Asha Bhosle: Our favourite songs

by ASJAD NAZIR

RADIO PRESENTERS SELECT THEIR NUMBER ONE TRACK FROM INDIA’S SINGING SUPERSTAR.

LEGENDARY singer Asha Bhosle has entertained audiences across decades and had her

songs played on radios around the world countless times.

The timeless star continues to entertain fans, and many of her songs will be played across the airwaves this week because she turns a year older.

To mark one of the greatest singers in history celebrating her 85th birthday, Eastern Eye asked radio hosts to select an Asha song they love...

DJ Vallisa (Sunrise Radio): Ashaji has so many fantastic tracks, however having grown up in the 1990s one stands out for me. That was watching Raj chase Simran through the European streets with Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Mein from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This upbeat track made everyone want to take a road trip at some stage in their life, and of course wanting to throw themselves out of a haystack!

Dipps Bhamrah (BBC Asian Network): I am an Asha Bhosle fanatic. For me, she is perfect in everything she does. Her tone, delivery and nakhra are simply the best any generation has experienced. To pick one favourite Asha song is like picking your favourite child, and with decades of hits it’s very difficult. But for me there are two songs that showcase Asha like no other.

The Yeh Vaada Raha title track still gives me chills today. There’s just something about this song and Asha’s vocals which still captivates me today. As a solo performance, it has to be Sharara from Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai. A song recorded over 40 years from her debut and there was no one more perfect than her to deliver that vocal.

I may be a bhangra guy, but Asha is still my all-time favourite female vocalist from the world of Hindi cinema. It may be a lifetime before anyone comes close to the absolute legend.

Shamim Allu (East FM): I met this amazing lady many years ago in Nairobi, Kenya, surrounded by dignitaries towering over her, but when she smiled everyone went quiet and Asha-jee stood out. For me, that is the Sharara Sharara moment, which is a song I love. Being able to share her songs on show is a true highlight always.   

Rishi Modi (Sabras Radio): My favourite Asha Bhosle track is Churaliya Hai Tumne Jo Dilko. We often hear that so and so singer is our next Lata Mangeshkar, but no one I feel has matched up to the ‘je ne sais quoi’ quality of Asha ji’s voice. In this track (like several others she’s sung) she performs and acts through the power of her voice!

Jazzy J (CityBeat 103.2 FM): RD Burman or Pancham da as he was lovingly called had a penchant for introducing unique sounds in his tracks. With Asha Bhosle at his side, he was always open for experimenting with every single track and challenged himself to make magic in every composition.

My favourite song is Chura Liya Hain Tumne. He thought out of the box, including using the sound of a spoon hitting the glass. That song intro became famous worldwide, and even today when someone begins the song by hitting the same notes on an empty glass, people can guess what it is.

Bali Brahmbatt (Dil Se Radio): Sheeshe Se Pee Ya from Phool Aur Patthar has faultless and flawless singing by Asha Bhosle under the music direction of Ravi. It is also my favourite because she sang the song in one take, unlike several retakes nowadays and with voice correction on auto-tune. She recorded it with live acoustic instruments unlike the present digital recordings.

Shabnam Sahi (Sunrise Radio): Without a doubt, Dil Cheez Kya Hai from Umrao Jaan. Muzzaffar Ali’s stunningly poetic tale of love and longing would be incomplete without the inimitable Asha Bhosle breathing life into every song, which subsequently granted the film iconic status. She matches Rekha’s beguiling charm note for note. Unsurpassable!   

Shabana Naz (Awaz FM): Jaane Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha from Jawani Diwani (1972). This duet with Kishore Kumar is one of my favourite Asha Bhosle songs because she showcases a lot of her vocal range in it, from very high  pitching in some parts and extremely low in others.

The melody is perfectly suited to her voice as fun, upbeat, sweet and exciting. This song is one I can listen to repeatedly and it doesn’t go out of fashion like most others. Asha ji’s voice, just like most of her songs, is timeless and eternal.

Bobby Friction (BBC Asian Network): Dum Maro Dum! I had to pick the most obvious one for the kind of Bollywood I love. It’s hazy, trippy and cool. Her vocals veer between stoner sexy hipster and proper old school Bollywood. It’s a definite moment in Hindi cinema for us fans, but it’s also still the song that most non-Desi’s react to massively when I play it to them, as its appeal is universal. 

