming from a family of musical talent meant that she also faced competition in the industry. Such was the rivalry between Bhosle and her late older sister Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away in 2022. Consistently in her sister’s shadow, Bhosle defined her vocal talent with a variety of songs and playful style. From ghazals to pop to classical in over 20 languages, her musical versatility set her apart. Take, for example, “Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main,” a song that is sung by a character who is very drunk in the movie “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.” This bold drunken playfulness contrasts with the desperation of the male protagonist in the duet and on the screen. It is the song that sells the character and the moment, adding to the development of the film itself. This is contrasted with more mournful songs such as “Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar,” a plea for a loved one not to leave, even if they have to. Two very different emotional moments are made perfectly clear in each song.
Her voice served as an inspiration to first-year Smera Arkalgud, when she was learning Hindustani Classical music: “Ashaji’s voice reminded me why I loved it: the beauty, the discipline, the devotion, and the depth of emotion that artists like her pour into their craft every single day.” Bhosle’s work reaches generations of Indians through the growing diaspora, no matter how far away they may be.
Bhosle was a household name, with so many recognizable songs that floated from person to person, many hearts connected by one note. “I don’t think I will ever come across anyone who is able to put forth the color and emotion in their music like Ashaji,” remarks Arkalgud, “and I can only hope to achieve at least a fraction of what she was able to convey.” Her vocal color will continue to spread through others working to learn the craft.
It is this color and vibrance in Bhosle’s voice that made her so well-loved, and it is what an entire country will continue to mourn. In her decade-long career, she has continued to touch the hearts of listeners and will continue to do so. Her brightness will never be forgotten.