'Despite pain, she behaved like happiest person,' Aruna Irani breaks down recalling late Asha Bhosle- Exclusive

Aruna Irani, with a heavy heart, shared what Asha Bhosle’s passing truly means to her. A broken Aruna gathered the courage to speak a few words about the legendary singer, who passed away on April 12, 2026, at the age of 92, after lending her voice to more than 12,000 songs over the years. Asha tai was cremated on April 13 at Shivaji Park, Dadar with full state honours. Many celebrities were in attendance to pay their last respects to the legendary singer.

Aruna Irani reveals late singer Asha Bhosle had pain in life

Undoubtedly, the singer will be deeply missed and forever remembered through her timeless songs. Meanwhile, ETimes contacted Aruna Irani, who shared some rare and deeply personal memories about the late singer. She revealed, "Asha Bhosle's demise is a huge loss to the music industry. I have known her personally; we used to meet, talk, and share everything with each other. And I can only say one thing about her that despite having so much pain in her personal life, she behaved as if she was the happiest person on earth. 'Unse zyada khush insaan iss duniya mein hai hi nahi. aise hamesha jatati thi sabko'. She met and greeted everyone in such a warm way."




"Words fall short when we talk about her singing… she sang all types of songs across different ranges and styles. In fact, I would say songs which Lata didi didn’t sing were attempted and excelled at by Asha Tai. Listen to her ghazals, bhakti songs, cabaret, and all those funky and peppy songs, they are all outstanding and one of a kind," she explained.

Aruna Irani speaks on Asha Bhosle's versatile songs

"I loved Kajol’s song from 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', ‘Zara sa jhoom loon main’, and also ‘Daiya yeh main kahan aa phansi’ from my film 'Caravan'. What style and grace she brought to her songs, they are simply unmatched. May her soul rest in peace, and may she find all the happiness wherever she is now," Aruna concluded, with tears in her eyes.

Aruna Irani and Asha Bhosle shared a memorable creative partnership in classic Bollywood cinema, with Bhosle often lending her voice to the actress’s dance numbers and romantic sequences. Their collaborations, frequently under composers like R. D. Burman, flourished through the 1970s and 80s, resulting in several popular tracks.

Some of their notable songs include “Ab Jo Mile Hai To” (Caravan, 1971), featuring Aruna Irani and Jeetendra, along with “Yeh Mera Jadu” (Fakira, 1976), “Mujhko Mohabbat Mein” from the film Dil Diwana, which was released in 1974, “Aisa Ji Koi Aata” from Beqasoor, 1980, “Ehsan” 1970, “Ho Tu Tu Tu” from Humjoli, 1970.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”