Asha Bhosle, Iconic Playback Singer, Dies at 92

Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle died in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92, a day after being hospitalized with a chest infection. Her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle posted on X asking for privacy, saying Bhosle had been admitted with extreme exhaustion and a chest infection and that treatment was ongoing; the family sought to keep fans informed while protecting privacy amid unverified reports of a cardiac arrest. Dr. Pratit Samdani, Bhosle’s physician, later confirmed she had passed away from multi-organ failure. Bhosle’s son Anand Bhosle told reporters that arrangements had been made for her last rites: the public could pay their respects at 11 a.m. the next day at Casa Grande in Lower Parel, where she lived, and the final rites would be performed at 4 p.m. at Shivaji Park. Born in Sangli, Maharashtra, Asha Bhosle rose to become one of Indian cinema’s most beloved playback voices. She began recording in the late 1950s and remained a prominent figure through the 1980s and beyond. In 2011 she was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-recorded artist in music history, credited with more than 11,000 songs. Her long career earned many honors, including the Padma Vibhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and two National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer. Her repertoire spanned romantic ballads, pop, cabaret and folk-inflected numbers; enduring hits include “Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar,” “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko,” “Dum Maro Dum,” “Jawan Jaaneman” and “Jhumka Gira Re.” Often called “Asha Tai” (elder sister), she was celebrated for her versatility and for introducing a bold, cabaret-influenced style to Bollywood song that set her apart from her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, another towering playback artist who also died at age 92. Tributes poured in from across India; Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her “one of the most iconic and versatile voices” and recalled personal meetings, while Maharashtra’s chief minister remembered a playful moment when Bhosle made him sing “Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar” at a World Radio Day event, saying it was hard to imagine her no longer with them. Edited by: Karl Sexton