‘Whatever I am today is because of Saraswati Maa’s blessings’

On Saraswati Puja today, the legendary Asha Bhosle talks to Soumya Vajpayee and expresses gratitude to the deity for blessing her eight-decade-long career
Soumya Vajpayee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 2, 2025)

Her decorated music career of eight decades needs no introduction. On Saraswati Puja today, music icon Asha Bhosle talks about celebrating the day, being revered by the industry, and her motivation to keep going even at 91.

“I began my music career when I was 10. So, I have completed 81 years performing my craft,” she shares. Her primary motivation is to “live in the moment and give it my best shot”.

The Padma Vibhushan recipient elaborates, “I don’t look back, nor do I look into the future. I hold the Guinness World Record for the most number of single studio recordings. But even after recording more than 11,000 songs, I still get cold feet when I step behind the mic because I believe that if I mess up this song, I won’t get any more offers.”

People across the world often refer to her as Maa Saraswati Asha Taai. How does she feel about such reverence? “I am an extremely shy person and my public persona is different from my private self. When I receive praise, I tend to stare at the floor because I don’t know how to react,” she admits, adding, “But all I can say is that whatever I am today is because of the blessings of Maa Saraswati. Without her blessings, I am nothing.”

Paying obeisance to her deity, the legend says, “I pray to Maa Saraswati everyday and therefore I don’t consider just one day to be her day. I feel blessed that Maa Saraswati has smiled and not frowned at my feeble attempts in the arts. I feel my creative 91 years on Earth have only been possible because of her benevolent smile.”

In December last year, Asha Bhosle surprised everyone when videos of her singing and grooving to the hit number Tauba Tauba (Bad Newz; 2024) went viral from a concert in Dubai.

Sharing how that idea came about, the veteran says, “If anything, I shall be remembered as a person who did the unexpected. I can’t conform to a set style of performance. I love to stretch and sometimes even break boundaries. Maybe, this character of mine has made me attempt varied musical styles that purists frowned down upon. Perhaps, that’s why I am referred to as a versatile artiste.”

So, does that mean she follows the music of today, which is also high on genres like hip-hop and Punjabi party bangers? “I listen to anything that is good to my ears. I don’t differentiate between old music and new music. There’s only good music and bad music. Having said that, what may be good for my ears could be bad for yours. It’s very subjective,” she says, adding, “When I was growing up, there was a lot of forgettable music too, and then there was a ton of classic music that has survived time.”

Meanwhile, ask what a day in the life of Asha Bhosle is like these days, and the 91-year-old says, “My life is less strenuous now. I am not rushing from one studio to another. I have more leisure time that I spend with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When my kids were growing up, I didn’t have the liberty to spend much time with them, but now that I have the time, I’m trying to undo my mistakes. Of course, I still record songs (she came up with a single, titled Saaiyan Bina, recently) and do selective concerts, where I get to shake a leg to Tauba Tauba (laughs).”