Asha Bhosle: I want to groom my granddaughter Zanai now

Asha Bhosle was recently in the capital to attend an event hosted by Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO), where she expressed her views on a range of topics – obscene lyrics in film songs and women’s safety. Excerpts from her speech.
Teach self-defence to kids Teach your kids taekwondo. Meri poti aur pota judwa bachche hain. My granddaughter has trained in karate and my grandson has learnt taekwondo.Aisa nahi hona chahiye ki bachche rone lag jaaye agar koi unke saamne aaye. They should know how to retaliate.
READ: Asha Bhosle's autobiography from her personal diary
I changed my singing style to survive in the industry I recorded my first song in 1943 when I was 10. 1947 se maine film line mein gaana shuru kiya. Lekin badi mushkil thi. Saamne bahut bade bade pahaad thay. Sabse bada Himalaya parvat jo Lata Mangeshkar thi. Doosra tha Shamshad Begum, teesri thi Geeta Dutt aur phir Noor Jehan thi. Is kadar deewaar thi ki uske paar jaana mushkil tha. Us samay SD Burman saab ne Kishore Kumar aur mujhe duet ke liye bulaya tha. Kishore was new at that time. We were standing in the recording studio and there were no equipment like they use today. Hum donon ga rah thay. Itne mein sound recordist ne music director se aake kuch kaha aur phir humein aake kaha, ‘Beta aaj tum logon ki awaaz theek nahi hai. Kal aake gaana.’ Main aur Kishore ek doosre ko dekhne lage. Unhone kaha aawazein theek nahi hai. Unhone kaha ki hum ga nahi sakte. Matlab hum singer hi nahi ban sakte. Kishore was quite angry. I was quiet. I thought that I have to move away from the style that was prevalent for that time. I thought that if I don’t change my style, I won’t be able to establish myself as a singer in so much competition. I used to like watching English films. Mujhe Western music sunn ke accha lagta tha. Yeh awaaz badalna, kampan laana hum log nahi karte thay par maine apnaaya woh style. In 1956, I got Eena Meena Deeka. That was the song. Puraane logon ne bahut gaali di lekin youngsters mere saath thay. Since that time, youngsters have been with me and till now, they are with me. I think I understand what youngsters want.
I recently walked the ramp for Manish I was invited to watch a show where Priyanka Chopra, Hema Malini and Kajol were there. It was Manish Malhotra’s show and I thought that I have acted, sung songs, done so many things, but never walked the ramp. Sab darr gaye ki yeh chal sakegi. Sab mera haath pakad ke chalwaana chate thay. But maine unse support nahi liya. Then Chopra said to me ki hamaare liye kuch toh chodiye. Now, I want to learn how to operate a computer.
Listen to Asha Bhosle's songs on Gaana.com
Aaj kal logon ko bolon ki samajh nahi hai Log Lungi Dance aur Jhandu Balm zyada pasand karte hain. Achhi picture dekhne waale kam reh gaye hain. Jab Se Tere Naina woh bahut sundar gaana tha. Kuch gaane hain jo acche hote hain. Lekin aaj kal ka fashion ho gaya ki ek item song ya do item song hone chahiye. Aisa gaane koi bhi singer ga sakta hai. Toh hamare film line mein bolon ki kami ho gayi hai. I was shocked to hear the song Halkat Jawaani. Halkat is a gaali in Marathi. Yeh zyaada ho raha hai. Kai English words ko translate kar dete hain Hindi mein jo bahut galat hai. Women have to come forward and tell such people that this is not acceptable and our children are getting affected by such lyrics.
I want to groom my granddaughter as a singer I want to groom my granddaughter Zanai now. She has a melodious voice – a mix of mine and Lata didi. I want to prepare her as a singer.
WATCH: Kishore Kumar And Asha Bhosle Songs