Asha Bhosle

Born on September 8, 1933, Asha Bhosle shares a direct family tie with Lata Mangeshkar, widely regarded as India’s most influential vocal presence. Following the death of her father, Dinanath Mangeshkar, in April 1942, the household faced sudden disruption and relocated first from Pune to Kolhapur before settling in Bombay. At roughly ten years old she recorded what appears to have been her debut film vocal for the Marathi production Majha Bal.

Since those early sessions she has contributed songs to nearly every Indian language as well as to Russian and Malay repertoires, interpreting Rabindra Sangeet drawn from the poetry of Bengali writer Tagore. Her recordings also include collaborations with the bhangra ensemble Alaap, the Indian rap performer Baba Sehgal, and Boy George, formerly the lead singer of the British pop band Culture Club. Numerous cassette anthologies and reissues of her catalog circulate widely.

Marking her sixtieth birthday in 1993, EMI India issued three separate cassette packages: the devotional collection Bala Main Bairagan Hoongi (STHVS 65107), the non-film ghazal set The Golden Collection Memorable Ghazals (STHV 63173/4) featuring works by Ghulam Ali, R.D. Burman and Nazar Hussain, and the 44-track survey The Golden Collection: The Ever Versatile Asha Bhosle (STHV 62197/62200) drawn from popular film material. Much of her sustained prominence stems from an uncommon adaptability that has allowed her to perform convincingly across widely divergent vocal timbres and stylistic idioms.