- Asha Bhosle received Rs 100 for her first song and celebrated with roadside batatavada
- She recorded her first song at age 10 for the Marathi film Majha Bal in 1943
- Early Mumbai had trams and she commuted by trains and trams before affording a car
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who died at the age of 92, often shared anecdotes from her early days in the industry.
In an old social media post, she had once recalled receiving Rs 100 for her first song and how she celebrated the moment in Mumbai.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) in 2012, the veteran singer spoke about her first earnings and her early days in the city.
"Always enjoyed watching a city wake up. Mumbai is a late riser but the energy in this city is commendable. I got paid Rs 100 for my first song. My husband and I celebrated with roadside batatavada. Mumbai is the city of dreams. Some dreams come true," she wrote, per IANS.
She later celebrated with her first husband, Ganpatrao Bhosle, who was nearly 20 years older than her.
She also reflected on how Mumbai has changed over the years, recalling aspects of the city that no longer exist. "Today's youth may not know that there were trams in Mumbai. I used to commute in trains and trams before I could afford a car."
Talking about her early life, she added, "In the 1950s, I used to live in Borivali. Used to catch early morning local and go to work. It was fun talking to commuters," she further posted.
Asha Bhosle Recorded Her First Song At 10
Asha Bhosle began her singing career at a very young age. She recorded her first song, Chala Chala Nav Bala, for the Marathi film Majha Bal in 1943, when she was just 10 years old.
Recalling that experience, she had said, "When I recorded my first song, I was 10 years old. I had to sing this song standing in front of the mic and I was trembling at that time, because I did not know anything then. My father had recorded his songs. Then when I sang the first song, I felt that I can sing. Didi does not only sing, I can also sing."
She also spoke in an interview with Republic Media Network about the challenges of recording songs in those days. "Andheri mein inside the Mohan Studio, sets were not as empty and the shooting was going on everywhere in Mumbai. The recording was set up in a way that I was standing in the open, with a mic hanging from a tree. Inside the orchestra and the musicians had set up in the studio. We recorded the song till 4 am in the morning."
She continued: "The crows came and cawed and the recording was interrupted. Soon after, the vehicles started to ply and that interrupted the session. The train also began to roll... When the train used to pass through, we used to pause and then begin back the entire recording process. That is how we managed. It was a tough time."