Indian music legend Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood cinema for nearly eight decades, has died in Mumbai at the age of 92. The two-time Grammy nominee recorded more than 12,000 songs and was renowned for her versatility in playback singing, cabaret, and western-influenced melodies.
Bhosle's family said she died on Sunday after being admitted to hospital with extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. Tributes poured in from across India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying her 'extraordinary musical journey enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world.' Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar called it 'a deeply sad day for India and for music lovers across the world.'
Born on 8 September 1933 into a musical family, Bhosle was the younger sister of the revered 'nightingale' Lata Mangeshkar. Despite comparisons, Bhosle forged her own path, embracing pop and folk. She received the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2000 and gained wider Western recognition through collaborations with Boy George, Cornershop's 1997 tribute 'Brimful of Asha', and a feature on Gorillaz's 2023 album 'The Mountain'.
Beyond music, Bhosle nurtured a passion for food, launching the Asha's restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain. Reflecting on her life in a 2016 interview, she said: 'I have faced life upfront, taken the blows head-on... Music has given me great solace... I've enjoyed my life.'
