Asha Bhosle, Legendary Indian Singer, Dies at 92
Asha Bhosle, the iconic Indian playback singer whose voice became inseparable from Bollywood’s golden decades of the 1970s and 80s, has died in Mumbai at the age of 92, her family said.
Asha Bhosle, the iconic Indian playback singer whose voice became inseparable from Bollywood’s golden decades of the 1970s and 80s, has died in Mumbai at the age of 92, her family said.
Bhosle, a two-time Grammy nominee, died at Breach Candy Hospital after being admitted with what doctors described as “extreme exhaustion” and a chest infection.
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“My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai,” her son Anand Bhosle told reporters.
Across a career that stretched over seven decades, Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in several Indian languages.
“Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world,” he said in a post on X.
“She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives.”
Born on 8 September, 1933, into a musical family, Bhosle began singing in childhood alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after the death of their father.
Frequently measured against Mangeshkar – celebrated as “India’s nightingale” and who died in 2022 – Bhosle carved out a distinct legacy of her own, moving effortlessly across styles from pop to folk.
Her early years were shaped by hardship, including a turbulent marriage at 16.
She later emerged as one of the most versatile and admired voices in Indian cinema, winning the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and securing two Grammy nominations.
Bhosle remained active on the global music scene well into her later years, including a recent appearance on British virtual band Gorillaz’s album The Mountain.
Away from the recording studio, she also pursued her love of food, launching her Asha’s restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.
Source: AFP