Melody, memories & mentorship: Hariharan’s heartfelt tribute to Asha Bhosle at 92

Playback singer Hariharan is taking a walk down the memory lane. The singer recently shared a set of 4 throwback monochromatic pictures of himself in a recording room with veteran singer Asha Bhosle.

The two can be seen jamming over the vocals before the take. He also penned a long note in the caption, as he spoke about his fondest memories with her.


He wrote, "Some memories never fade... they live in the heart like music itself. Recording Aabshaar-e-Ghazal with Asha ji was one of the most treasured chapters of my journey. On your 92nd birthday, I bow to your timeless voice, your unmatched spirit, and the warmth with which you have guided me. To me, you will always be a mentor, an inspiration, and above all, a beloved Asha ji. Wishing you boundless joy, health, and music always @asha.bhosle".

Asha Bhosle is a legendary playback singer, with more than 12 decades in the music industry. Born in 1933, she started singing in films as a teenage singer and eventually recorded thousands of songs in several languages. Her sassy, expression-laden voice could slide into different genres -- classical, pop, ghazals or qawwalis as easily as a glove. She became the music directors' favourite, and has worked with O.P. Nayyar, R.D. Burman, S.D. Burman and scoring hits of various genres and moods.

She didn't confine herself, as so many artistes do, to the realm of romantic or other sentimental material, but dove headfirst into the bold and experimental songs. Her work with R.D. Burman in particular is noted for redefining music in Hindi films of the 20th century. Asha's versatility to sing in multiple languages and genres, along with her emotive voice and spot-on timing, set her apart. Even after more than half a century she sang, won many accolades ranging from Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Vibhushan and inspired generations of singers with her sheer versatility.