Asha Bhosle

Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; September 8, 2023)

She is all set to turn 90 today and will also be clocking in 80 years as a professional singer this year. It’s hard to sum up Asha Bhosle’s glorious singing career in a few lines, and her zest for life and music is palpable even today. An afternoon with her is interspersed with her humming songs, right from the Natya Sangeet-based Marathi track Yuvati Mana and the evergreen Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar to the upbeat Yayi Re Yayi Re from Rangeela– which gives just a small glimpse of her vast repertoire.

In a chat with Bombay Times, the legend talks about why she consciously chose to be a versatile singer, her outlook towards remixes and why age is just a number for her. Excerpts:

Today, you will be performing to a full house, which is a rather unique way to spend your 90th birthday. Even now, what motivates you to be on your feet for such long hours during concerts?
I feel the person who keeps his age in mind becomes old. I still don’t feel that I am a day older than 40. It’s only when I see my children, grand kids, and great grandkids that I realise that so much time has gone by. Mala nahi vatat mi mhatari zhali aahe (I don’t think I have aged at all). I work, travel and cook at home. Even when I perform, I love interacting with the audience. I feel that they need to be entertained completely, so if time permits, I do magic tricks and even crack jokes.

There is a lot of talk about remixes these days, and one would assume that you wouldn’t be open to the idea of it, but instead, you seem to have a liberal approach towards remixes. You even featured in the music videos of some of your own remixes...
(Cuts in…) Bara kela na mi (laughs). (That was good, wasn’t it?) My son Anand would keep coming up with these thoughts, it was his idea. I felt like doing it back then, but not anymore. Now everything goes online. Yeh naya zamaana hai. Aaj agar mein aapko mera phone number bataaon toh aapko yaad nahi rahega, par pehle humein sabke numbers yaad the. Waise hi gaano ka hai. Mujhe woh (remixes) bure nahi lagte kyunki aisa hona hi hai, duniya badlegi. Hum jaane wale hai, humare baad nayi fasal toh aayehi, par fasal acchi aani chaiye. Unko soch na chahiye ke hum kahan se aaye hai aur kahan jaa rahe hain.

Lately, there’s also been lot of conversation around pay parity in the entertainment industry, including the music world. What are your thoughts on it?
Pay parity should have always been there, and there should be parity. But it doesn’t happen (smiles).

While songs have been a trademark of Bollywood films for generations, these days, we often see fewer songs in Hindi films. How do you think this will impact our cinema in the long run?
Have you heard Jhumka and Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar in the recent film (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani)? These are the ones people are listening to today. Yes, songs have reduced in our films. I am unable to understand whether the music isn’t good, the words aren’t good or whether they aren’t picturized well… Honestly, I don’t listen to them. There’s so much to listen, like Ghulam Ali, Bhimsen Joshi… You can get lost in their music for hours, so why get into this? (laughs!)

While most singers would envy the success and love you have enjoyed for so many decades, you have faced several setbacks in your personal life. Looking back, what gave you the strength to overcome those and continue with your musical journey?
Complete belief in yourself and your work. The knowledge that I sing well and in sur. I have the confidence that I can sing any song. I did have my share of troubles, but I worked extremely hard. And because I had immense confidence in my ability as a singer, the thought of feeling envious towards anyone else never arose or bothered me. I knew that I would definitely get the work that was meant for me. What’s in your destiny will come to you. The song in Taal – it was in my destiny. Around 13 female singers had recorded it before me, at the end, they called me. Subhash Ghai had narrated this story in front of 400 students and had said that he was the one who told them to get Asha to eventually sing it. I started recording the song at 8 pm, and I was done by midnight. It never bothered me whether 13 or 15 singers had sung it before me. I always knew that I had to do my work and do it well. Yahan tak paunchne ke liye, jo bhi taakat ek aurat mein hoti hai, woh sab meri zindagi mein lagi hui hai.
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Shweta Sunny (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 8, 2023)

She started singing as a 10-year-old. Eight decades later, music continues to be Asha Bhosle’s life. “Umar toh badhta hai lekin dil nahin badhta, dil wahi hai abhi. Gaana mera jeevan hai,” muses the singer, all set to ring in her 90th birthday with a three-hour concert in Dubai today. “I’ve always celebrated my birthday in the studio, recording. This time, my son Anand wanted to make it a grand celebration and so we are doing it with a Broadway-style concert,” Bhosle says.

She has captivated multiple generations, but her children and family still come first. “Before being a singer, I am a mother, and that has been my biggest achievement,” says Bhosle, adding that she does have God and her fans to thank for her success.

“My achievements have been granted by God. Everything has been possible due to the support of my fans, who, for the last 80 years, have loved me, listened to my songs and loved my voice and style. They have loved me through my worst times; I have even become part of their family as they call me Asha tai and mai.”

Looking back on the long way she has come, the singer shares what helped her reach the stature that she has: “I have been inclined towards music since childhood. Gaana mere andar hi tha. But I never thought I would become a playback singer. The circumstances got me here. I started singing after I came to Mumbai in 1945-46. Even now, I wake up at 7 am to practise. I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but I’ve had to stay resilient to reach here. The immense strength of being a woman got me here. Also, if you’re careful of what you say, it will take you places.”