From beginning her singing career at 10 to recording over 12,000 songs across eight decades and genres — what song would a versatile, extraordinarily gifted singer like Asha Bhosle sing for herself in solitude? This was a question posed to her by interviewer Sudhir Gadgil. In answering it, Bhosle — who said that not only her own songs but also those of Lata Mangeshkar and many other singers still linger on her lips — shared that the song she loves to hum in solitude is “Geet Kitne Ga Chuki Hoon Main Is Sukhi Jag Ke Liye.”Having brought joy to the world by singing across a wide range of genres — bhajan, ghazal, bhaavgeet, lavani, qawwali, cabaret, jazz — Ashataai set off on her journey to eternity on April 12.Along with her extraordinary voice, she was blessed with the gift of living every moment of life with wholehearted joy. Just like Lata Didi, Ashataai too received her musical foundation from her father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar. She trained in classical music for four years under Navrang Nagpurkar. However, heeding her mother’s words — that staying in Kolhapur would leave her like a frog in a pond — she set off for Mumbai.In 1943, at the age of 10, she sang “Chala Chala Nav Bala” for the film Maza Baal. Music for that film was composed by Datta Davjekar. It took another four years for her Hindi debut. “Sawan Aaya” from the 1948 film Chunariya was her first Hindi song.When Asha Bhosle began her career as a singer in the Hindi film industry in Mumbai, singers like Zohrabai, Shamshad Begam, Geeta Roy, and Lata Mangeshkar herself were at the peak of their fame. Among male singers, there were talents like Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Durrani, and Khan Mastana. Establishing her identity amidst all of them was the challenge before Bhosle. During the 1940s and 50s, Bhosle sang for many Hindi film composers. However, for her singing to truly reach the masses, her collaboration with composer O. P. Nayyar was essential. In Bhosle’s film music career, composers O. P. Nayyar, Khayyam, S. D. Burman, and later R. D. Burman played a significant role.Composer Ravi got her to sing mischievous children’s songs like “C-A-T Cat… Cat Maane Billi” and “Chanda Mama Door Ke,” as well as a devotional bhajan like “Tora Man Darpan Kehlaye.” Under his music direction, Bhosle sang for hit films like Waqt, Gumraah, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, and Aadmi Aur Insaan. In one interview, she mentioned that lyricists like Pradeep, Bharat Vyas, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, and Shakeel Badayuni had a great influence on her.Story continues below this adAaiye Meherbaan… Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon… Asha Bhosle with O.P. Nayyar and Narayan Guha.The creative partnership between O. P. Nayyar and Asha Bhosle took shape with the 1952 film Chhum Chhamaa Chhum. This pair gained wider recognition through the songs of B. R. Chopra’s 1957 film Naya Daur. Nayyar had Bhosle sing in a distinctly different style. Songs like “Aaiye Meherbaan,” “Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera,” “Aao Huzoor Tumko,” and “Jaaiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge” — composed by Nayyar and sung by Bhosle — remain just as popular today.On one hand, there were Asha Bhosle’s solo songs, and on the other, duets composed by O. P Nayyar himself — “Maang Ke Saath Tumhara,” “Ude Ude Jab Zulfein Teri,” “Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein” — sung by Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi, which completely transformed the atmosphere. However, in the early 1970s, this melodious partnership between Nayyar and Bhosle ended due to personal reasons, and they never worked together again.Even while working with Nayyar, Bhosle sang some beautiful songs under the music direction of Khayyam and Ravi. Talking about the composers she worked with, she had said, “From the 1950s to the 70s, all the composers I worked with had learned music formally. They had a deep understanding of songs and could sing beautifully themselves. Working with them was a truly enjoyable experience.”Musical experiments with R. D. Burman Asha Bhosle with RD Burman and Gulzar. (Express archive photo)Even while singing under S. D. Burman, R. D. Burman would often be around the singers at that time. However, Asha Bhosle recalled that she did not take him very seriously back then. From 1957 to 1962, S. D. Burman exclusively had Bhosle sing for him. But as his health deteriorated later, R. D. Burman took over many of his songs.Story continues below this adR. D. Burman composed the music for the 1966 film Teesri Manzil, and all the songs sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi became hugely popular. “Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera” was completely unlike anything in Hindi film music until then. The same was true of “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja” from the film Caravan. Bhosle practiced for 10 days for this song, which introduced new sounds of cabaret, rock, disco, and jazz.R. D. Burman skillfully used Asha Bhosle’s voice to create songs that blended Western musical styles with Indian film music. Although Bhosle enjoyed being part of new musical experiments, she once asked Panchamda — why she was always given such difficult songs. Panchamda answered that only she had the ability to sing such songs.The singer herself admitted that studying Western musical styles and carving out a distinct identity for her singing was necessary for her at that time. Since the voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle were quite similar, she realized that the only way to establish her own identity was to make her singing different from that of Mangeshkar, who was at the pinnacle of success. She watched Hollywood films, listened to Western music, studied its notes and rhythms, and made Panchamda’s musical experiments a success. The songs this duo gave us — “Dam Maro Dam,” “Duniya Mein Logo Ko,” “Bhali Bhali Si Ek Soorat,” “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko” — are songs that even today’s new generation loves to hum. Panchamda also had Bhosle sing quiet, deeply emotive songs like “Mera Kuch Saman,” “Katra Katra,” “Khaali Haath Shaam Aayi Hai,” and “O Maria.”In the 1980s and 90s, Asha Bhosle also sang songs of varied styles with Bappi Lahiri, Ilaiyaraaja, and A. R. Rahman. From the ghazal “Kisi Nazar Ko Tera Intezaar Aaj Bhi Hai” composed by Bappi Lahiri, to Rahman’s “Tanha Tanha,” “Mujhe Rang De,” “Radha Kaise Na Jale”, “Kahin Aag Lage” and “O Bhavre.”Story continues below this ad(This is a translation of a piece which first appeared in Marathi in Loksatta.)