Asha Bhosle At Rising India She-Shakti: Never Attempted To Sing Like Lata Didi, Wanted To Be Original

Asha Bhosle attended CNN News18’s Rising India-She Shakti conclave in New Delhi on Friday, August 11. During the event, the legendary singer talked about her initial career days and revealed why she never wanted to sing like her late sister Lata Mangeshkar, also called the ‘Nightingale of Bollywood’ or ‘Queen of Melody’.

“From the beginning, we sisters had very similar voices. If I would have sung like her (Lata Mangeshkar), nobody would have called me up. They would have said, ‘Lata hai toh Asha ka kya kaam hai?’ This is what happens. Therefore I changed my style. I never wanted to sing like her. I never wanted to copy her,” Asha said in Hindi.

“Today, a lot of people copy her. Copy is a copy, it is never original. I wanted to be something original. I wanted to establish Asha Bhosle as a name. This is why I listened to different songs, Spanish, Italian. I listened to them and changed my voice. That’s what I did in films and people loved it. Nobody used to sing the way I used to,” the singer added.

Asha Bhosle was honoured at CNN News18’s Rising India-She Shakti conclave by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. The legendary singer was honoured for her illustrious contributions to the field of music. Not only did the President present her with a memento but also requested her to sing a song for her. Bhosle gracefully accepted and sang the song Radha Kaise Na Jale from the film Lagaan.

News18’s Rising India Initiative embodies a commitment to fostering thought leadership and facilitating crucial discussions on groundbreaking innovations and our nation’s future prospects. This exceptional event unites visionaries, decision-makers, and influential speakers from all corners to unlock the boundless potential of India. You can watch the Rising India conclave here.