Deepa Virdee (Asian Star Radio): My favourite Asha Bhosle track is Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko from the evergreen 1973 film Yaadon Ki Baaraat, starring Dharmendra and Zeenat Aman. This track was taken to the next level when Bally Sagoo remixed it in the 1990s with a reggaeton flavour.

It was the track of the year when it was released and is still now a well-remixed international track with the soulful vocals of Asha Bhosle. Timeless lyrics with an amazing composition, it’s simply a classic.

Nadia Ali (BBC Asian Network): The female version of Chirodini Tumi Je Aamar from Amar Sangi. I love, love, love this song! It is the ultimate love song ever. Everyone can relate to this and every music guru will know this song! This also has a sentimental attachment. It was the first Bangla movie I had watched in a cinema in Bangladesh. Of all the songs in the movie, this was my favourite and I hope you all love it too!

Akshay Patel (Sabras Radio): This was a tough one, I’m a self-proclaimed RD Burman geek and she has done some phenomenal tracks alongside him. I ended up choosing Pyar Karne Wale from Shaan (1980) purely for nostalgic reasons. I remember watching Shaan at the cinema as a kid and being blown away by this song.

Parveen Babi looked oh so glamorous as she worked the room to Asha Bhosle’s mesmerising vocals. The song is sexy, cool and instantly catchy. Ashaji effortlessly belts out this classic with total abandon. It’s an absolute musical treat.

Ruby Raza (Dil Se Radio): One of my favourite Asha Bhosle tracks is Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahaani from The Great Gambler (1979) beca-use I love the story behind the creation of this song. RD Burman and Asha were quietly sitting on the banks of the Ganges on a starlit night and listening to ‘panni ki chham chham’. RD Burman became very quiet and told Asha that he had composed the tune for the song he was working on; it was Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani. 

Ray C (Asian Star Radio): The great RD Burman’s song Dum Maro Dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna was an all-time favourite growing up. Asha Bhosle’s outstanding voc-als just captured my attention in a song that included western musical influences plus a hippy chick culture.

Listening to this song as a young lad in the 1970s gave me a huge interest in Asian music and I’ve been around Bollywood songs ever since. Asha changed who I was right there, in many ways for the better, allowing me to stay connected to my Asian roots.

Legends like Asha gave us British-Asians inspiration to come towards Bollywood and Asian music in general. Even today running a successful radio station, her songs are included on the playlist. Thank you Ms Bhosle.

Sonia Dutta (Sunrise Radio): Asha Bhosle, though versatile, is a name synonymous with the young, flirtatious, and hip style of music well suited to the sexy sirens of the 1970s and 1980s. However, I adore her ghazals for films like Umrao Jaan. Dil Cheez Kya Hai is legendary, for me at least. To have vocal ability like that and make it appear so truly effortless is just magical!

Raj Baddhan (Sabras Radio): Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko has got to be one of my ultimate favourites of Asha Bhosle’s greatest hits! Not only is it highly requested on my Drivetime show, but it also brings back college memories of the Bally Sagoo-remixed version that featured in the Bollywood Flashback album.

I love the way that the original song starts with the guitar and the glass chime at the beginning of the music video! An epic classic.

Iqbal Javi (Awaz FM): In the early 90s, having moved to Glasgow and working as a medical engineer, I realised something was missing in Glasgow’s Asian social life. I decided to get together with a few friends and start Radio Awaz.

My programme slot was called Geetmala as it consisted mainly of old Pakistani and Indian songs. My favourite of them has to be Hawa Mein Tinka Tinka sung by Asha Bhosle from the film Bade Ghar Ki Bahu (1961).

Bollywood Beats with DJ Shai Guy

BRAVO FOR BHOSLE

There is no denying that the two greatest female singers in Bollywood history are super sisters Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. Both have left a permanent mark on movie musicals, but most regard Asha as the more versatile singer and someone who added that western spark to commercial Hindi cinema.

Although Asha will be celebrating her 85th birthday, she continues to inspire upcoming singers, entertain audiences with her timeless classics, and record new material. And yes. perhaps the coolest Indian granny on the planet still rocks the dance floors around the world. With that in mind, here are six Asha party anthems that still have the power to get Bollywood fans busting their best moves...

