Asha Bhosle has been entertaining all since 1943 when she got her first break as a singer at the age of 10 for Marathi film Majha Bal. Bhosle is considered as one of India's most prolific artists and her musical journey in the film industry is a milestone in itself.
In her seven-decade strong career, she has sung over 13,000 songs. A recipient of several honours, including Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Vibhushan, Bhosle has created a massive fan base in India as well as abroad. She is one of the most respected and popular personalities in India.
As the legendary singer celebrates her 84th birthday on Friday, September 8, we take a look at some lesser-known facts about the evergreen and one of the most talented singers in the Indian music industry.
Asha Bhosle's father a singer and actor
Dinanath Mangeshkar, the father of Asha Bhosle, was a popular singer and actor. He built a travelling theatre company and his children used to travel with him.
"He had 300 staff, vast wardrobes, costumes, theatrical sets and props. We would stay in each city for months performing plays which went on all night. My whole education was watching actors and singers perform," Bhosle told The Guardian in 2011.
Acting dream
Bhosle acted in plays with her father, but after marriage, her husband drew a line at her acting. He encouraged her to sing, but she was not allowed to act in movies because it was considered a taboo.
"He came from a traditional family where acting was considered taboo," she said, adding, "so even the faint possibility of me becoming an actress was shot down before it had taken wings."
She worked with Kronos Quartet
In 2005, Kronos Quartet roped in Bhosle to re-record the songs of Rahul Dev Burman (RD Burman) like Chura Liya, Piya Tu and Mera Kuchh Saaman among others. Despite her age, Bhosle recorded three songs a day with the same enthusiasm. The album eventually was nominated for the 2006 Grammy Awards in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category.
She collaborated with Robbie Williams and Michael Stipe
The legendary singer went on to work with Robbie Williams in 2007. She also collaborated with American singer and songwriter Michael Stipe for the song The Way You Dream.
She is an exceptional cook
Apart from being a great singer, she is also an exceptional cook. She also has a chain of restaurants in Dubai.
"If you can sing well then you need to eat well, and if you eat well then you usually enjoy cooking. Cooking comes from the heart – it should be made with love, for others to enjoy, just like singing," she told BBC a few years ago.
Her marriage
Bhosle married Ganpatrao Bhosle when she was just 16 years old. However, things didn't go well between the two and they ended their marriage in 1960. She has three children from her first marriage.
In 1980, she married music composer RD Burman. They were married for 14 years till the music composer died in 1994.
Guinness World Records
In 2011, she entered Guinness Book of World Records for the most single studio recordings by an artist. Until 2011, she had recorded 11,000 solos, duets and chorus-backed songs in over 20 languages since the start of her career.
