Asha Bhosle, Indian cinema’s most enduring voice, dies at 92; last rites on Monday

Asha Bhosle was admitted at Breach Candy Hospital on April 11 due to extreme exhaustion and a chest infection, as revealed in an X update by her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle.

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Around 50 police personnel have been deployed near Breach Candy Hospital to maintain law and order. Security arrangements are being planned for the funeral, including deployments along the route from Asha Bhosle’s residence to Shivaji Park and at Dadar station to manage expected crowds.

“Around 50 police personnel have been deployed near Breach Candy Hospital to maintain law and order. We are prepared to ensure that patients at the hospital do not face any inconvenience,” said a senior police officer.

Funeral preparations will be organised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with police deployment planned at the venue. The list of VIPs and VVIPs expected to visit the residence of Asha Bhosle, as well as those attending the funeral at Shivaji Park, is yet to be finalised. “Once the details are confirmed, police personnel will be deployed along the route from her residence to Shivaji Park,” the officer added.

Asha Bhosle’s passing marks the end of an extraordinary musical journey that spanned over eight decades. She began singing at the age of 10, making her debut with “Chala Chala Nav Bala” for the 1943 Marathi film Majha Bal. Five years later, she entered Hindi cinema with “Saawan Aaya” in Chunariya (1948). Her breakthrough came with “Maang Ke Saath Tumhara” and “Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri” in Naya Daur (1957), where she voiced all songs for the female lead, Vyjayanthimala. While stalwarts like her sister Lata Mangeshkar, Shamshad Begum, and Geeta Dutt dominated the 1950s, Bhosle went on to record more songs than any other female singer of that era.

Over the years, Bhosle carved a distinct identity in the Hindi film industry, consciously differentiating her style from her sister’s melodic forte. She embraced cabaret and Western-influenced numbers, delivering iconic tracks like “Aaja Aaja” and “O Haseena Zulfon Wali” in Teesri Manzil (1966), composed by her husband RD Burman. She also became the defining voice for dancer Helen, immortalising songs such as “Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja” (Caravan, 1971) and “Yeh Mera Dil” (Don, 1978).

Refusing to be confined to a single genre, Asha Bhosle showcased remarkable versatility. Her ghazals in Umrao Jaan (1981), including “Dil Cheez Kya Hai” and “In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke,” earned her her first National Award. She later won another for “Mera Kuchh Saamaan” from Ijaazat (1987).

Beyond films, Asha Bhosle explored independent music and collaborations.

Even entering her 60s couldn’t stop Bhosle from lending her voice to a new generation of actors, some around 40 years younger than her. Her popular tracks in the 1990s and 2000s include “Tanha Tanha” and “Rangeela Re” from Rangeela (1995), “Radha Kaise Na Jale” from Lagaan (2001), “Kambakht Ishq” from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), and “Lucky Lips” from Lucky (2005), among others.

At 79, she made her acting debut in 2013 with Mai, portraying a mother suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, yet another testament to her artistic range.

Beyond films, Asha Bhosle explored independent music and collaborations. Her notable works included Dil Padosi Hai with Gulzar and RD Burman, Jaanam Samjha Karo with Leslie Lewis, and albums with Adnan Sami. Her collaboration Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan earned her a Grammy Award, while You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from RD Burman’s Bollywood brought her another nomination. She also composed music for Aap Ki Asha (2002) and collaborated with artistes including Sanjay Dutt, Urmila Matondkar, and Brett Lee in Asha and Friends (2006).

Bhosle’s linguistic versatility saw her record songs in multiple Indian languages, including Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and more. This prolific output earned her a place in the Guinness World Records for the most studio recordings. Over her illustrious career, she was also honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Vibhushan.