Asha Bhosle  (1933 – 2026) – A tribute – Part 2

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Part 1 of my tribute, exclusively covered Asha’s superlative output with OP Nayyar and how he gave her and got in return , gem after gem. Part 2 should have been easy , right ? I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

This was yet another deep dive exercise that made me realise that I cant do justice due to the sheer volume of work in not just Hindi but also other languages , not to speak of her non film output . So , with a heavy heart, I have decided that Part 2 will cover only her work with music directors other than OP Nayyar and RD Burman while the final part 3 will be about her non film and regional language output whose total volume is also mindboggling.

If both Lata and Asha had to sing for different characters, then it was a sureshot that Lata would be singing for the pure virginal heroines while Asha would be singing for a vamp or a cabaret/ club dancer/ mujra dancer / street character or a risqué, somewhat lascivious song. Like most such cliches it is true – and yet not true. There are many instances of the situation being reversed as in Mera Gaon Mera Desh or Do Chor where Lata sang for vamp Laxmi Chaya who was a mujra dancer in both films.  In Samadhi Lata song the risque Kaatan lagaa  while Asha got the sedate Jab tak rahe tan me jiya.

In my view the best way to look at part 2 is her give a sample of her output with various music directors . One song will be a famous one and another will be not so famous or obscure. I thought I would make a separate list of Asha-helen songs but doing it by composers, many songs came up that were of this combo.

Here are an A-Z of famous composers and the gems that Asha sang with them:

Bappi Lahiri:

• Bappi’s first film was Nanha Shikari (1973) where Asha had one solo that was typical “come here” type of song that had more than a hint of R.D.Burman’s musical style. Aaja meri bahon me was typically a ‘club’ dance where the singer is chased by multiple drunken men.
• By 1982, and Namak Halaal , Bappi was well set and carried on his reputation as ‘Disco King’ with his super hit song Jawaane Jaaneman. 
• The same year , in the film Josh there was an inspiration from the Simon and Garfunkel song ‘Sound of silence’ picturised on Helen Sabkuch to hai. 

C. Ramchandra. Anna Saheb (as he was popularly known) mostly preferred Lata for his multiple compositions including some early ‘club’ and jazz influenced songs from films like Shin Shinaki Bubuka boo. Yet Asha also got equal chance with some gems as below which range from the obscure to the popular:

• This lovely wistful gem Kahin se shaam hote hi. 
• The ever popular Ina Meena Deeka , picturised on Vyjanthimala , doing Western style tap dancing (The film was dubbed in Tamil as Adisaya penn  with P Sushila singing Eena Meena Deeka).
• Baarish (1957) had this jazz/ rhythm and blues influenced Mr. John ya Babba Khan picturised on Helen.
• 1960’s Aaja re Aaja laagey na mora jiya from Sarhad was clearly ‘inspired’ by the Dean Martin number Volare.
• Faryal, was introduced as the heroine, in the ‘spy’ film Zindagi Aur Maut and got a lovely Asha number Dil Lagakar Hum Ye Samjhey, a far cry from the various cabaret and club numbers that she would be doing onscreen in the 1970s as the villain’s moll or vamp .

Ganesh Sharma was Pyarelal’s (of Laxmikant Pyarelal fame) younger brother and though he had a wide repertoire, he sadly faded out by the mid to late 1970s before leaving us with these two gems; one well know and another a bit obscure.

• Hum tere bin jee na sakenge sanam was on heroine Helen (to hero Dara Singh) .
• Asha was superb in talking and immediately singing in this slightly obscure song Kahaan gaya mera sanam from Ek nanhi munni ladki thi (1970)

 
Asha’s son Hemant Bhosle’s songs were melodic but somehow didn’t find as much traction as they should have . Amongst his output of about 15 – 20 films, Taxie Taxie was recognised for its depiction of the life of the ordinary Mumbai citizen and their struggles. The song that epitomized this was Layi Kahan ai Zindagi which was a Lata-Asha duet but had a rare onscreen appearance by Asha singing as herself onscreen while Lata sang for the heroine Zahida

 
Hridaynath Mangeshkar

•  His Marathi song Ye re ghana ye re ghana became O Rasiya More Piya in the 1970 film Prarthana .
• Lekin was a “ghost story” told in Gulzar’s style . This is a case of that Amitabh saying from Amar Akbar Anthong – ék maara lekin solid maara. The superlative Jhoothe naina boley .

 
Jaidev: Jaidev’s is a sad case of quality not being appreciated . At the same time he couldn’t outgrow his strong classical roots and give “what the market wants”. His output was often high quality filled with twists and turns which only a classically trained singer like Lata or Asha could render.

• Jahan Mein Aisa Kaun Hai from Hum Dono (1961). Nothing needs to be said about this reaffirmation of love and trust.
• Mere dil me teri tasveer .  yet another complex song from the film Ek hans ka Joda.
• Zahar Deta Hai Mujhe Koi-from Wohi Baat (1985) – this is a tandem song which is also sung by Bhupinder. A Sad ghazal probably defining  what happened to Jaidev in the long run.

Kalyanji Anandji :The duo gave many songs but there are two cabaret songs that have become eternal.

