“I have always been brutally honest about my life and perhaps that’s why the youth has always stood by me,” says Asha Bhosle on the sidelines of “Asha Ji - A Brimful Of Magic”, an event organised by Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO) in New Delhi. At 81, she turned out to be a motivational speaker with eyes welling up after listening about her eventful life. From the early demise of her father to a troubled marriage, she didn’t let any financial and emotional impediments come in the way of her dreams. “ Main karungi that was my mantra. The moment doubt comes into your mind, half the battle is lost,” Asha lives up to her name.
The most recorded artist in the history of Indian cinema says she had to make double effort to make her presence felt as she had to sound different to take on established names like Shamshad Begum, Noorjehan, Lata Mangeshkar and Geeta Dutt. “One day composer Khemchand Prakash asked Kishore and I to come to Famous Studios to practise a song but after hours of practice he rejected us. On the way back home we discussed our fate. That day I decided to work on a new style. As I was fond of watching English films I thought of adopting a western style. C. Ramachandra supported me. And with “ Eena Meena Deeka ” ( Aasha ) I arrived on the scene. It was panned by the old generation but the youth loved it and since then the youth is with me,” her youthful eyes reflect that she is not over yet.
Perhaps, the mood was the same when “Dum Maaro Dum” became the youth anthem? “Of course! We were criticised for creating a song that celebrates drug habits among youngsters. However, at that time creative people were conscious of their social responsibility. Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote “Piya Tu Ab to Aaja” but he insisted on getting the line “Woh baat bhi mujhko qubul hai o sanam, Jiski khaatir chhoo liye thhe mere qadam” removed. And when he didn’t have his way he left the recording telling me that he has three young daughters at home and doesn’t want them to sing something like this.” Similarly, Asha reminisces how she fought with none other than Sahir Ludhianvi about a song that had some implicit meaning which she considered obscene.
So why does she complain when today’s composers break away from the established norms. “Today, such numbers sound like temple songs as things have gone a lot far with English cuss words being translated into Hindi. I can’t sing ‘Halkat Jawaani’,” she reasons.
She holds Delhi as the centre of Hindi and Urdu culture. “Delhi has greater responsibility to save the value of words in songs. Don’t let Lungi dance or Zandu Balm dominate your occasions.” Asha holds that the value of playback singer has come down considerably. “Lata Mangeshkar struggled to give us our due credit on the album and now playback singer is once again in danger of being removed from the credits. Composers waited for a month to get the dates of Lata and Asha. These days I have heard they can make anybody sing in tune with their equipments.”
On how great singers are created, Asha says, “When Shanker Jaikishan launched Sharda they announced that they are introducing a graduate playback singer. It was a comment on Lata Mangeshkar, who had to drop out of school because of me. India has the largest numbers of graduates but do we have another Lata, Rafi or Kishore? God broke the mould after making them,” she muses.
After the overwhelming response at the event, Asha said one thing she could not understand was why she didn’t get this kind of respect at her prime. Perhaps, in her quest to be different she got branded as the voice of cabaret and fun songs. Asha nods. “But I never shied away from jumping into the sea for the fear of drowning. I kept on trying newer things.” Perhaps that’s why she signed off with “In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke Mastaane Hazaaron Hain”, a sublime example of her range. It includes collaborating with Ali Akbar Khan in the 90s. She denies it was her effort to win over the purists. “It was a collaboration. My father (Hridaynath Mangeshkar) trained me in classical music.”
On the prospects of her biopic, Asha nonchalantly says, “ Koi mera kaam kar hi nahin sakta . But I am writing my autobiography in Hindi. It will be translated into English by my son Anand.” For her entire life, she says, she kept on looking for a backbone in her life and found it late in the form of her youngest son Anand, who not only manages her work but also helped her turn her fondness of cooking into a successful restaurant business. “I don’t know why today’s women think cooking is a liability. It is a woman’s job to provide nutritious food to her kids. I used to be in the kitchen even after recording four to five songs a day,” she advises.
Before parting one asks her pick for the monsoon season and she proffers “Chhoti Se Kahaani Se, Barishon Ke Paani Se, Saari Waadi Bhar Gayi” that timeless number from Ijaazat where Gulzar, Burman and Asha combine to make us smell the rains!
Original, forever
Anand says Asha’s live concerts are still in demand. “She has just performed in Paris with Philharmonic orchestra. And now there is a demand from the US. With organic music going out of films, the live shows are the only source of listening to the magic of singer working with musicians She declares in live singing there can be mistakes and people love it. They are bored of singers lip syncing to taped music.”
Fresh take
Avarna Jain, Chairperson YFLO, says events like these are inspirational and help in inculcating self belief in the members. YFLO is often perceived as an elitist body in the media and Avarna is working to change it. “I am looking to empower women at all levels of the society. Be it the maid working at my house or whether it is a young woman who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know how to go about it. Donating 1000 sewing machines is not enough. We have to make sure that they are put to use in the right fashion.”
