Showing posts with label Asha Bhosle son. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asha Bhosle son. Show all posts
I was four months pregnant...on one occasion I felt I should kill myself-Asha Bhosle
9:17 AM
Asha with her son Anand. She was pregnant with him when she had attempted to end her life. Pic/Getty Images
In a new book about the legendary Asha Bhosle, author Ramya Sarma dwells deep into the struggle that the singer defied to keep living, singing, and cooking
MID-DAY (June 22, 2025)
In 1949, Asha, at about sixteen years of age, eloped with Ganpatrao Bhosle, a man who was twenty years older than she was. For her, it was all about love, a romance that, unfortunately, went painfully sour very quickly.
But with her perhaps hasty, perhaps exciting, perhaps fated, runaway marriage she lost something far more valuable and meaningful than just her singlehood. She lost her eldest sister. “It was a love marriage, and Lata didi did not speak to me for a long time. She disapproved of the alliance.”*
Was this because Bhosle had been Lata’s personal secretary? Did the elder sister feel guilty for having allowed her younger sibling to meet a man so unsuitable for her? That might never be spoken of, but the elopement caused a rift that lasted for many years.
The marriage was a painful one for Asha, but it instilled steel into her spine and made her a strong, resilient woman. It would logically have put emotion into her voice too, adding pathos, sorrow, depth and empathy to her music. Rumour has it that Ganpatrao was a drunkard who beat his wife even when she was pregnant, very often resulting in her needing hospitalization.
Asha explains, “The family was very conservative and they could not handle a singing star for a daughter-in-law. My husband was short-tempered. Maybe he liked to inflict pain, maybe he was a sadist. But no one would hear about it outside. I gave him respect, never questioned what he did. I just did my duty as per Hindu dharma.”
There was continuous abuse and ill-treatment and finally Asha was asked to leave, “when I was expecting my youngest son, my third child, Anand. I went back to my mother, sisters and brother.” There were thoughts of ending the torment for good. “On one occasion I felt I should kill myself. I was ill. I was four months pregnant and found myself in hospital where the conditions were so bad that I thought I had landed in hell. I was in mental agony. So I swallowed a bottle of sleeping tablets. But the love I had for my unborn child was so strong that I did not die. I was dragged back to life, to living.”
Rumour has it that the sisters [Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle] monopolized the world they ruled, not allowing anyone else who could match them to last beyond a song or two, even deliberately sabotaging the competition. Is there any truth in this?
Asha has said, “Neither didi nor I had the time to go to a music director and ask them not to take any other singer, new or not. So I am puzzled why we were accused of monopolizing the music scene. Our life experience added to our work, and every music director wants a playback singer they can vibe with on a professional level.”
Singer Alka Yagnik, who slid into the space that Asha was eased out of as age and contemporary music started ruling in the early 1980s, and then stayed there for over thirty years, had this to say to the Times of India when asked if it was difficult being pitted against the Mangeshkars: “When a new artiste comes in, people want to find out if they can outdo the seniors. Everybody has their own place. Nobody can take Lata ji’s and Asha ji’s place. When I started, people used to say that it is difficult for a newcomer to break through because the two sisters were ruling the industry with their voices. But whenever I met them, they were nice and affectionate. People say that they resented it when someone new came, but honestly, I never felt it.”
Speaking to singer Sonu Nigam for a special interview for Stardust magazine, Asha said, “Rumours were being spread that the Mangeshkar sisters have monopoly in the music industry. They were spread by a music director who then introduced new singers in the industry, but nobody could become, or was even a close competitor to, Lata Mangeshkar then. And nobody can be Lata Mangeshkar even today. I never liked anybody speaking against us.” “When these rumours were doing the rounds, all I said was, ‘Hum hatt jaate hain, aap gaaiye’ [We will step aside, you sing]...”
Gaana aur khaana
Asha confesses that if she had not found success as a singer, she would have become a cook. “I’d have cooked in four houses and made money,” she once said in an interview. Ask any of the celebrities from the film world who have worked with her and they will all talk about at least one culinary favourite she has cooked for them, apart from a song that they can never forget. Her forte is Indian cuisine and it is said that the Kapoor family still requests Asha to make her famous paya (trotters) curry, Goan fish curry and dal for them. The kadhai gosht and biryani have a huge fan club too.
*Asha Bhosle is quoted as saying in an interview.
Excerpted with permission from Asha Bhosle: A Life in Music by Ramya Sarma, published by Amaryllis, Manjul Publishing House
Asha Bhosle turns 90 years; says "I don’t feel I am a day older than 40"
8:26 AM
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.”
Good or bad times don’t last, even the Coronavirus will go away-Asha Bhosle
8:12 AM
Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 28, 2020)
We have it in us to surpass every hurdle if we face it with a smile, believes Asha Bhosle. While everyone is talking about precautions to stay healthy during these unprecedented times, the veteran singer is also focusing on the importance of “inner peace”.
She says, “These difficult times are frustrating, so we need to enjoy the smaller joys in life. Yeh khushi aapke andar hai, bahar dhoondne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Chaahe ek niwaala kam bhi ho, chaahe kitne bhi kasht seh rahe ho, aap khush phir bhi reh sakte hain.” She believes that people need to adapt to the changing world. “Neither good nor bad times last. Even this corona will go away. We go through so many difficult phases in our lives. This time, too, we’ll emerge winners. Bas haste raho, hasaate raho, ek dusre ka saath dete raho,” she adds.
Bhosle, 86, plans to talk about the significance of contentment and her journey via her new channel on a video-sharing platform. “My granddaughter, Zanai, has been telling me to start my own channel, but I didn’t have the time,” she says, adding, “I’ve been singing since the age of 10 and have many stories to share. About collaborating with [Mohammed] Rafi saab, Kishore Kumar, Pancham (R D Burman), singing duets with didi (singer Lata Mangeshkar), kya kya karte thhe hum...”
Quarantining in Lonavala (Maharashtra) with son Anand and his wife Anuja, and grandchildren Zanai and Ranjai, she shares, “My son takes care of our restaurants abroad, while my daughter-in-law manages the business here. My grandchildren study abroad. We rarely meet each other properly, but now we are getting to know each other better.”
On the work front, she plans to team up with new artistes for upcoming tracks. But the new projects will begin once she and her family go back to Mumbai in the next few days.
Asha Bhosle’s autobiography in the pipeline
10:36 AM
Rachana Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 11, 2014)
Over eight decades, songstress Asha Bhosle has seen plenty of ups and downs, both personal and professional. Over the last few years, the octogenarian has been penning down memories in her diary every night without fail.
Now, Mirror has learnt that these diaries will be
turned into an autobiography which will throw light on her relationship
with her sisters, particularly Lata Mangeshkar who was her professional
rival; composer-husband Rahul Dev Burman; her children, Hemant, Varsha and Anand; and her love for cooking among other things.
Since
her thoughts are often random and disconnected, a professor from
Washington who is well-versed with music and also fluent in Hindi,
Marathi and English, has been roped in. Asha has been working on the
book for nearly a year.
The singer’s son Anand confirmed the news but refused to divulge the name of the singer’s collaborator. “The book should be out in a year’s time. We are yet to decide on the title.”
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