- Asha Bhosle dies in Mumbai. She was 92
- She leaves behind not just a musical legacy but also a deeply moving love story with music composer RD Burman
- Asha Bhosle and RD Burman first crossed paths in the late 1950s
The legendary Asha Bhosle, who died at the age of 92, leaves behind not just an unparalleled musical legacy but also a deeply moving love story with music composer RD Burman.
First Meeting
Asha Bhosle and RD Burman first crossed paths in the late 1950s, a time when the singer had already established herself in the industry. According to Khagesh Dev Burman's book RD Burman: The Prince of Music, their professional association began when Burman approached her for the film Teesri Manzil.
Their personal lives, however, were far from easy during this period. RD Burman had separated from his first wife Rita Patel, while Asha Bhosle had parted ways with her husband Ganpatrao Bhosle.
In a candid recollection of their first meeting, Asha Bhosle once shared with DNA, "The boy asked me for my autograph, said he'd heard my Marathi natya sangeet on the radio." She described him as a slender, pale boy with thick glasses. As their friendship deepened, she discovered he had dropped out of college in Kolkata. "He'd dropped out of college in Kolkata. I told him he should have completed his graduation. He sulked with me for the rest of the recording," she added
Creative Partners To Life Partners
The 1970s marked the golden phase of their partnership, both musically and personally. Together, Asha Bhosle and RD Burman created timeless classics such as Dum Maro Dum, Chura Liya Hai Tumne, and Piya Tu Ab To Aaja.
Their love story, too, unfolded in its own unique way. Speaking about RD Burman's proposal in an interview with The Quint, Asha Bhosle revealed, "Yeh mere peechhe pade thhe, Asha tumhara sur bahut achha hai, main tumhari awaaz par fida hoon. Finally, kya karti? Ok, kar diya (He was after me, Asha, you have a good sense of tune, I'm smitten by your voice. Finally, what could I do? I said okay)."
What began as admiration for her voice evolved into a lifelong bond built on mutual respect and shared passion for music.
Asha Bhosle Dies In Mumbai
Asha Bhosle is no more. The singer breathed her last on Sunday, April 12. She was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday due to a chest infection. She was shifted to the ICU last night.
The news of Asha Bhosle's hospitalisation was confirmed by her granddaughter and singer Zanai Bhosle.
Asha Bhosle would have turned 93 on September 8, 2026.