As Asha Bhosle passed away aged 92 on April 12, actor Ashish Chowdhry recalled working with the legendary playback singer in the song Na Marte Hum from the album Aap Ki Asha. In a tribute post to Asha Bhosle, Ashish shared an adorable still on Instagram featuring the late singer. In the picture, he is seen kissing Asha Bhosle on her cheek. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashish Chowdhry (@ashishchowdhryofficial) “I had the good fortune to be with her. In her very song… A legend of her stature are not sent often. Will miss you ashaji,” he wrote as the caption. Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai. The singer was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday. Her last rites will be held at Shivaji Park on Monday at 4:00 pm. On Saturday, her granddaughter, Zanai Bhosle, revealed that her grandmother was admitted to the hospital due to extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. She requested privacy during such times. Zanai wrote, "My grandmother, Asha Bhosle due to extreme exhaustion and suffering a chest infection has been admitted to hospital and we request you to value our privacy. Treatment is ongoing and hopefully everything will be well and we shall update you positively (sic)." One of the most influential singers of her time, Asha Bhosle, sang her first song as a playback for the 1943 Marathi drama Majha Bal. She is known for lending her voice to some noteworthy numbers such as Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko, Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani, Kya Ghazab Karte Ho Ji, O Haseena Zulfonwale Jane Jahan, Piya Tu Ab To Aaja, Accha Ji Main Haari, and Ye Ladka Hay Allah Kaisa Hai Diwana, to name just a few. The singer was given the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award back in 2000, followed by a Padma Vibhushan in 2008. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 April,2026 12:52 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor-director Rajat Kapoor, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming streaming film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, has spoken up about how his friendship with actor Ranvir Shorey and Vinay Pathak reflects in their work when they collaborate. The actors, who go a long way back, have been friends for over 30 years and have collaborated frequently. However, the three of them came together for the first time in 18 years after Mithya. The three actors spoke with IANS during the promotions of Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa in the Juhu area of Mumbai. Rajat shared that their friendship allows each of them to push their creative boundaries. He told IANS, “It does not matter what film we make together or what play we do together, whether it is a dark comedy or thriller, the fact that there is immense love and trust as friends and as collaborators amongst all of us, that is very important”. He further mentioned, “I think that helps us to push the boundaries a little more every time. I can ask them for more and they trust me enough to give more of themselves, and really and they push themselves to the limits to get the perfect shot or to capture the perfect moment on camera. So, I think that really helps in any kind of new creation. And I think that comes out of this privilege of having trusted friends over a period of time”. Their friendship dates back to their early years in theatre and independent cinema. All three were associated with Mumbai’s English theatre circuit and later became key collaborators in India’s alternative film movement of the 2000s. Their professional collaborations have been built on mutual trust, similar acting sensibilities, and a preference for unconventional scripts. Rajat Kapoor has directed both of them in multiple projects. Their friendship reflects a shared journey through theatre, indie filmmaking, and mainstream recognition. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is available to stream on Hindi ZEE5. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 April,2026 12:38 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSIf anyone has made a beautiful attempt in singing, it is only Asha Bhosle. In singing, if anyone’s voice still brings a glow to your face, it is only one voice: Asha Bhosle. There is only one voice that you can listen to now and for centuries to come. She was completely dedicated to music. Every time I met her, she never talked about the world; she only talked about music. Her wealth, her popularity, her empire—everything was contained within the seven notes. I never saw her outside that circle of seven notes, she lived within them. Asha ji is the art of versatility. Such versatility has never been heard before. Making a beautiful attempt in songs, which even good singers realise how difficult is, she did in live recordings. And people will always love this voice. Her singing could remove someone’s fatigue. Her singing could bring someone out of a serious problem. I spoke to her on the phone 10-12 days before she passed away. She was singing even then, and was also asking me to sing something. There was no other conversation. ‘How are you?’ she would just ask that much. ‘How are things? Are you okay?’ That was it. After that, there was a 20-minute conversation where she was singing something and asking me to sing something. But what could I sing in front of her? But I would sing so that her heart would feel lighter. It is rare, and I wonder whether a voice with such versatility and beauty will ever come again. Who knows. As told to Priyanka Sharma
