If there is one word which could describe Hindi films evergreen singing diva, Asha Bhonsle, it is versatility. You name it and she has sung them all - from bhajans, ghazals, pop, jazz numbers to heart warming romantic songs, to pop numbers with western artists to singing in regional language. She has sung close to 20,000 songs in 14 languages.
Asha Bhonsle, was born on September 8, 1933 into a a musical family. Her father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar, owned a drama company and later he forayed into films. He went on to become a well-respected name in Marathi cinema. Like her father who started taking singing lessons when he was barely five-year-old, Asha too started young and recorded her first song for the Marathi movie Chala Chala Nav Bala for the Marathi movie Majha Bal in 1943. She made her playback debut in Hindi movies in 1948 with Chunariya. The initial years were a long road of struggle. Though in the 1950s Asha had a slew of songs to her credit, these were songs in small films, and hence not much noticed. Also these were rarely songs picturised on the lead actress of movies. Bhosle got to sing only for the best friend or the sister in movies.
The year 1957 proved to be a turning point in her life when OP Nayyar gave her the first big break. She sang the heroine's song in the films Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Naya Daur under the music baton of Nayyar. The year also gave her an opportunity to sing for the music maestro, Sachin Dev Burman, who had a rift with Asha's elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar.
{{/usCountry}}The year 1957 proved to be a turning point in her life when OP Nayyar gave her the first big break. She sang the heroine's song in the films Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Naya Daur under the music baton of Nayyar. The year also gave her an opportunity to sing for the music maestro, Sachin Dev Burman, who had a rift with Asha's elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar.
{{/usCountry}}Soon followed films like Howrah Bridge and Chalti ka Naam Gaadi and Lajwanti in 1958. Asha remained Nayyar's favourite singer till their break-up in the 1970s.
Some of her most popular songs camd in the 1960s, with OP Nayyar as the music director in Aankhon se Jo Utri hai Dil Mein from Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1964), Jayiye Aap Kahaan Jayenge from Mere Sanam (1965) and Woh Haseen Dard De Do from Humsaaya (1968). But slowly and slowly Asha was getting typecast in songs she is best-known for even today, sensual numbers, though her voice is equally effective in all genres - be it the magical numbers from Umrao Jaan or the haunting melodies of Ijazaat.
O.P. Nayyar and Asha split in the 1970s but not before he composed the prophetic gem Chain se Humko Kabhi which won her the Filmfare Award.
The 1970s saw her collaborate with another upcoming name, Rahul Dev Burman, son of the legendary SD Burman, who she later married. RD or Pancham, as he was popularly know, gave her a new hip and happening sound altogether. Piya Tu Ab To Aajaa (Caravan (1971)), Dum Maro Dum (Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)), offered fresh and stimulating challenges to her voice. Jaane Jaan from Jawaani Diwaani (1972) had her switching from the higher scales to the absolute lower ones within the song with ease!
With Umrao Jaan in 1981, Asha broke from the western-style songs mould and surprised her fans with her ghazals in the Muzaffar-Ali directed film, Umrao Jaan, with Khayyam as the music director. Khayyam got her to sing the ghazals in the film two notes lower and the result was this - Dil Cheez Kya Hai, In Aankhon ki Masti, Yeh Kaisi Jagah hai Doston, Justaju Jiski Ki - some of the finest singing Asha has ever done.
Ijaazat in 1987 brought her the National Award for Mera Kuch Samaan, a diffcult song with lyrics by Gulzar which did not have the standard rhyming pattern and seemed a mixture of prose and poetry.
In the 1990s Asha has even further widened her horizon by succesfully coming out with albums in Indipop and beating the Indian pop artists on their own turf. Though she has cut down on her singing now she still makes an Urmila Matonder or Aishwarya Rai sizzle in Rangeela (1994) or Taal (1999).
She has also won the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for her contribution to Indian Cinema. The latest feather in her cap is the Grammy nomination in 2005
Awards galore for AshaFilmfare Award1967 - Garibon Ki Suno [DUS LAKH]1968 - Parde Mein Rehne Do [SHIKHAR]1971 - Piya Tu Ab To Aaja [CARAVAN]1972 - Dum Maro Dum [HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA]1973 - Hone Lagi Hain Raat [NAINA]1974 - Chain Se Humko [PRAN JAYE PAR VACHAN NA JAYE]1977 - Yeh Mera Dil [DON]
1996 : Filmfare Special Award ( Rangeela Re - RANGEELA)
2001 : Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award(Ashaji on her recieving the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award)
National Award1981 - Dil Cheez Kya Hain [UMRAO JAAN]1986 - Mera Kuch Samaan [IJAZAT]Other Awards1987 : Nightingale Of Asia1989 : Lata Mangeshkar Award (Madhya Pradesh Govt.)1997 : Screen Videocon Award ( Jaanam Samjha Karo)1997 : MTV Award ( Jaanam Samjha Karo)1997 : Channel V Award ( Jaanam Samjha Karo)1997 : Grammy Award Nomination (Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan)1999 : Lata Mangeshar Award (Maharashtra Govt.)2000 : Singer Of the Millennium ( Dubai)2000 : Kolhapuri Bhushan Award2000 : Sangli Bhushan Award2000 : Omega Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award2000 : Zee Gold Bollywood Award (Mujhe Rang De - Thakshak)2001 : MTV Award ( Kambakt Ishq)2001 : Dada Saheb Phalke Award2001 : Dayawati Modi Award2002 : Zee Cine Award (Radha Kaise Na - Lagaan)2002 : Zee Cine - Hall Of Fame Award2002 : Screen Videocon Award (Radha Kaise Na - Lagaan)2002 : Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar2002 : Sansui Movie Award (Radha Kaise Na - Lagaan)2002 : Rajshree Shahu Purskar* Honorary Doctrates from the University Of Amravati & Jalgaon in Literature.* Ashaji has also recieved the Freddy Mercury Award.* Ashaji has recieved 14 Maharashtra State Awards & the Sur Singar Award.* Ashaji is also the first Indian Singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award.
Asha Bhonsle AwardIn recognition of Asha's extraordinary talent and her services to the field of music, the Asha Bhonsle Award has been instituted in 2002. The first recipient of the award is none other than Lata Mangeshkar