Asha Bhosle’s 92nd birthday: Muzaffar Ali recalls her work in ‘Umrao Jaan’ – ‘She was ready to plunge into character’ |

If versatility had a voice, that would undoubtedly be Asha Bhosle’s. The National Award-winning singer, who lent her voice to every genre of music, be it romantic, sad, or peppy, has always been loved for experimenting with her craft and creating masterpieces one after another. Her zeal for not being shy in trying her hand at different genres was highly appreciated by filmmakers. And that is one of the reasons that Asha Bhosle was the voice for the soundtrack of the iconic ‘Umaro Jaan.’ These are not our words, but the director of this 1981 classic, Muzaffar Ali’s, who, in his candid conversation with us, confessed how Asha Bhosle was the best fit for ‘Umarao Jaan.’

Umaro Jaan: Why did Muzaffar Ali choose Asha Bhosle and not Lata Mangeshkar

“Ghazal has been my tour de force in my cinematic expression. Umrao Jaan needed a fragrance different from conventional Hindi cinema. It had to be Lucknow yet commercial,” said Muzaffar Ali while speaking to us.He further explained, “Ashaji was not so strongly associated with the ghazal genre, but she was ready to plunge into the character and play with her voice to become a character and not just a singer.”

The process behind ‘Umrao Jaan’

Recalling the entire process that went behind creating the evergreen soundtrack, Muzaffar Ali said, “I sat with her (Asha Bhosle) on the feeling of each word and nuance as much as I sat with the poet and composer, Shahryar and Khaiyyam.”“Her singing was lower than her normal pitch clinched the impact. Firstly and lastly, she was ready to give time to innovate, which artists don’t give so readily. And obviously, she got the coveted Best Playback singers National Award for ‘Umrao Jaan,’” he mentioned.

Asha Bhosle – A legacy, and celebration of music

From her album songs, solo releases, to Bollywood playbacks, Asha Bhosle’s magic can be found in each of her works. And though the legendary singer has turned 92, she isn’t ready to put a pause on her musical journey, as she continues to sing and inspire.