• Husn Ke Lakhon Rang became notorious for the strip tease dance which set Padma Khanna’s fame forever .
• Ye mera dil pyar ka diwana has rightly become a classic with Helen again onscreen.

Khayyam:It is impossible to imagine Rekha in Umrao Jaan without Asha’s playback. One of those cases of both complementing each other , helped by Khayyam. But Khayyam had also given some gems earlier to Asha.

• DO boonde sawan ki from Phir Subah hogi . Lyrics by Sahir and Asha’s rendering sear one’s soul.
• Umrao Jaan was 1981 and all the songs are famous. Just a year before in 1980, there was this gem Barsey Puhaar , with the typical pauses and interludes in the mukhda, that we know as the trademark of Khayyam. 

Laxmikant Pyarelal – The duo who started in 1963 used Asha like most other MDs with songs for the vamp or second heroine and so on  Yet at times there were some great melodic numbers for some of the leading characters:

• Ai Dushmanejaan in Pathar ke Sanam was picturised on second heroine Mumtaz trying to seduce the hero Manoj Kumar with  moans and groans; precursor of many more to follow in the 1970s.
• Mehrbaan Mehboob from Aansoon Ban Gaye Phool was on Helen but not a cabaret song but more of a mellow seduction song as the song situation is about Ashok Kumar trying to convince his wife that he is a nasty guy who is having an affair with Helen !
• Sweekar an obscure 1973 film had a superb melodic song Kahin pyaar ho na jaaye
• Hangama Ho Gaya from Anhonee perfectly captures the emerging hippie culture and the celebration of booze and drugs. The song got a new generation of fans when it was included in the movie Queen (2013). The song once again showcases how easily Asha (like Kishore) could talk and sing all in the same breath .
• Kaala Aadmi- a somewhat obscure but sensuous song. Bujha Do Diye.

Madan Mohan: Usually preferred Lata for most of his melodi compositions yet there were many equally melodic songs that stood out

• Hai Unki Woh Nigaahenfrom Aakhri Dao (1958) a wistful romantic song for Nutan.
• Shokh Najar Ki Bijliyan needs no introduction as in the Lata dominated album, this came as a totally different breath of air .

Ravi : offered a wide range from emotional to teasing to the standard cabaret and was yet another composer who used the entire vocal range .

• Yeh Raste Hain Pyar Ke’s title song is a cautionary tale, sung onscreen by Shashikala.
• A superb Raag Darbari based bhajan Tora Mann DarpanKahlaaye in Kaajal (1965).
• Perhaps THE GREATEST SONG EVER FOR LIVING THE MOMENT Aage Bhi Jane Na Tu
• Sochta Hai Kyafrom Vandana (1975) is again a seduction song .

Roshan : the King of filmi Qawwali gave his Raag Yaman based number that is now an eternal classic Nigahen Milane Ko Jee Chahta Hai 

Salil Chowdhury – the bubbly Baag Mein Kali Khili  based on his Malayalam song from the film Chemmen .

SD Burman : SDB , a tennis fan, supposedly called Lata his first serve and Asha as his second serve. But between 1957 till 1963, due to some misunderstanding with Lata, Asha’s wide range was used fully and  she became both first and second serve. After Lata returned in 1963,  SDB restricted Asha to the standard teasing numbers but there were some peppy and melodic numbers too.

•  Jeene do aur jiyo– A club song on Sheila Ramani in Funtoosh (for whom Lata also sang another club song Dilse milake dil pyaar keejiye).
• Nalini Jaywant’s courtesan got three songs in Kaala Pani . the famous Nazar laage raja torey bangley par. However when she falls in love with Dev Anand she sings Dil Lagake kadar gayi .
• Bandini had an interesting example of both sisters in superb form. Ab ke baras talks about the pain of separation from family, and SDB’s minimal orchestration adds to the overall pain.
• Raat akeli hai is still one of the best seduction songs ever.
• A few years later Asha was the voice for Hema Malini in this bubbly Phur ud chala.

Shankar Jaikishan

• Teesri Kasam had three Asha solos . While Paan khaye Saiyan hamaar is very well known, there is a hidden gem in Hai gajab kahin tara toota.
• Laal Pathar‘s Sooni sooni saans ke sitar par hit the ball out of the stadium. 

Sonik Omi: The former assistants to Madan Mohan and Usha Khanna started well but sadly were chosen increasingly for B and C movies. Yet there were many gems that they gave – some known; some unknown.

• Their first movie ever was a hit but this song for Nutan, got somewhat overshadowed by the other numbers Humey to khushi hai tumhey dil diya. 
• Close your eyes and you will think this is an RD Burman composition due to the orchestration Aag me jaley jawani

Usha Khanna: Yet another talented composer who started with A films and then was relegated to B and even C/stunt movies .

• Here’s one such song from a ‘stunt’ movie starring Sanjeev Kumar for whom Rafi sang the tandem version of this song Hai tabassum tera
• An unknown gem from Insaan aur Shaitan for Aruna Irani Koi aaye baahon me lele
• And her most famous hit from the 1970s Apne dil me jagah deejiye

For reasons of (my own ) sanity I stop here as it would become a never ending story .

The final Part 3 will cover Asha’s output in other languages and non film albums. In the meantime enjoy the compilations.

KV Ramesh

April 17, 2026