The passing of legendary singer Asha Bhosle has brought renewed attention to her life beyond music. In an old conversation with Filmfare from 1993, she had opened up about her early years, her first marriage, and her relationship with RD Burman, among other things.
Growing up in the Mangeshkar household, Asha shared a close bond with her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar. She often spoke about being around her, helping with daily routines and spending most of her time with her. That, however, changed after she chose to elope and get married at a young age, a decision that created distance with her sister.
“I don’t remember Didi (Lata Mangeshkar) ever raising her voice at anyone; just one sharp look from her is enough to silence you forever. I was always the one closest to her. When we were young, I’d sew her clothes, make her bed, and go shopping with her. But she was very upset when I eloped; suddenly, there was a wall between us,” said the singer, referring to her first marriage with Ganpatrao Bhosle. At the age of 16, she eloped with her 31-year-old personal secretary and married him against her family’s wishes. That marriage ended in divorce.
She continued, “After eight years, we patched up in 1960. I was a divorcee by then with three children. But things have never been the same again between Didi and me. There’s no point in fooling myself that the love between Didi and me is the same as it was before the wall.”
Asha Bhosle later remarried RD Burman in 1980, but the two maintained a different arrangement. They spent time together during the day and at social gatherings, but lived separately, something they had mutually decided.
“My children are my life, I can never leave them alone. Even today, I cook for them. They won’t eat food cooked by others. So when Panchamda and I decided to get married, we mutually agreed that we would be together during the day, maybe attend parties in the evening, but at night I’d return home to my kids and he to his apartment. We’ve never spent a night together. I couldn’t. Because I’ve been both mother and father to my kids.”
Asha Bhosle breathed her last in Mumbai after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, where she had been undergoing treatment for age-related health complications. Her passing marks the end of an era in Indian music, leaving behind a legacy that shaped generations of listeners and artists alike.
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