Asha Bhosle defied age and health and presented a scintillating performance at the Shamukhananda Hall in Mumbai on Sunday.
For over three hours, Asha Bhosle held the entire auditorium captive with her songs covering different genre, proving once again that there is no match to her, anywhere in the world.
She performing at Asha Ki Kiran, a show organised by People’s Arts Centre, to mark Asha Bhosle’s 81st birthday, which was celebrated on September 8. SudeshBhosle, who also performed along with her, warmed up the audience, with a couple of Kishore Kumar’s songs, starting with Mere MehboobQaymatHogi from Mr X in Bombay.
It required Asha Bhosle to set the audience on fire, with her amazing melodies. She received a standing ovation several times during the show, starting with her entry, in an ivory white saree.
Asha Bhosle began her performance with AaiyeMehraban from the 1958 film Howrah Bridge. This was followed by her popular numbersBhavranBadaNadanHain (Sahib BibiAurGulam), Ye ReshmiZulfen (Do Raaste), EenaMeenaDeeka (Aasha), RaatBaaki (NamakHalaal), EkBaar Jane Janaa (Kala Sona), NeegahenMilanekoJeeChahtaHain (Dil Hi To Hai).
She announced that for a change, she wanted to present songs, which she likes and which are also challenging for an artiste. Before starting some of these songs, Asha Bhosle told that huge gathering of connoisseurs of music that they may have forgotten some of the songs, yet she wished to sing them due to the melody in them.
Among the other songs presented by her were RaatBaaki, NeegahenMilaneKo, ChuraLiyaHainPiyaTuAb Too Ab to, AajJaane Ki Zidd Na Karo, Dhal Gaya Din.
Her throat kept protesting throughout the programme, as she has had an attack of bronchitis over the last 15 days, but Asha Bhosle is not the one who would give up. Defying the bronchial problems, she sang her songs, many of which were in high pitch. She had to moisten her throat time and again, but her rending of the songs was par excellence.
In between she took time to speak to the audience. She described how important it is for a singer to understand the situation for which the song is sung, as well as the meaning of the song, to get the right effect. She recalled how during the recording of a song for S D Burman, Burmanda told her to put emotions in the song. “Asa don’t you have a brother?” Burmanda asked. An emotional Asha Bholse went on to tell the audience that she informed S D Burman that she indeed has a brother, who is the last of the siblings and how dear he is to her. “Remember him and sing the song,” she was told by the composer and the result was that every sister would cry for her brother hearing the song, Asha Bhosle said. The song is AbKeBaras Bhejo BhaiyaKo Babul (Bandini).
She then recalled fond memories of her father, the renowned singer and Marathi stage artiste Master DinanathMangeshkar. She presented a bandish, she had learnt from her father, when she was only four years old. She lost her father when she was only nine years of age.
She rendered natyasangeet compositions, popularised by her father; among these were ShuraMiVandileand YuvatiManaDaruna Man. She said that whenever she feels low, she sings YuvatiManaDaruna Man to herself.
This was the 999th cultural show organised by People’s Arts Centre, which has to its credited programmes like: 84th Birth Anniversary of Kishore Kumar, felicitation of film maker Mahesh Kothare on the running of his 3D Marathi film Zapatlela 2 for a record 50 days in Mumbai, Golden Journey of AnupJalota to mark his 50 years as a singer and a memorable function dedicated to record holding film maker Dada Kondke.
On the occasion of her 81st birthday the ogranisation led by its Secretary Gopkumar Pillai, presented Asha Bhosle a specially crafted traditional brass oil lamp from Kerala, weighing 67 kgs. The lamp has nine layers, each layer having place for nine wicks, so that 81 wicks can be lit simultaneously.
A Monograph on Asha Bhosle was also released on the occasion.
Source : Lokesh Shastri