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Renowned singer Asha Bhosle is a versatile artist. She was acclaimed for the versatility and rage of her voice. She can add a new life and energy to any rendition. Be it a ghazal, a cabaret number, qawwali, classical music, or Rabindra Sangeet; she does justice to all. Ashaji has sung in more than 1000 Hindi films. She has also sung for some regional movies and has songs in more than twenty Indian and foreign languages to her name. It is commendable that her voice has the same sweetness, strength, intonation, and depth as it was in her youth. In 2011, the Guinness Book of world records certified that Asha Bhosle was the most recorded artist in the history of music. She was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
Table of Contents
Asha Bhosle – Important Details
- Date of Birth: 8th September 1933
- Place of Birth: Sangli, Maharashtra
- Parents: Dinanath Mangeshkar (Father) and Shevanti Mangeshkar (Mother)
- Spouse: Ganpatrao Bhosle (1949-1960), Rahul Dev Burman (1980-1994)
- Occupation: Playback Singer, Vocalist, Restaurateur
- Children: Hemant Bhosle, Varsha Bhosle, Anand Bhosle
- Beginning of Playback Career: 1943
- Net Worth (approx): 40 million
Early Life
Asha Bhosle was born on 8th September 1933 in a Marathi Brahmin family based in Pune. She was the third child of Pt. Dinanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti Mangeshkar. Her father was a renowned classical singer and stage artist. She and her four siblings were trained in classical music from an early age. Although she acted as a child artist in Marathi films, she then chose singing as a career. After the sudden demise of her father in 1942, Asha and Lata Mangeshkar started singing and acting to support the family. On the insistence of Master Vinayak (a family friend), the family shifted to Bombay from Pune. Asha got an assignment to sing a Marathi song when she was 10 years old for the film Majha Bal. The song was ‘chala-chala Nava bala’. When she was 16, she eloped with Lata Mangeshkar’s secretary Ganpat Rao Bhosle and married him despite opposition from the family. The marriage did not last long, and she returned to her maternal home with 2 children and expecting a third. Later in life, she met Rahul Dev Burman during her career. They got married in 1980. It was a happy marriage till R. D. Burman expired in 1994.
Career
Asha Bhosle made her Hindi Playback debut with the film ‘Chunariya.’ Her voice was appreciated for its youthfulness and playfulness. After that, during the 1950s, she got all the assignments rejected by Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, and Lata Mangeshkar. Most songs were meant for vamps, cabaret artists, or C-grade movies. It was a very difficult journey pursued with perseverance to the top. She first worked with the movie CID in 1955 under music director O. P. Nayyar. He appreciated her voice and gave her assignments. The movie Naya Daur in 1957 made her a huge success, and her success story began.
She continued singing under the music director O. P. Nayyar till 1974. Music director S. D. Burman noticed her versatility. With him, she created many hit playback tracks for movies like Kala Pani, Kala Bazaar, Sujata, Teen Deviyan, and several others. The duets with MD. All hummed Rafi and Kishore Kumar.
In the 1960s, she started working with R.D. Burman and won immense public acclaim. Together they produced several hits. She lent her voice to Helen, a graceful dancer in Bollywood then. From the 1960s onwards, Asha Bhosle sang many peppy cabaret numbers and memorable romantic songs. She sang Ghazals beautifully for ‘Umrao Jaan.’ As she progressed, she interacted with younger music directors like Anu Mallik, A. R. Rehman, Sandeep Chowta, and others. Remarkably, the time has not tarnished/ affected her voice, and she sounds as youthful and exuberant as she did earlier.
Awards and Honours
Honours and Recognition
| 1997 | She became the 1st Indian singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award, for Legacy, an album with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan |
| 2000 | Dadasaheb Phalke Award |
| November 2002 | The Birmingham Film Festival paid her a special tribute |
| 2011 | The Guinness Book of World Records officially acknowledged Bhosle, at The Asian Awards, as the most recorded artist in the history of music |
| 2015 | BBC list of 100 inspiring women |
- She has received 17 Maharashtra State Awards
- Honorary Doctorates from the University of Amravati & Jalgaon in Literature.
- She has also received the Freddie Mercury Award.
- She was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.
- She is the recipient of the first Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) of the Jodhpur National University
Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
| 1968 | “Garibon ki Suno” (Dus Lakh, 1966) |
| 1969 | “Parde Mein Rehne Do” (Shikar, 1968) |
| 1972 | “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja” (Caravan, 1971) |
| 1973 | “Dum Maro Dum” (Hare Rama Hare Krishna, 1972) |
| 1974 | “Hone Lagi Hai Raat” (Naina, 1973) |
| 1975 | “Chain Se Humko Kabhi” (Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye, 1974) |
| 1979 | “Yeh Mera Dil” (Don, 1978) |
Special Award
| 1996 – Special Award (Rangeela, 1995) |
Lifetime Achievement Award
| 2001 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award |
National Film Awards
| 1981 | Dil Cheez Kya Hai (Umrao Jaan) |
| 1986 | Mera Kuch Samaan (Ijaazat) |
IIFA Awards
| 2002 | “Radha Kaise Na Jale” ( Lagaan) |
| 2011 | IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award |
Other awards
| 1987 | Nightingale of Asia |
| 1989 | Lata Mangeshkar Award by the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh |
| 1997 | Screen Videocon Award for Jaanam Samjha Karo |
| 1997 | MTV Award for Jaanam Samjha Karo |
| 1997 | Channel V Award for Jaanam Samjha Karo |
| 1997 | Grammy Award Nomination for Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan |
| 1999 | Lata Mangeshkar Award by the Govt. of Maharashtra |
| 2000 | Singer of the Millennium (Dubai) |
| 2000 | Kolhapuri Bhushan Award |
| 2000 | Sangli Bhushan Award |
| 2000 | Omega Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2000 | Zee Gold Bollywood Award for Mujhe Rang De from Thakshak |
| 2001 | MTV Award ( Kambakt Ishq) |
| 2001 | Dayawati Modi Award |
| 2002 | BBC Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair). |
| 2002 | Zee Cine Award for Radha Kaise Na from the movie Lagaan |
| 2002 | Zee Cine – Hall Of Fame Award |
| 2002 | Screen Videocon Award for Radha Kaise Na from the movie Lagaan |
| 2002 | Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar |
| 2002 | Sansui Movie Award for Radha Kaise Na from the Lagaan) |
| 2002 | Rajshree Shahu Purskar |
| 2003 | Swaralaya Yesudas Award for outstanding contributions to Indian music |
| 2004 | Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| 2005 | MTV Immies, Best Female Pop Act for the song Aaj Jaane Ki Zid |
| 2005 | Most Stylish People in Music |
