Asha Bhosle is without a doubt one of the most well-known female Indian voices in the world, with a career spanning six decades and thousands of songs in a variety of languages. Despite the fact that she is most known for being a playback singer who has sang for over a thousand Bollywood films during her long and successful career, her variety sets her apart from other well-known vocalists. Her song list is far more diverse than the Hindi film music for which she is well known. Ghazals, bhajans, popular, classical, and folk songs are among Asha Bhosle’s many musical genres. Because she was the daughter of Deenanath Mangeshkar, a classical musician, singing came naturally to Asha. Her father’s tragic death when she was a small child prompted her and her older sister Lata to begin singing in films to support themselves. She took up singing seriously after a tumultuous teenage relationship with a considerably older guy and a terrible marriage. Asha ji, a lucky, optimistic, and brave soul, overcame all of life’s challenges to emerge victorious.
Childhood and Adolescence
In Sangli, Maharashtra, Asha was born into a musical household. Deenanath Mangeshkar, her father, was a classical musician and theatrical actor. She is the youngest of four siblings, with three sisters and one brother.
When Asha was nine years old, her father died. Her and her older sister, Lata, were left with the responsibility of supporting the family. To make ends meet, the girls began singing in movies.
Career of Asha Bhosle
For the Marathi film ‘Majha Bal,’ she sang her debut cinema song, ‘Chala Chala Nav Bala,’ in 1943. She would not make her Hindi film debut until 1948, with the song ‘Saawan Aaya’ for the film ‘Chunariya.’
Despite her considerable talent, her early years in the film industry were difficult. By this time, her sister Lata, as well as vocalists like Geeta Dutt, had made it big in Bollywood.
During her early years as a struggling vocalist, Asha took on projects that the more well-known singers, such as Lata, had turned down. She supported herself by singing for vamps and appearing in second-grade movies.
She sung a lot of songs in the early 1950s, but she didn’t gain much attention. She rose to prominence after Raj Kapoor hired her to perform ‘Nanhe Munne Bachche’ for the film ‘Boot Polish’ in 1954.
She received her first major break in 1957, when she was chosen to perform all of the female lead’s songs in the film ‘Naya Daur.’ “Maang Ke Saath Tumhara” and “Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri,” two of her duets with Rafi, became extremely popular.
B.R. Chopra was so taken by the singer’s performance that he invited her to sing in numerous of his films, including “Gumrah,” “Waqt,” and “Aadmi Aur Insaan” (1966).
She was not scared to try new things, and she enthusiastically took up singing westernized songs that were based on Helen, the glamour queen of the past. She became Helen’s voice in the 1960s and 1970s, with songs like ‘O Haseena Zulfon Wali,’ which became huge hits.
When she continued to sing songs like ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ and ‘Yeh Mera Dil,’ she became labeled as a cabaret singer. This was not the image she intended to project.
She began singing ghazals in the 1980s in an attempt to modify her image as a cabaret performer. Asha experimented with lower pitched notes while singing songs for the movie ‘Umrao Jaan’ in 1981, which surprisingly suited her voice quite well and made her even more renowned.
Her career flourished well into the 1990s, when she was chosen to sing for the young actor Urmila in the film ‘Rangeela’ in 1995. ‘Tanha Tanha’ and ‘Rangeela Re’ were both huge hits.
Despite her advanced age, she continued to sing well into the new millennium, and she is remembered for her young demeanor and unwavering optimism in the face of adversity.
Major Projects of Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is regarded as a multi-talented singer who has performed over 12, 000 songs in over 20 Indian and international languages. She is the most recorded artist in music history, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Achievements & Awards
In the year 2000, she received India’s highest film award, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which is presented to acknowledge outstanding contributions in the area of filmmaking.
In 2008, she was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award, for her contributions to Indian art.
Personal History and Legacy
As a 16-year-old girl, Asha became involved with Ganpatrao Bhosle, a 31-year-old guy. She married him after eloping with him. The marriage, which resulted in three children, was doomed from the start and ended in divorce.
She later began a relationship with Rahul Dev Burman, whom she married in 1980. Burman’s marriage lasted until his death.
When her daughter Varsha committed herself in 2012, tragedy devastated the loving mother.
She enjoys cooking and owns and operates profitable restaurants in Dubai, Kuwait, and the United Kingdom. She frequently claims that if she hadn’t been a singer, she would have been a cook.
Estimated Net Worth
Asha Bhosle, who has captivated everyone’s heart with her voice, is not only a terrific singer but also a fantastic cook, which is why she has so many restaurants. Apart from Dubai, Kuwait, and Manchester, Asha owns restaurants in a number of other countries, which contributes to her high net worth. Asha Bhosle’s net worth is estimated to be around ten million dollars, according to movieanchor.
Trivia
In 1997, this vocalist was the first Indian to be nominated for a Grammy Award.