13 April,2026 12:26 PM IST | Mumbai | Sukhwinder SinghActress Priyanka Chopra has shared an emotional tribute to the late playback singing legend Asha Bhosle. The actress took to her Instagram on Sunday and shared a throwback picture of herself with the late singer. She also penned a long note in the caption, as she spoke about the late singer’s influence on the musical landscape of India, several generations, and the culture. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) She wrote, “There are some losses that feel like losing a piece of your childhood, your memories, your home. Asha ji was that for so many of us. Her voice wasn’t just part of Indian music; it was part of the backdrop of our lives. It played through our homes growing up, through family celebrations, through heartbreaks, through joy, through the quiet and loud moments that became memories before we realized it. For my generation and so many before and after, she wasn’t simply a legend we admired; she was a constant. A voice so eternal it felt like it would always be there. It is hard to put into words what it means to lose someone whose art helped shape the emotional landscape of an entire nation”. “Thank you, Asha ji, for giving us a lifetime of songs, of feeling, of beauty. For being one of the greatest gifts music has ever known. Rest peacefully. Your voice will live where all true legends do, forever in our hearts”, she added. One of the most influential singers of her time, Asha Bhosle, passed away on Sunday. The singer was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday. Ashish Shelar, the Culture Minister of Maharashtra, made the announcement of her death. Her last rites will be held at Shivaji Park on Monday at 4:00 pm. Asha Bhosle received numerous awards throughout her career for many of her noteworthy songs. The singer was given the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award back in 2000, followed by a Padma Vibhushan in 2008. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 April,2026 12:23 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSFormer Australia pacer Brett Lee and legendary singer Asha Bhosle formed an unlikely musical pairing in 2007 that produced the hit track You’re the One for Me. Yet, it is Lee's memory of the icon that remains more enduring than the song itself. In his autobiography My Life: Brett Lee, the sportsman described Bhosle as “a lovely, gentle woman with a wonderful sense of humour”. Their meeting occurred during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2007, when Lee was approached about contributing to an ambitious compilation album featuring international artistes and Bollywood stars. Intrigued — and especially encouraged after hearing that Robbie Williams was among the names involved — he agreed. “I was told a song for the compilation would be chosen for me, then I’d learn it, and get together with Asha at some point during the Champions Trophy for the recording. I couldn't believe it was happening; what a tremendous opportunity to work with an absolute legend,” the 49-year-old wrote in the 2011 book, which he co-authored with James Knight. 2007Year duet was released ‘I had great fun’ Describing Bhosle as the “Aretha Franklin of Indian music”, Lee fondly remembered the recording, saying he squeezed in a four-hour shoot with the legendary singer despite a packed cricket schedule, just days before the final against the West Indies. “She was a lovely, gentle woman with a wonderful sense of humour. The clip was primarily set in an office. The concept was that I was lovestruck and had to make advances to a really hot-looking girl; to add a comical twist, I also daydreamed about her, only to find a much older woman, Asha, standing in front of me... I had great fun,” Lee wrote. Unexpected chart-topper The song went on to become a success. Four months later, when they met again at the Sydney Opera House, Bhosle gifted Lee a compilation album with a personally signed message. “It will always be one of my treasures,” the cricketer said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 April,2026 12:12 PM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesSome voices are heard, and some, felt. Asha Bhosle was always felt. She had that rare gift of turning every song into a lived emotion. For all of us in music, she was a benchmark we measured ourselves against. Not just for her range or versatility, but for her courage. She never allowed herself to be defined by one sound or era. She kept pushing boundaries. She and Pancham da [RD Burman] were close to my father, PL Raj. I still remember the first time I met her — this was at Duke’s Retreat in Khandala. When my father told her I liked playing the guitar, she didn’t indulge me with polite praise. She simply said, ‘Music is not for everyone. Focus on your studies.’ Asha Bhosle with RD Burman. Pic/Instagram Years later, I was approached to work on a project with Ashaji. Initially, I was hesitant, but I was told that RD Burman had wanted to recreate his old songs in a new style with me. That’s how the remix project, Rahul & I, began. The brief was simple: introduce Ashaji to a new generation. Working with her wasn’t easy at first. She was used to a different recording style, where the voice dominated and the arrangement followed. I was [using] tighter grooves, modern production, and a new sonic space. Initially, she resisted. She even walked out at one point, saying, ‘This is not how I sing.’ Asha Bhosle. Pic/Rane Ashish To her credit, she came back. She gave it a chance. Slowly, she began to understand that the sound was fresh and exciting. When the album released, suddenly, Ashaji was ‘young’ again in the eyes of a new audience. Working with Asha tai was like going to school every day. Legends like her understand the composer’s thought, and then gently elevate it without ever overpowering it. Today, there is a sense of loss. But her music will never pause. It will keep inspiring generations. Because artistes like Ashaji don’t belong to a time — they become time itself. As told to Mohar Basu
