ASHA BHOSLE: THE MANY SHADES OF VERSATILITY

A genre-defying icon of Indian playback singing, Asha Bhosle passed away at 92 after an eight-decade journey. She leaves behind an unmatched legacy

- ANINDITA ACHARYA

If versatility had a name in Indian playback singing, it would be Asha Bhosle. On Sunday, India lost one of its greatest cultural icons as the legendary singer passed away at 92 following a cardiac arrest a day earlier. With her passing, an era in Indian music comes to a close.

Her career, spanning over eight decades and more than 12,000 songs, stands as one of the most extraordinary in the history of Indian music. She is survived by her son, Anand and granddaughter Zanai Bhosle.

Across the world, fans are grieving. Yet, what she leaves behind is nothing short of a musical universe, songs across languages, moods and genres. Bhosle could slip into any style with effortless ease, be it ghazal, cabaret, pop, folk or classical. She could be highly evocative in ‘Mera Kuchh Saaman’ (‘Ijaazat’), a song that won her a National Award and just as easily turn electric with ‘Piya Tu Aab Toh Aaja’ (‘Caravan’). From the delicate ghazal ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’ (‘Umrao Jaan’) to the hippie anthem ‘Dum Maro Dum’ (‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’), her voice had both soul and swagger.

Often called the ‘Queen of Pop’ for her bold, Western-influenced songs, she brought a playful, expressive quality that redefined what playback singing could be. Veteran actress Hema Malini, who lip-synced to many of her tracks like ‘Bechara Dil Kya Kare’