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Rediff.com  » Movies » Birthday Special: The 25 Moods Of Asha Bhosle
This article was first published 12 years ago

Birthday Special: The 25 Moods Of Asha Bhosle

Last updated on: September 7, 2012 17:37 IST

Image: Madhubala in Howrah Bridge
Sukanya Verma in Mumbai

The difference between a good singer and a great singer is that one sticks to the tune while the other brings it to life.

From the era of black and white to colour to 3D, the matchless Asha Bhosle has breathed life into thousands of magical songs for numerous decades and regaled us with her endless energy and mastery of 'sur' and 'taal.'

Her inimitable voice -- be it as the heroine, vamp or supporting actor -- is responsible for countless memorable moments on the big screen and off it. Truly, her rare gift has produced a song for every emotion, occasion and ambiance.

One of India's most loved voices turns 79 on September 8. Rediff.com celebrates the legendary songstress and her astonishing versatility with a compilation of 25 songs against various moods and set-ups.

Aaiye meherbaan, Howrah Bridge
Mood: Seductive
Music: O P Nayyar

Asha Bhosle livens up the atmosphere with her sensual rendition of this timeless sizzler from Shakti Samanta's black and white mystery.

Bhanwra bada nadaan, Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam

Image: Waheeda Rehman in Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam

Mood: Playful
Music: Hemant Kumar

Known to modulate her voice to match a song's feel, the singer is at her animated best to convey the liveliness of Shakeel Badayuni's lyrics.

Chura liya hai tumne, Yaadon Ki Baarat

Image: Zeenat Aman in Yaadon Ki Baarat

Mood: Romantic
Music: Rahul Dev Burman

Despite the overexposure, there's much affection and elegance in Asha's admission of love to snub this chartbuster from Nasir Hussain's lost and found musical.

Justuju jiski thi, Umrao Jaan

Image: Rekha in Umrao Jaan

Mood: Heartbroken
Music: Khayyam

While a misty-eyed Rekha expresses the pathos of the ill-fated courtesan on celluloid, Asha Bhosle exudes her heartfelt agony behind it.


Sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal, Jagriti

Image: A scene from Jagriti

Mood: Patriotic
Music: Hemant Kumar

The celebrated singer pays a rich tribute to the Father of the Nation in this melodious creation of Satyen Bose's National Award winning feature film.

Parde mein rehne do, Shikar

Image: Asha Parekh in Shikar

Mood: Mysterious
Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The Padma Vibhushan recipient gets all secretive and guarded while teasing her listeners with a guessing game of concealed identities picturised on namesake, Asha Parekh.

O mere sona re, Teesri Manzil

Image: Asha Parekh and Shammi Kapoor in Teesri Manzil

Mood: Appeasing
Music: RD Burman

The two Ashas come together yet again to kiss and make up with their sulking Sona -- Shammi Kapoor in Vijay Anand's deft whodunit.

Chanda re chupe rehna, Lajwanti

Image: Nargis in Lajwanti

Mood: Maternal
Music: Sachin Dev Burman

Asha Bhosle is the sound of motherly ardour delivering a soothing lullaby, lip-synced by Nargis, in this sentimental drama about an estranged maa-beti.

Jawani jaaneman, Namak Halal

Image: Parveen Babi in Namak Halal

Mood: Glamorous
Music: Bappi Lahiri

Nobody blends sophistication and siren quite like Asha Bhosle. And that's exactly what the queen of flamboyance does around this snazzy Bappi beat.


Piya tu ab to aaja, Caravan

Image: Helen in Caravan

Mood: Anxious
Music: RD Burman

At a time when women were portrayed as prude and prim, Asha Bhosle not only acknowledges the aggressively sexy possibility of 'Monica' but gives her a sensational twist, on par with Helen's on screen bravado in this no-holds barred cabaret treat.

Dum maaro dum, Hare Rama Hare Krishna

Image: Zeenat Aman in Hare Rama Hare Krishna

Mood: Hippie
Music: RD Burman

Nothing explains the wild aura of the 1970s better than Asha Bhosle's free-spirited rendition of the gypsy soul in RD's equally tantalizing arrangement.


Khaali haath shaam aayi, Ijaazat

Image: Rekha in Ijaazat

Mood: Melancholic
Music: RD Burman

The pitch-perfect disappointment in Asha's rendering of the serene albeit sad notes of Khaali haath communicate the loneliness in a hopeless situation perfectly.

