- Brett Lee and Asha Bhosle collaborated on the 2007 hit track You're the One for Me
- Asha Bhosle died at 92 due to multi-organ failure in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital
- Lee described Bhosle as a gentle woman with humor in his 2011 autobiography
Former Australia pacer Brett Lee and legendary singer Asha Bhosle formed an unlikely musical pairing in 2007 that produced the hit track You're the One for Me. Yet, it is Lee's memory of the icon, the world is mourning today, that remains more enduring than the song itself.
Bhosle, whose genre-defying voice gave Hindi cinema countless evergreen classics across decades, died at the age of 92 on Sunday due to multi-organ failure at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
In his autobiography "My Life: Brett Lee", Lee described Bhosle as “a lovely, gentle woman with a wonderful sense of humour".
Their meeting occurred during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2007, when Lee was approached about contributing to an ambitious compilation album featuring international artists and Bollywood stars.
Intrigued -- and especially encouraged after hearing that Robbie Williams was among the names involved -- he agreed.
"I was told a song for the compilation would be chosen for me, then I'd learn it, and get together with Asha at some point during the Champions Trophy for the recording. I couldn't believe it was happening; what a tremendous opportunity to work with an absolute legend," the 49-year-old wrote in the 2011 book, which he co-authored with James Knight.
Describing Bhosle as the "Aretha Franklin of Indian music", Brett Lee fondly remembered the recording, saying he squeezed in a four-hour shoot with the legendary singer despite a packed cricket schedule, just days before the final against the West Indies.
“She was a lovely gentle woman with a wonderful sense of humour. The clip was primarily set in an office. The concept was that I was lovestruck and had to make advances to a really hot-looking girl; to add a comical twist, I also day-dreamed about her only to find a much older woman, Asha, standing in front of me.
“Although I didn't have much of an idea about what I was doing, I had great fun,” he wrote.
The song You're the One for Me went on to become a chart success. Four months later, when they met again at the Sydney Opera House, Bhosle gifted Lee a compilation album with a personally signed message.
“It will always be one of my treasures," he added.
Bhosle's last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park, Mumbai, on Monday.