Page 9 - Seniorstoday September-2023 Issue

love all these little things. They make me
happy.”
Asha’s range
Asha has sung all kinds of songs in her
illustrious career – be it romantic songs,
fun numbers and cabarets as well. “A
playback singer needs to be able to sing
everything. I can’t say I can’t do this or that
to get stereotyped and the playback singer
needs to do everything. The lead actor
also does comedy and plays villains too. I
have to be able to sing in this situation. I
have to think of who I am doing playback
for – is it Zeenat Aman, Helen, Nargis or
Madhubala.
Remixes and Gen Zee
DJ Tarun Makhijani remix of an old Asha Bhosle and
Kishore Kumar hit
“Times have changed,” says Asha, talking
about the multiple remixes and reduxes of
old songs in Bollywood flicks. “If I just say
my telephone number to a new generation
kid, they won’t remember it, but people
will remember in those days. Technology
is the guiding factor here. People don’t
remember the new songs, but they all
know the old songs because their parents
and grandparents have been humming
these songs. Since these old songs are so
good, filmmakers use these songs after
remixing them for the new generation so
that they can remember these songs for a
longer period of time. We won’t be there
forever, but our songs and traditions will
remain. My granddaughter Zanai keeps
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #51 | SEPTEMBER 2023
telling me about all these remixed songs. If
the current generation is able to carry off
these songs and our tradition ahead, that
will be our victory,” she says emphatically,
addingss that the generation should try
and learn a bit of classical music to aid
their career goals.
Music
Asha says that she loves to listen to music
as well. “I hear all kinds of music, from
classical to ghazals and filmi songs – except
my own songs. I also listen to Tamil and
Telugu songs. I have sung in all the south
languages myself apart from Gujarati and
Marathi, Spanish and Italian. I also listen
to music by today’s generation. It is good
and new. The older generation is gone
now and it is time for the new generation
to bloom,” says Asha who has sung in
over 20 languages in Indian and foreign
languages including Russian.
What is the wish now?
“I am still singing at 90 now. I can’t learn
anything new now, but I do wish that all
my grandchildren do well in life. It is my
time to go and not come and it is important
to do good things and go to god and I want
to do good things and not hurt anyone at
all,” she signs off.
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