One of my earliest memories of Asha Bhosle is deeply personal. I’ve always called her aatya [paternal aunt], as she shared a close bond with my Guruji, Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, even tying him rakhi. That warmth and familial connection is how I first came to know her — not just as a legend, but as someone who felt like family. I recently experienced the person behind the icon on the sets of a reality show I was judging, where she came as the special guest. She was incredibly warm, full of life, and instantly made me feel at ease. She kept asking if I had eaten and whether I enjoyed food. When I said I did, she smiled and said, “Come, I’ll cook for you. Come to Dubai, I have a restaurant there.”
There’s also something many people often overlook — is how foundational her work in Marathi music has been. Long before the scale of Hindi film music took over conversations, she, along with stalwarts like Lata Mangeshkar, built a rich and enduring legacy in Marathi. Working with composers such as Sudhir Phadke and Dasharath Pujari, she brought to life compositions that were intricate, emotive, and technically demanding.
A significant part of this journey was also independent music. Many of these songs were not tied to films but were released as albums, at a time when non-film music thrived on pure musicality. In many ways, that phase laid the groundwork for what we now recognise as independent music in India. The freedom composers had, and the way Asha Tai rendered even the most complex pieces with effortless grace, made that era truly special.
Pic/Rane Ashish
Did you know?
In 2002, Asha Bhosle opened her maiden restaurant, Asha’s, in Dubai. Later, she launched more outlets across the world, including in Bahrain and Qatar. The singer enjoyed North Indian cuisine
As told to Komal RJ Panchal
