ASHA: Unplugged over the years

ASHA BHOSLE

ASHA BHOSLE COMES ALIVE ON NET

ASHA: Unplugged over the years

ASHA Unplugged over the years

08 Sep, 2009 12:00 am ISTlINDIATIMES MOVIES
LONG LIVE ASHA BHOSLE !! WE LOVE YOU ASHA !!!!

From Helen to Urmila Matondkar, we have seen several seductive strokes of Bollywood actresses over the years. But there has been one common element that continues to impart that extra sizzle to these screen seductresses. It’s the evergreen voice of singer Asha Bhosle. Born on September 8, 1932 in a small village near the Sangli district of Maharashtra, India, Asha Bhosle celebrates her 76th birth anniversary today. As the supremely talented singer continues to rock even after her platinum jubilee, we trace down her life history from a musical Marathi family to being a global singing sensation. Asha Bhosle was born to Dinanath Mangeshkar, a classical singer and theatre actor from the Mangeshi village in Goa (from where Dinanath derived their surname). She was trained in classical singing by her father till the age of nine when he passed away of heart disease. Subsequently the Mangeshkar family shifted to Bombay and elder sister Lata Mangeskar started singing and acting in films to earn their daily bread and butter. Asha Bhosle followed the footsteps of Sister Lata Mangeshkar and sang her first film song Chala Chala Nav Bala for the Marathi movie Majha Bal in 1943. In 1948 she made her Hindi film debut with the song Saawan Aaya from a film named Chunariya . This was the same time that she eloped from her family and married a much-elder Ganpatrao Bhosle who was a personal secretary to her sister Lata Mangeshkar. She was only 16 and he was 31. The Mangeshkars strongly disapproved of her marriage and Lata was not on talking terms with Asha Bhosle for a long time. However with the ill-treatment from her in-laws and suspicious behaviour from her husband, the marriage didn’t survive long. A repentant Asha Bhosle returned to the Mangeskhar family with two children and third still in her womb. She severed ties with Ganpatrao but the Bhosle surname remained with her. Asha Bhosle continued to sing in films to earn money for her family. But she only got to sing for the supporting actress or vamps, which were the songs rejected by the leading female playback singers of that era like Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum and her sister Lata Mangeshkar. With the texture of her voice Asha Bhosle got a chance to sing for Bimal Roy’s Parineeta and Raj Kapoor’s Boot Polish . But it was with O P Nayyar that she got her first big break in CID which was followed by her first big hit in B R Chopra’s Naya Daur . Soon she collaborated with composers like S D Burman and Ravi. In the 70s, there were speculations of a romantic relationship between Asha Bhosle and O P Nayyar and on August 5, 1972 they parted ways personally and professionally on a bitter note. In late 60s and through the 70s, Asha Bhosle struck a great alliance with music director R D Burman which subsequently resulted in their marriage. She soon became the voice of Helen who sizzled in the item numbers of 70s. Despite her wide vocal range, Asha Bhosle got somewhat typecast in this period and got slotted for singing only sensuous numbers (for O P Nayyar) or Westernized hip-hop tracks (with R D Burman). This image of Asha Bhosle changed with the Urdu film Umrao Jaan (1981) where Khayyam extracted the finest nuances from her voice in poetic ghazals . She recreated the same magic with Gulzar in Ijaazat (1987) which fetched her The National Award. While Sister Lata Mangeshkar is known for her sugar-coated sweetness, Asha Bhosle is known for her wide-ranged versatility. Wish Asha Bhosle on her birthday Unlike Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle remained active in playback singing for a much longer period and her songs from Dil To Pagal Hai, Taal, Company, Devdas, Lucky and more recently Aap Ka Suroor are still fresh in the minds of her fans. Rangeela needs a special mention for the way in which A R Rehman got the best out of Asha Bhosle. Asha Bhosle has lent her voice to several private albums, Indipop remixes, regional films, live concerts and also many international albums. In 2006 she was nominated for the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Contemporary World Music Album. At 76, Asha Bhosle’s golden voice still continues to rule our hearts and minds with the same magical effect like it did six decades back. Chartbuster Track Record Sar Pe Topi Lal – Tumsa Nahi Dekha (1957) Maang Ke Saath Tumhaara – Naya Daur (1957) Uden Jab Jab Zulfen Teri – Naya Daur (1957) Aaiye Meherbaan – Howrah Bridge (1958) Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka – Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1959) Jayiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge – Mere Sanam (1965) O Haseena Zulfon Wali – Teesri Manzil (1966) Piya Tu Ab To Aaja – Caravan (1971) Dum Maro Dum – Hare Krishna Hare Ram (1971) Jaane Jaan – Jawani Diwani (1972) Chura Liya Hai Tumne – Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973) Yeh Ladka Hai Allah – Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi (1977) Yeh Mera Dil – Don (1978) Dil Cheez Kya Hai – Umrao Jaan (1981) Mera Kuch Saaman – Ijaazat (1987) Tanha Tanha – Rangeela (1995) Le Gayi Le Gayi – Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) Kahi Aag Lage – Taal (1999) Khallas – Company (2002) Lucky Lips – Lucky (2005)