13 April,2026 12:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Leslee LewisI lip-synced for the first time with her song in Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), Deewana Hua Badal. Plus, Ashaji was there when I gave my first shot. After the shot, she gave me a big hug. For a newcomer, it makes such a difference when somebody of Asha Bhosle’s stature says kind words to you. She need not have, but she did. I have always been grateful to her for that. All the songs she sang for me were beautiful. There was Zubi Zubi, Raat Ke Humsafar, Le Jaa Le Jaa in An Evening in Paris (1967) — all different songs. Lataji [Mangeshkar] and Ashaji were the only voices for a long time in Indian films. Ashaji kept in touch throughout. We would meet at award functions, and sometimes she would call me just to say, ‘I saw an old film and I liked you again’.” As told to Priyanka Sharma
13 April,2026 11:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Sharmila TagoreDil Padosi Hai (1987). It’s difficult to say how many odes to Asha Bhosle will pause to acknowledge this remarkable non-film album, but for me, it remains the work that sealed my conviction of her singularity. By then, of course, I was familiar with the well-circulated highlights of her film career. But Dil Padosi Hai revealed something deeper. Across its 14 tracks, penned by Gulzar and composed by RD Burman, she stretched effortlessly across moods and idioms: from the classically inflected serenity of Bheeni Bheeni Bhor, to the sensuous playfulness of Raat Christmas Ki Thi. It is in albums like this that one encounters Bhosle not just as a voice of songs, but as an artiste of boundless imagination: restless, refined, and entirely inimitable. Bhosle leaves behind a musical legacy so vast and varied that it resists easy summation. She was not merely one of the defining voices of Indian cinema; she continuously reshaped what that voice could be. Born in 1933 in Sangli, Maharashtra, into the illustrious Mangeshkar family, she grew up in an environment steeped in music. While her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar quickly rose to become the pre-eminent playback singer of her time, Bhosle carved her own path, often navigating the film industry’s margins before stepping into its centre. In her early years, she was frequently assigned songs that others declined — cabaret numbers, dance tracks, or compositions for secondary characters. But what might have been a limitation became, in time, her greatest strength. Songs like Ab Ke Baras from Bandini (1963) and Raat Akeli Hai from Jewel Thief (1967) offer evidence of the depth, nuance, and vivacity she could bring to a composition even when these were not shot on the ‘heroine’. (L-R) Anuradha Patel and Naseeruddin Shah in ‘Ijaazat’ Pics/Youtube Her breakthrough came in the 1950s, particularly through her collaboration with composer OP Nayyar. Songs like Aaiye Meherban (Howrah Bridge, 1950) and Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon (Mere Sanam, 1965) carried a modern, rhythmic vitality that set them apart. Bhosle’s voice introduced a new sensibility to Hindi film music, one that allowed for flirtation, mischief, and urban sophistication. If Nayyar helped establish her identity, it was her partnership with Burman that expanded it exponentially. Their creative synergy produced some of the most memorable songs in Indian cinema. From the infectious energy of Aaja Aaja (Teesri Manzil, 1966) to the haunting introspection of Mera Kuch Saamaan (Ijaazat, 1987), Bhosle demonstrated a remarkable ability to inhabit vastly different emotional landscapes. Her voice could be sensuous, rebellious, tender, or melancholic, often within the span of a single film. She did not just adapt to genres; she redefined them. She brought a distinctive flair to cabaret songs, lent depth to ghazals, embraced pop and Indipop with equal ease, and even ventured into international collaborations. Her foray beyond film music found a fresh audience in the late 1990s with Jaanam Samjha Karo (1997), a non-film album composed by Leslee Lewis. Its standout track, the lilting Raat Shabnami, became an immediate favourite, connecting her with a younger generation. She continued to explore diverse collaborations, teaming up with Adnan Sami on Kabhi To Nazar Milao, and even Australian cricketer Brett Lee on You’re The One for Me. In 2006, she received her second Grammy nomination for You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from RD Burman’s Bollywood, a project recorded with the Kronos Quartet that reinterpreted her late husband’s music for a global audience. And balancing these crowd-pleasers were albums like Legacy, recorded with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, which fetched her first Grammy nomination in 