Asha Bhosle was born in the small hamlet of Goar in Sangli, Bombay Presidency (now in Maharashtra), into the musical family of Master Deenanath Mangeshkar, who belongs to Gomantak Maratha Samaj. Her father was a theater actor and classical singer. When she was nine years old, her father died. The family moved from Pune to Kolhapur and then to Mumbai. She and her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar began singing and acting in films to support their family. She sang her first film song Chala Chala Nav Bala for the Marathi movie Majha Bal (1943). The music for the film was composed by Datta Dawjekar. She made her Hindi film debut when she sang the song Saawan Aaya for Hansraj Behls Chunariya (1948). Her first solo Hindi film song was for the movie Raat Ki Raani (1949).
At the age of 16, she eloped with 31-year-old Ganpatrao Bhosle, marrying him against her familys wishes. Ganpatrao was Latas personal secretary. The marriage failed miserably. Her husband and in-laws mistreated her. After a few years of marriage, Asha was turned out (around 1960) by a suspicious Ganpatrao and she went to her maternal home with two children and pregnant with her third child. She continued to sing in films to earn money.
At that time, prominent playback singers like Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar monopolized the singing for the female lead and the big films, whilst Asha used to get the assignments they refused: singing for the bad girls and vamps, or songs in the second-grade movies. In the 1950s, she sang more songs than most playback singers in Bollywood (not counting Lata). Most of these were in low budget B or C-grade films. Her earliest songs were composed by A R Qureshi, Sajjad Hussain and Ghulam Mohammed, most of which failed to do well. Singing in Sangdil (1952), composed by Sajjad Hussain, she got reasonable recognition. Consequently, film director Bimal Roy gave her a chance to sing in Parineeta (1953). Raj Kapoor signed her to sing Nanhe Munne Bachche with Mohammed Rafi in Boot Polish (1954), which gained popularity.
O. P. Nayyar gave Asha a break in C.I.D. (1956). She first achieved success in B. R. Chopras Naya Daur (1957), composed by him. Her duets with Rafi like Maang Ke Saath Tumhara, Saathi Haath Badhana and Uden Jab Jab Zulfein Teri, penned by Sahir Ludhianvi, earned her recognition. It was the first time she sang all the songs for a films leading actress. Chopra approached her for several of his later prosuctions, including Gumraah (1963), Waqt (1965), Hamraaz (1965), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1966) and Dhund (1972). Nayyars future collaboration with Bhosle also resulted in success. Gradually, she established her status and received the patronage of such composers as Sachin Dev Burman and Ravi. Bhosle and Nayyar had a professional and personal parting of ways in the 1970s.
In 1966, Bhosles performances in the duets from one of music director R.D. Burmans first soundtracks, for the movie Teesri Manzil, won popular acclaim. Reportedly, when she first heard the dance number Aaja Aaja, she felt she would not be able to sing this westernised tune. While Burman offered to change the music, she refused, taking it as a challenge. She completed the song after ten days of rehearsals, and Aaja Aaja, along with such other songs as O Haseena Zulfonwali and O Mere Sona Re (all three duets with Rafi), became successful. Shammi Kapoor, the films leading actor, was once quoted as saying– If I did not have Mohammad Rafi to sing for me, I would have got Asha Bhosle to do the job. Bhosles collaboration with Burman resulted in numerous hits and a marriage. During the 1960-70s, she was the voice of Bollywoods actress and dancer, Helen, on whom O Haseena Zulfon Wali was picturised. It is said that Helen would attend her recording sessions so that she could understand the song better and plan dance steps accordingly. Some of their other popular numbers include Piya Tu Ab To Aaja (Caravan) and Yeh Mera Dil (Don), among others.
By the 1980s, Bhosle, although highly regarded for her abilities and versatility, had sometimes been stereotyped as a cabaret singer and a pop crooner. In 1981 she attempted a different genre by singing several ghazals for the Rekha-starrer Umrao Jaan, including Dil Cheez Kya Hai, In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke, Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston and Justju Jiski Thi. The films music director Khayyam, had lowered her pitch by half a note. Bhosle herself expressed surprise that she could sing so differently. The ghazals won her the first National Film Award of her career. A few years later, she won another National Award for the song Mera Kuchh Saamaan from Ijaazat (1987).
In 1995, 62-year-old Bhosle sang for actress Urmila Matondkar in the movie Rangeela. The soundtrack featured songs like Tanha Tanha and Rangeela Re sung by her, and composed by music director A. R. Rahman, who would go on to record several songs with her. During the 2000s, several of Bhosles numbers became chartbusters, including Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan (2001), Kambakht Ishq from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Yeh Lamha from Filhaal (2002), Lucky Lips from Lucky (2005). In October 2004, The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood, a compilation album of songs recorded by Bhosle for albums and Bollywood films that were released between 1966 and 2003, was released.
Apart from Hindi, she has sung in over 20 Indian and foreign languages. In 2006, Asha Bhosle stated that she had sung over 12,000 songs, a figure repeated by several other sources. The World Records Academy, an international organization which certifies world records, recognised her as the "Most Recorded Artist" in the world, in September 2009. In 2011 she was officially acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in music history. The Government of India honoured her with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
And the legend lives on ...
