‘I Wanted To Be Original’: When Asha Bhosle Said She Never Tried To Sing Like Lata Mangeshkar

Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92, leaving a huge void in the world of music. The legendary singer, known for her extraordinary range, once spoke about how she chose to change her singing style as she never wanted to mirror the style of her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar. She said that from the beginning, they had very similar voices, and it could have limited her opportunities and blurred her individuality. Instead, she changed her style and shaped her voice by exploring diverse musical influences.

When Asha Bhosle Said She Never Tried To Copy Lata Mangeshkar

In 2023, at CNN News18’s Rising India-She Shakti conclave, Asha Bhosle said, “From the beginning, we sisters had very similar voices. If I would have sung like her (Lata Mangeshkar),

nobody would have called me up. They would have said, ‘Lata hai toh Asha ka kya kaam hai?’ This is what happens. Therefore I changed my style. I never wanted to sing like her. I never wanted to copy her.”

She further added, “Today, a lot of people copy her. Copy is a copy, it is never original. I wanted to be something original. I wanted to establish Asha Bhosle as a name. This is why I listened to different songs, Spanish, Italian. I listened to them and changed my voice. That’s what I did in films and people loved it. Nobody used to sing the way I used to.”

Asha Bhosle’s Death

Asha Bhosle passed away in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92. Her death was confirmed by Dr Pratit Samdani of Breach Candy Hospital, who stated that the legendary singer had been admitted on Saturday evening after her condition deteriorated due to a chest infection and fatigue. She was placed under intensive care in the ICU in a critical state, but despite medical efforts, she succumbed to multi-organ failure at around 12 noon on Sunday.

Her son, Anand Bhosle, informed the media outside the hospital that those wishing to pay their last respects could visit her residence the following morning at 11 am. The final rites will be performed on Monday at 4 pm at Shivaji Park.