Tags: Khaali , Ijaazat

Deva ho deva Ganpati deva, Humse Badhkar Kaun

Image: A scene from Humse Badhkar Kaun

Mood: Devotional
Music: Raam Laxman

Asha Bhosle collaborates with Mohammed Rafi, Shailendra and Bhupinder to celebrate the grand festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in this popular song from a long forgotten Mithun Chakraborty-Ranjeeta potboiler.


Tum kitne din baad mile, The Great Gambler

Image: Zeenat Aman in The Great Gambler

Mood: Peeved
Music: RD Burman

Do lafzon may be the most popular on the soundtrack but Asha shows off her awe-inspiring range while letting off steam with anger and sarcasm in Tum kitne din baad mile.

Tags:

Jaane jaan o meri jaane jaan, Sanam Teri Kasam

Image: Kamal Haasan and Reena Roy in Sanam Teri Kasam

Mood: Party-hopper
Music: RD Burman

RD's foot-tapping score was easily the USP of this typical poor boy-rich girl romance starring Kamal Haasan and Reena Roy.

And the husband-wife team burns the floor effortlessly with this East-West fusion leaving you a-ha, ha, ha-ing for more.


Nahi nahi abhi nahi, Jawani Diwani

Image: Jaya Bachchan in Jawani Diwani

Mood: Shy
Music: RD Burman

Asha has this rare ability to act out the emotions of a scene within the song. And for this catchy number featuring Jaya Bachchan (then Bhaduri), the singer is delightfully demure and resisting towards the hero's eager advances.


Aao huzoor tumko, Kismat

Image: Babita in Kismat
Mood: Drunk
Music: O P Nayyar

Asha Bhosle humors Babita's intoxicated state and has fun with it to convey a lack of inhibition and control in this memorable ditty from Manmohan Desai's stable.


Yeh saaye hain, yeh duniya hai, Sitara

Image: Zarina Wahab in Sitara

Mood: Reflective
Music: RD Burman

'Yahan saare chehre hain maange hue se,' a subdued Asha Bhosle springs life in Gulzar's insightful poetry about the emptiness under the hustle bustle of show business with grace and skill.

Tags: Gulzar , Sitara

Saare niyam tod do, Khubsoorat

Image: Rekha in Khubsoorat

Mood: Rebellious
Music: RD Burman

A clearly enthusiastic Asha Bhosle kick starts a defiant, non-cooperation movement of her own resonating the discipline vs carefree theme of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's feel-good flick.


Mere mehboob mein kya nahi, Mere Mehboob

Image: Sadhna and Nimmi in Mere Mehboob

Mood: Proud
Music: Naushad

Sisters and heavyweights of playback singing -- Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle -- get together to tussle over the best 'Mehboob' in this silvery Naushad composition brimming with exaggeration and adjectives.


Khatouba, Ali Baba Aur Chalees Chor

Image: Zeenat Aman in Ali Baba Aur Chalees Chor

Mood: Exotic
Music: RD Burman

For Umesh Mehra's Indo-Russian take on the classic Arabian fairy tale, RD employs middle-eastern influences while Asha lends it zing and zest with her merry inflections.


Aa dekhen zara, Rocky

Image: Movie poster of Rocky

Mood: Competitive
Music: RD Burman

Even as Kishore Kumar (for Sanjay Dutt) and RD (for Shakti Kapoor) spar over words; Asha Bhosle competes with herself -- providing the voice for both Tina Munim and Reena Roy in everyone's favourite song about trash talking.

Jhuka ke sarr ko puchho, Satte Pe Satta

Image: Hema Malini in Satte Pe Satta

Mood: Makeover time
Music: RD Burman

Asha Bhosle turns romance coach with her How to win a girl's heart in five courteous steps guidebook to a six scruffy brothers.


Pyar ke mod, Parinda

Image: Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor in Parinda

Mood: Persuasive
Music: RD Burman

The singer is at her soulful best for Madhuri Dixit in trying to convince Anil Kapoor to commit to a life of love and harmony in this sublime beauty from Parinda.

Tags: Parinda

Rangeela re, Rangeela

Image: Urmila Matondkar in Rangeela

Mood: Happy-go-lucky
Music: A R Rahman

The youthful, exuberant and starry-eyed vibe of Rangeela's title track is lovingly captured in Asha Bhosle's eternally vivacious spirit.

No wonder it became an instant hit.