SATV, Kathmandu, April. 13 - Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92.
Her funeral is scheduled for Monday, with the last rites to be conducted at Shivaji Park at 4 pm. Bhosle had been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on 11 April due to severe exhaustion and a chest infection, as shared by her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle on X.
Security arrangements have been put in place, with around 50 police personnel stationed near the hospital. Additional deployments are expected along the route from her residence to Shivaji Park, as well as at Dadar station, in anticipation of large crowds. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, while details regarding attending dignitaries are yet to be finalised.
Asha Bhosle’s death marks the end of an extraordinary musical career spanning more than eight decades. She began singing at the age of 10, debuting with “Chala Chala Nav Bala” in the 1943 Marathi film Majha Bal. She entered Hindi cinema five years later with “Saawan Aaya” from Chunariya (1948).
Her breakthrough came with songs such as “Maang Ke Saath Tumhara” and “Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri” in Naya Daur (1957), where she voiced all songs for the female lead, Vyjayanthimala. Although contemporaries 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 her time.
She developed a distinctive style, setting herself apart with cabaret and Western-influenced numbers, including “Aaja Aaja” and “O Haseena Zulfon Wali” from Teesri Manzil (1966), composed by her husband RD Burman. She also became closely associated with dancer Helen, lending her voice to iconic songs such as “Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja” (Caravan, 1971) and “Yeh Mera Dil” (Don, 1978).
Renowned for her versatility, Bhosle delivered memorable ghazals in Umrao Jaan (1981), including “Dil Cheez Kya Hai” and “In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke”, earning her first National Award. She later received another for “Mera Kuchh Saamaan” from Ijaazat (1987).
Even in her later years, she continued to sing for a new generation of actors. Her popular tracks from the 1990s and 2000s include “Tanha Tanha” and “Rangeela Re” (Rangeela, 1995), “Radha Kaise Na Jale” (Lagaan, 2001), “Kambakht Ishq” (Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, 2001), and “Lucky Lips” (Lucky, 2005).
At the age of 79, she made her acting debut in 2013 with Mai, portraying a mother with Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond cinema, she explored independent music and collaborations, including Dil Padosi Hai with Gulzar and RD Burman, Jaanam Samjha Karo with Leslie Lewis, and projects with Adnan Sami. Her album Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan earned her a Grammy Award, while You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from RD Burman’s Bollywood received a nomination. She also composed music for Aap Ki Asha (2002) and collaborated with artists such as Sanjay Dutt, Urmila Matondkar, and Brett Lee on Asha and Friends (2006).
Bhosle recorded in numerous Indian languages, including Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Punjabi. Her immense body of work earned her a place in the Guinness World Records for the highest number of studio recordings. Agencies