Le Gayi from Dil To Pagal Hai (1997): A catchy melody with percussion galore sees

Asha Bhosle blaze the way with this 1990s hip twirler. This one narrowly beats Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge classic Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Mein to make the list.

Piya Tu Ab To Aaja from Caravan (1971): A highly suggestive song; this is one of the greatest item songs of all-time and still has immense power all these decades later. Made legendary with a dance performance from the enigmatic Helen, this one always has the crowd howling when the chorus kicks in. “Monicaaaaaaa!”

Yeh Mera Dil from Don (1978): Another legendary item song sung by Asha and brought

to life with the gyrating moves of Helen. This one was eventually remade for the Don remake with Sunidhi Chauhan on vocal duties. That was decent, but nowhere near as good as the original by awesome Asha.

Jawaani Jaan-e-man from Namak Halal (1982): This is an understated disco anthem

that perhaps doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The combination of phased synth, strings and brass instruments are fantastically paired with Asha’s range and seductive tone.

Jaane Ja Dhoondta Phir Raha from Jawani Diwani (1972): One of Asha’s lesser known hits saw her duet with Kishore Kumar. This is an underrated classic with infectious go-go drums giving it that real hippy 1970s feel. You may not recognise it by name, but you’ll instantly remember it when you hear it.

Dum Maro Dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971): Speaking of the hippy 70s feel, this was the track that no good Bollywood disco album would be without. Actually, let’s be honest, most of the tracks here would be on that album. This one will definitely get you

jhooming with its wah-wah guitar and Asha spanning octaves.

Did you know?

Asha Bhosle sang her first song professionally 75 years ago in 1943 at the age of 10. Then at the age of 16 in 1949, she sang her first solo song for the movie Raat Ki Raani.

• You can connect with DJ Shai Guy (aka Shai Hussain) via Twitter: @ShaiHussain

  @BombayFunk, www.djshaiguy.co.uk and www.bombayfunkadelic.com

OP Nayyar and RD Burman: Hit makers

HOLDING the world record for the most songs ever recorded by a singer means Asha Bhosle has collaborated with countless musicians in diverse languages, genres and styles across many decades.

But the two music directors that perhaps stand out above all others in an amazing career that has lasted over 70 years are OP Nayyar and RD Burman. Eastern Eye went back in time to look at the impact the two maestros made on the legendary singer...

OP Nayyar: Asha was a struggling young mother trying to escape an abusive marriage and wanting to support her young family by singing, but couldn’t find that big break. Her superstar elder sister Lata Mangeshkar wasn’t willing to help. Music director OP Nayyar spotted her immense talent and they started recording songs together, which included her big break CID (1956).

The following year he helped her become a huge star with the songs for Naya Daur (1957), which included the legendary Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri. She very much became his muse and together they helped change the face of Bollywood with blockbuster hits, which included many that had a western edge.

There were rumours both were romantically involved, but it was never confirmed; then in 1972 the dream partnership ended after over 300 songs together. Interestingly Asha won a Filmfare Best Playback singer for one of their last collaborations, Chain Se Hamko Kabhi Aapne Jeene Na Diya from Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye (1974), but that song never made it into the film. OP Nayyar said in later life: “I can say that the most important person in my life was Asha Bhosle. She was the best person I ever met.”

RD Burman: By the late 1950s, Asha found fame at the same time music director SD Burman had fallen out with his favourite singer Lata Mangeshkar. He chose to work with Asha and that is when she first encountered his son RD Burman.

RD Burman then announced himself as a music director in his own right with rock ‘n’ roll classic Teesri Manzil (1966) and started a dream run with Asha. Together they gave Bollywood music an even more contemporary western edge and subsequently made it more global.

They ruled the 1970s with an incredible streak that included the biggest hits of her career like Piya Tu Ab To Aaja, Dum Maro Dum, Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, Pyaar Karne Waale and Duniya Mein. He also recorded with her in other languages, including some of the greatest Bengali songs of all time. They eventually married.

The amazing partnership remained until his death in 1994 and the legacy continued long after with countless remixes of their greatest hits, which still light up the airwaves and dance floors today.

She said: “Music was the basic foundation of our marriage: We could listen to Bismillah Khan, The Beatles, Shirley Bassey, and so many more for hours and hours.”