Legendary singer Asha Bhosle has died at the age of 92. She was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital on Saturday after experiencing cardiac and respiratory issues.
(Also read: Quote of the day by Asha Bhosle: ‘Sangeet ek aisi kala hai jo janam janam tak apne saath chalti hai…’)
Tributes poured in from across the country, with industrialist Anand Mahindra sharing an emotional note on X, reflecting on her influence across generations.
“The passing of Asha Bhosleji feels like the fading of one of the great soundtracks of my generation. She and her sister Lata Mangeshkarji were not just singers, they were the voices of India itself. Lataji will always remain the benchmark of perfection. But to my generation, Ashaji was something equally powerful: she was possibility.”
He added, “Often seen as the ‘other’ voice in the same family, she refused to be defined by comparison. Instead, she carved out her own space with a style that was bold, experimental. From cabaret to ghazals, from folk to pop, she expanded what was acceptable, not just in music, but in how a woman could live, choose, and express herself.”
“In doing so, she didn’t just sing differently. She lived differently. I personally took inspiration from her and learned from her courage to be a non-conformist and go ‘off-road.’ No matter where you are now, Ashaji, I know you will be breaking boundaries. Om shanti.”
{{/usCountry}}“In doing so, she didn’t just sing differently. She lived differently. I personally took inspiration from her and learned from her courage to be a non-conformist and go ‘off-road.’ No matter where you are now, Ashaji, I know you will be breaking boundaries. Om shanti.”
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A career that defined generations
One of the most successful, popular, and prolific singers of Indian cinema, Asha Bhosle’s stature in Hindi film music was rivalled only by her elder sister, the late Lata Mangeshkar.
Born in 1933 into the illustrious Mangeshkar family, Bhosle began singing professionally at the age of nine. She recorded her first film song in 1943 and by the 1950s had carved a distinct identity for herself in Bollywood.
Her views on modern music
In an interaction with Hindustan Times in 2023, Bhosle spoke candidly about contemporary music. She said, “Main sach bolu toh main aaj ke gaane sunti hi nahi hoon. If I have to listen to songs, I hear (late vocalist) Bhimsen Joshi’s songs, classical songs and ghazals as I get to learn and simultaneously, polish and practice my songs better through that. Because of this, my capability of singing gets better, and I improvise and sing better.”
(Also read: Asha Bhosle, legendary singer and voice of Bollywood for decades, dies at 92)
She added, “I don’t really find songs with excellent lyrics today, but I listen to them occasionally and sometimes, I come across good songs by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sunidhi Chauhan so yes, I do find some of them good, but I rarely listen to music. If I have to, then I listen to the old songs.”