1997. With her passing, an era of Indian music draws to a close. She helped shape not just an industry, but the emotional vocabulary of a nation. And yet, her legacy is not confined to nostalgia. It lives on in the countless songs that continue to resonate across time, in the artistes she inspired, and in the very idea of what a playback singer can be. In the end, Bhosle did more than sing. She transformed music into an expression of life in all its complexity, playful and profound, ephemeral and eternal. With her departure, the silence she leaves behind is immense, but so too is the echo of her voice, which will continue to be heard for generations to come. (An editor by profession, Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri has edited The Swinging Seventies: Stars, Style and Substance in Hindi Films, the anthology on ’70s Bollywood)
13 April,2026 11:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Shantanu Ray ChaudhuriThey say that a small tree can never grow under the shade of a big one, but if anyone proved it wrong, it was Ashaji. Lataji [Mangeshkar] was a goddess [in Hindi playback singing]; no singer could hold their own in front of her. Many singers tried to sing like her. But Ashaji developed her own style of singing and created her own identity. The Mangeshkar sisters ruled the Indian film music industry for over 55 years. Life experiences create depth, and that was present in both of them. She sang her first song when she was only 10 years old. That means an 83-year career and what an impact she has left! I will always remember what Ashaji told me once. She said, ‘When you look for happiness in life and relationships, you may be hurt. True happiness lies only in your work. If you think you have done your work well, that will give you true satisfaction.’ Among my favourite songs that I had written for her is Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan [2000]. There is also Kanha Jo Aaye Palat Ke from Sardari Begum [1996]. When I would write the lyrics, I would know that only Ashaji could sing it. In Rahul Rawail’s film [Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, 1997], she was to sing a song with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It was a challenging tune, and Ashaji realised it was her agni pariksha. She heard it twice with rapt attention before going behind the mic. When she sang it, Nusrat Fateh Ali couldn’t stop saying, ‘Waah, waah!’ My sister, a star Pic/Ashish Raje Javed Akhtar recalled how he interviewed Lata Mangeshkar for a TV channel, where she reflected on her sister Asha Bhosle’s versatility. He said, “Lataji told me, ‘Asha can sing the songs that I have. Lekin Asha ne jo saare gaane gaye hai, woh saare gaane main nahin gaa sakti’.” Did you know? Asha Bhosle launched a virtual singing talent hunt, ‘Asha Ki Asha’, during the pandemic-induced lockdown, in 2020 As told to Upala KBR
13 April,2026 11:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Javed AkhtarAshaji [Bhosle] has been my most favourite singer of all times. Unki aawaz mein jo rass aur shararat hai, it’s unmatched. Ab ke aiyo barkha bidesi from Namkeen (1982) — I listen to it every single day, and each day I discover something new. Paens will continue to be written about her. Her voice will remain immortal, but what I will cherish is the memories she has left behind for us. What I admire most is her gumption, fearlessness, and desire to take risks and push her own parameters. My favourite song of Ashaji is Ab ke aiyo barkha bidesi from Gulzar saab’s movie that was picturised on me. I was relieved I didn’t have to lip-sync to it because I would never have been able to emote the nuances of her singing even if I had tried 200 times! We spent a lot of time together during Covid-19 in Khandala, and she would never make a fuss when we asked her to sing. Such a sport with a strong zest for life! As told to Upala KBR
13 April,2026 11:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Shabana AzmiToday, on the passing of my all-time favourite singer, Asha Bhosleji, I find myself reflecting deeply. While in Rangeela (1995), AR Rahman composed the music, it was Ashaji’s voice that infused it with an immortal soul and raw, youthful fire. Rangeela Re wasn’t just a song, it was a thunderclap that shook Bollywood. Urmila’s [Matondkar] electrifying moves on the streets of Mumbai, fused seamlessly with Ashaji’s playful sensuality and mischievous energy, redefined the music’s rebellious spirit. Ram Gopal Varma. Pic/Yogen Shah I remember the legendary singer walking into the studio with the poise of a queen, yet carrying the childlike curiosity of a newcomer, hungry to experiment with a new-age music director like AR Rahman. One take, a small adjustment in phrasing or emotion, and the magic flowed like a torrential storm. Coincidentally, today [April 12] marks the 24th anniversary of her track, Khallas, from my film Company [2002], shot on Isha Koppikar. Ashaji wasn’t just a singer, she was the heartbeat of an entire era. Her voice flowed like a river through generations, bridging classical roots with modern beats across multiple languages and diverse emotions. From sensuality to soul-stirring depth, she captured the full spectrum of human feeling like no one else ever did. Rest in power, Ashaji. You might have moved on to another place, but your music will remain here forever. As told to Upala KBR
13 April,2026 11:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Ram Gopal VarmaADVERTISEMENT
