New Delhi, Music icon Asha Bhosle, a firm believer in destiny, says she was meant to sing only one song for the 1981 classic “Umrao Jaan” but ended up lending her voice to the entire soundtrack.
Directed by Muzaffar Ali and starring Rekha in the title role, the film earned Bhosle her first National Film Award for best female playback singer.
The singer, who turned 91 on Sunday, sang chartbusters such as “Dil Cheez Kya Hai”, “Inn Aankhon Ki Masti Ke”, “Ye Kya Jagah Hai Doston”, “Jab Bhi Milti Hai”, and “Justuju Jiski Thi”. Khayyam composed the music of “Umrao Jaan” and Shahryar penned the lyrics.
Bhosle said she “became Umrao Jaan” after reading the 1905 Urdu novel “Umrao Jaan Ada” on which the film was based.
“I had one song in the film. I said ok and the producer gave me the ‘Umrao Jaan’ book. All the songs were set in one tone. I read it and became Umrao Jaan.
“I was supposed to sing just one song and I ended up singing for all the songs in the film. This is destiny, isn’t? All songs were hits,” the illustrious singer told Doordarshan in an interview.
At 91, what keeps her going?
“I don’t do anything to look young like it happens these days. Someone who is happy from within and is positive, they have a good outlook towards life. I stay positive, embrace learning, and only pursue what I love, guided by my unwavering faith in God.”
Bhosle said she and her elder sister, the late melody queen Lata Mangeshkar had “somewhat similar” voices but she always wanted to have her own identity.
“Had I sung like her, it would appear as if I was imitating her. You shouldn’t imitate, you should make your own name. So, I listened to English songs, Punjabi songs, songs from different parts of the country and world.
“If you ask Didi to do staccato, she would do that. But she wouldn’t change her voice, she didn’t like doing it. But I did it for ‘Eena Meena Deeka’ … I was also thorough in Classical singing. Whatever people are singing today, they are modelling it on whatever they have heard me sing,” she added.
One must keep their personal and professional life separate, said Bhosle, known for a diverse variety of songs such as “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja”, “Tora Man Darpan Kehlaye”, “Mera Kuch Samaan”, and “Le Gayi Le Gayi”.
“The sorrow in your life shouldn’t reflect in your songs. As an artist, you are supposed to change according to the emotion. That’s why in playback singing, Didi and I maintained our position for so many years. Didi started and then I came in.”
In the interview, the industry veteran also spoke about her frequent collaborator music composer-husband RD Burman, fondly known as Pancham.
“There are few music directors who would understand what’s going on in the mind of an artist and then make them sing. Pancham was one of them. Once I asked him to give me a simple song.
“He said, ‘Anyone can sing simple songs, but no one is like you. If you won’t sing these songs, I’ll stop composing them’. But I also liked taking up challenges in life and every song by Pancham was a challenge,” she added.
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